The Gap Initiative at Virginia Tech
THE GAP INITIATIVE AT VIRGINIA TECH
Explore the latest data and insights on the state of agricultural innovation
Global agricultural productivity growth needs to average 2% annually.
We are falling behind — averaging only 0.7% growth per year.
agricultural productivity drives a sustainable future
The Global Agricultural Productivity (GAP) Initiative at Virginia Tech is a public-private platform that advances sustainable agricultural productivity growth through systems intelligence, collaboration, and coordinated action.
Working across sectors, the GAP Initiative supports productivity-enhancing solutions that strengthen farmer livelihoods, improve food and nutrition security, and protect environmental integrity.
The GAP ReportTM is the initiative’s flagship product – providing trusted data, analysis, and policy insights to inform decisions and drive investment in sustainable productivity growth.
why productivity matters
Agricultural productivity growth is measured through total factor productivity, or TFP, an efficiency measure that tracks how effectively agricultural inputs such as land, labor, capital, fertilizer, feed, and livestock are converted into outputs. TFP rises when producers increase output using the same amount or fewer resources.
TFP growth is widely regarded as a barometer of innovation in agriculture. It also reveals how well agricultural knowledge and innovation systems are reaching and supporting producers at all scales of production.
When productivity growth slows, agricultural output tends to grow instead through input intensification and land expansion. Both carry costs: higher expenses for farmers, greater exposure to input market volatility, and increased pressure on land and natural resources.
INSIDE THE 2026 GAP REPORT
Plateaus and Progress in Agricultural Productivity Growth
The 2025 GAP Report, “The TFP Growth Frontier: Plateaus and Progress in Agricultural Productivity Growth,” reveals global and U.S. trends in this important measure of agriculture system efficiency.
The 2025 GAP Report delivers the latest data and insights on global and U.S. agricultural productivity trends.
Explore where productivity is advancing- and where challenges remain.
GAP INITIATIVE PARTNERS
The GAP Initiative brings together a diverse network of partners across research, industry, policy, and development who share a commitment to advancing agricultural productivity. By working across sectors, we work to connect data with on-the-ground realities, help inform decisions, and provide support for coordinated action to strengthen farmer livelihoods, improve sustainable productivity, and strengthen agricultural systems globally.
