COMCEC Agriculture Outlook 2016
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2. Sectoral Indicators
Sectoral indicators provide more specific information on the structure of a sector. They
draw the basic characteristic of the field and reveal the nature of activities. In agriculture
sector, the land use, crop productions and yields, labor productivity, irrigation, fertilizer, and
mechanization are considered as the main sectoral indicators. These indicators help the
understanding of agricultural structure in a country or region providing comparison with the
rest of the world.
2.1. Land Use
The world’s cultivated area has grown by 12 percent over the last 50 years. The global
irrigated area has doubled over the same period, accounting for most of the net increase in
cultivated land. Meanwhile, agricultural production has grown between 2.5 and 3 times,
thanks to significant increase in the yield of major crops. However, global achievements in
production in some regions have been associated with the degradation of land resources, and
the deterioration of related ecosystem goods and services, such as decreasing of biomass and
carbon storage as well as damaging soil health and biodiversity.
According to FAO’s 2013 data, agriculture uses 4.93 billion hectares area, representing
38 percent of the world’s land surface. Agriculture is a major user of land. Hence, in order to
make agriculture sustainable it is important to maintain the quantity and quality of soil
resources. Agriculture must be at the center of any discussion of natural resource management
and global environmental objectives. The responsible management of natural resources
requires ensuring adequate food and water for all while at the same time achieving sustainable
rural development and livelihoods for the current and future generations.6
Land resources and the way they are used are central to the challenge of improving food
security across the world. Demographic pressures, climate change, and the increased
competition for a land are likely to increase vulnerability to food insecurity, particularly in
Africa and Asia. The challenge of providing sufficient food for everyone worldwide has never
been greater.7
For improving nutrition and alleviating food insecurity and undernourishment, future
agricultural production will have to rise faster than population growth. This will have to occur
largely on existing agricultural land. Improvements will thus have to come from sustainable
intensification that makes effective use of land without harming and spoiling this precious
resource. As estimated by FAO, almost 5 to 7 million hectares of agricultural land are lost each
year due to land degradation and urbanization.8
Taking into account the issues mentioned above, for the OIC Member Countries
sustainable land management is vital as most of them are facing with food insecurity and have
more population growth than world average. Thus, it is important to find out the situation of
these countries to determine the problems and to propose recommendations.
6 FAO, 2013
7 FAO, 2011
8 Haktanır, 2003