A virtual consultation was organized by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) and the International Institute for Applied Systems Analysis (IIASA), in collaboration with the Environmental System Research Institute (ESRI) and the Asian Institute of Technology (AIT), on 16th of December 2021 (14:00 – 15:30 CET). The objective of the consultation was to identify global datasets for the new Global Agro-Ecological Zoning (GAEZ v5). The new GAEZv5 will be developed with a particular attention on 1) fostering partnerships and collaborations, 2) improving data collection and quality, 3) enhancing technical capacity and youth engagement and 4) improving efficient development and sustainable land management. 

The consultation was attended by 59 experts from 35 international organizations and institutions. Experts contributed, through breakout groups, in technical discussion on four thematic areas (climate, soil, land and additional data). During the consultation modalities, alternatives, and challenges of accessing, processing, and standardizing the datasets to a common format and spatial resolution for use in GAEZ methodological approach was discussed and identified. The results from the discussions will be used to guide the new Global Agro-Ecological zoning version 5 development. Further consultations in 2022 will give priority to updating the methodological approach. A questionnaire was prepared and shared to unable international experts to participate to the process.