FAO Statistical Yearbook 2025 highlights new indicator on dietary diversity | FAO News

Rome– The Food & Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) today launched its Statistical Yearbook 2025, an annual publication offering a comprehensive overview of global food & agriculture trends. The Yearbook was launched in the context of FAO’s 80th anniversary & World Statistics Day, which is celebrated once every five years.

The Statistical Yearbook synthesizes internationally harmonized data collected from national statistical offices & FAO’s network of partners. It serves as a vital reference for policymakers, researchers, analysts & the general public, providing insights into the economic significance of agriculture, production inputs & outputs, food security & nutrition, & environmental impacts.

This edition of the Yearbook showcases a new indicator, the prevalence of minimum dietary diversity, which will support monitoring progress toward Sustainable Development Goal 2 (SDG 2): ending hunger & all forms of malnutrition. This indicator helps to measure progress by assessing whether segments of the populations, such as children & women, are consuming a diverse range of foods, which is crucial for ensuring adequate nutrient intake.

The 2025 Yearbook places special emphasis on the centennial of the first World Programme for the Census of Agriculture guidelines, as countries prepare for upcoming censuses. It also features improved data on forest product trade, including processed wood & paper products.

As the world looks to cutting greenhouse gas emissions, trees are ever more important in absorbing & removing carbon dioxide from the atmosphere. Better management of forests, including smarter use & consumption of forest products, will help the transition towards a sustainable bioeconomy. In this context, forest product trade data can help fuel progress towards achieving this goal.

“The Statistical Yearbook & Pocketbook series remains the most authoritative source of information on world food & agriculture. In the face of increasing demand for data, statistics & the trust we build around them remain our biggest asset,” said José Rosero Moncayo, Director of FAO’s Statistics Division & Chief Statistician. “Reliable data is essential for designing effective policies, monitoring progress, & ensuring accountability.”

The digital version of the Yearbook offers interactive visualizations that enhance data accessibility & reuse. It is accompanied by the Statistical Pocketbook, a concise summary of key facts & trends.

Beyond data compilation & dissemination, FAO continues to strengthen national statistical capacities, set global standards, & leverage innovations such as big data & new data collection & processing technologies. Through its FAOSTAT platform, the world’s largest database on food & agriculture, FAO ensures free access to over 20 000 indicators across 245 countries & territories.

Statistical work has been at the core of FAO’s activities & mandate. With this Yearbook, FAO reaffirms its commitment to providing timely, trusted & accessible data to support the transformation toward more sustainable, inclusive & resilient agrifood systems.