Agrifood systems account for about one-third of total anthropogenic greenhouse gas emissions. They are generated within the farm gate, from crop and livestock production activities; by land-use change, caused by deforestation, biomass fires and peatland degradation processes often linked to land clearance for agriculture; and in pre- and post-production processes, comprising the supply chain including food manufacturing, retail, household consumption and food disposal.

Statistics on the underlying activity data, emissions and indicators (shares of total economy, per capita emissions and emissions intensities) are disseminated in FAOSTAT at the country, regional and global levels, covering over 200 countries and territories, for the period 1961–2023), together with a comprehensive summary of emissions from the rest of the economy.

According to the latest data available, global agrifood systems emissions reached 16.5 billion tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent (Gt CO2eq) in 2023, up 21 percent since 2001. Their share in total emissions fell from 38 to 32 percent in 2023.

Main findings:

• Global agrifood systems emissions reached 16.5 billion tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent (Gt CO₂eq) in 2023, up 21 percent since 2001. Their share in total emissions fell from 38 to 32 percent in 2023.
• Farm-gate emissions from crop and livestock amounted to 8.1 Gt CO₂eq in 2023, or 49 percent of agrifood systems emissions, marking a 17 percent increase since 2001.
• Pre and post agricultural production emissions rose by 33 percent since 2001 to 5.2 Gt CO₂eq in 2023, accounting for 32 percent of agrifood systems emissions. Emissions from manufacturing, transport, packaging, retail, and household consumption grew by about 80 percent.
• Land-use change emissions declined 6 percent to 3.2 Gt CO₂eq since 2021, accounting for 19 percent of agrifood systems emissions.
• In 2023, livestock emissions (4.3 Gt CO₂eq) were the largest single component, followed by deforestation (2.8 Gt CO₂eq), and packaging, transport and retail (1.4 Gt CO₂eq).
• In 2023, emissions were largest in Asia (7.1 Gt CO₂eq), followed by the Americas (4.8 Gt CO2eq), Africa (2.4 Gt CO2eq), Europe (1.9 Gt CO2eq) and Oceania (0.4 Gt CO²eq). Since 2001, emissions increased in Asia (+53 percent), Africa (+17 percent), and the Americas (+7 percent), but declined in Europe (−6 percent) and Oceania (−19 percent).
• The global emissions intensity of agricultural production in 2023 was 1.9 kg CO₂eq per international dollar, down 25 percent from 2001. It declined in all regions, from −21 percent in Europe to −31 percent in Oceania.
• Per capita agrifood systems emissions fell by 6 percent since 2001 to 2.0 t CO²eq/cap in 2023. Oceania remained the highest emitter (8.1 t CO²eq/cap), followed by the Americas (4.6 t CO₂eq/cap), Europe (2.5 t CO₂eq/cap), Africa (1.6 t CO2eq/cap) and Asia (1.5 t CO₂eq/cap).