Cropland nutrient balance (Global, regional and country trends, 1961–2021)

FAOSTAT released new data on cropland nutrient budgets, allowing to assess the environmental burden of fertilizer inputs in relation to the amounts needed to support sustainable crop production. The cropland nutrient budget give an indication of nutrient use efficiency, as it can help quantify excess nitrogen leading to environmental risks, for instance, GHG emissions or pollution from volatilization and leaching/runoff. It can also signal cropland nutrient deficits that limit crop production. 

The 2023 update of the cropland nutrient balance is a joint effort of FAO with the International Fertilizer Association (IFA) in collaboration with the University of Maryland Center for Environmental Science, the Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, CEIGRAM-Universidad Politécnica de Madrid, Wageningen University & Research, the University of Nebraska and the African Plant Nutrition Institute.