Foundations in Official FAO Global Data
The 175 FAO Indicators are meticulously compiled from official United Nations sources, primarily the FAOSTAT database and the SDG Indicators Data Portal. As the custodian agency for 21 Sustainable Development Goal indicators, the FAO ensures that this framework is built upon the most rigorous, peer-reviewed statistical methodologies available. By utilizing data verified by member states and standardized by the Office of the Chief Statistician, the framework provides a reliable, "single source of truth" for the state of world food and agriculture.
Advancing FAO Research and Academic Excellence
This compilation is designed to serve as a robust open-source integrated indicator framework for research and education. It provides students, academics, and policy analysts with a structured toolkit to study the complex interdependencies between production, nutrition, and the environment. By making these high-level metrics accessible and organized by the "Four Betters," the framework supports evidence-based learning and enables researchers to perform longitudinal studies on agrifood systems transformation, ensuring that the next generation of experts can develop innovative solutions to end global hunger using official FAO standards.
FAO Indicators as a Representation of Global Social Responsibility
The synthesis of these 175 indicators represents a proactive approach to global social responsibility. By providing transparent, open access to critical data on food security, poverty reduction, and rural livelihoods, this framework empowers local communities and developing nations with the information needed to hold global actors accountable. This initiative goes beyond simple data collection; it is a dedicated effort to ensure that "no one is left behind," fostering an equitable global dialogue where data-driven insights are used to protect the vulnerable and preserve the planet's natural resources for future generations.
The FAO Integrated "Four Betters" Indicator Framework
| Category | Indicator Name |
| Better Production | 1. Agricultural Labor Productivity (Value Added per Worker) |
| 2. Average Income of Small-scale Food Producers | |
| 3. Volume of Production per Labor Unit | |
| 4. Fertilizer Consumption per Hectare of Cropland | |
| 5. Pesticide Use Trends and Risk Indicators | |
| 6. Proportion of Agricultural Area under Sustainable Agriculture | |
| 7. Livestock Production Index | |
| 8. Cereal Yield (kg per Hectare) | |
| 9. Adoption of Digital Agriculture Technology | |
| 10. Status of Animal Genetic Resources | |
| 11. Plant Genetic Resources Secured in Facilities | |
| 12. Sustainable Fisheries as a Percentage of GDP | |
| 13. Prevalence of One Health Regulatory Frameworks | |
| Better Nutrition | 14. Prevalence of Undernourishment (PoU) |
| 15. Prevalence of Moderate or Severe Food Insecurity (FIES) | |
| 16. Cost of a Healthy Diet | |
| 17. Prevalence of Stunting in Children under 5 | |
| 18. Prevalence of Wasting in Children under 5 | |
| 19. Prevalence of Overweight and Obesity | |
| 20. Prevalence of Anemia in Women of Reproductive Age | |
| 21. Food Loss Index (Post-harvest to Retail) | |
| 22. Food Waste Index (Retail to Consumer) | |
| 23. Global Food Price Volatility Index | |
| 24. Per Capita Caloric Availability | |
| 25. Share of Non-Starchy Foods in Total Dietary Energy | |
| Better Environment | 26. Agriculture’s Share of Greenhouse Gas (GHG) Emissions |
| 27. Methane Emissions from Livestock | |
| 28. Water Use Efficiency in Agriculture | |
| 29. Level of Water Stress (Freshwater Withdrawal %) | |
| 30. Area of Forest under Sustainable Management | |
| 31. Global Forest Resource Change Rate | |
| 32. Soil Organic Carbon Content Trends | |
| 33. Proportion of Fish Stocks within Sustainable Levels | |
| 34. Mountain Green Cover Index | |
| 35. Red List Index (Biodiversity for Food and Agriculture) | |
| 36. Bioeconomy Contribution to National GDP | |
| 37. Climate Change Adaptation Readiness | |
| Better Life | 38. Rural Poverty Headcount Ratio |
| 39. Proportion of Population with Secure Land Tenure | |
| 40. Gender Gap in Agricultural Productivity | |
| 41. Legal Frameworks for Women's Land Ownership | |
| 42. Rural Access Index (All-season Road Access) | |
| 43. Share of Agriculture in Total Government Expenditure | |
| 44. Agricultural Orientation Index (AOI) | |
| 45. FDI Inflows to Agriculture | |
| 46. Rural Unemployment and Underemployment Rates | |
| 47. Youth Employment Share in Agrifood Systems | |
| 48. Access to Formal Financial Services for Rural Households | |
| 49. Social Protection Coverage for Rural Populations | |
| 50. Frequency of Disaster Events Affecting Agricultural Assets |
| Category | Indicator Name |
| Better Production | 51. Agricultural Research and Development (R&D) Spending |
| 52. Adoption of Climate-Resilient Crop Varieties | |
| 53. Precision Agriculture Adoption Rate | |
| 54. Total Factor Productivity (TFP) in Agriculture | |
| 55. Share of Irrigated Area in Total Cultivated Land | |
| 56. Density of Agricultural Extension Workers | |
| 57. Quality of Seed Systems and Certification | |
| 58. Mechanization Level (Number of Tractors per 100 sq. km) | |
| 59. Aquaculture Production Growth (Blue Transformation) | |
| 60. Efficiency of Livestock Feed Conversion | |
| 61. Prevalence of Transboundary Animal Diseases | |
| 62. Digital Connectivity in Rural Farming Communities | |
| Better Nutrition | 63. Household Dietary Diversity Score (HDDS) |
| 64. Proportion of Children 6-23 months with Minimum Diet Diversity | |
| 65. Food Balance Sheets (Supply vs. Utilization) | |
| 66. Food Self-Sufficiency Ratio for Strategic Commodities | |
| 67. Percentage of Population Able to Afford Nutrient-Adequate Diets | |
| 68. Global Food Supply Chain Resilience Index | |
| 69. Biofortified Crop Production and Consumption Share | |
| 70. Food Safety Regulatory Compliance Score | |
| 71. Number of Food Poisoning Outbreaks (Reported Incidents) | |
| 72. Retail Food Infrastructure Density (Markets/Storage) | |
| 73. School Feeding Program Coverage | |
| 74. Nutrition Literacy Rates among Rural Caregivers | |
| Better Environment | 75. Agricultural Nitrogen Balance (Excess vs. Requirement) |
| 76. Greenhouse Gas Intensity per Unit of Food Produced | |
| 77. Share of Organic Farming in Total Agricultural Land | |
| 78. Resilience of Agrifood Systems to Extreme Weather Events | |
| 79. Protected Area Coverage of Important Food Biodiversity Sites | |
| 80. Degree of Implementation of International Ecosystem Instruments | |
| 81. Restoration of Degraded Agricultural Lands (Hectares) | |
| 82. Energy Use in Food Cold-Chains (Sustainability Metric) | |
| 83. Groundwater Depletion Rates for Irrigation | |
| 84. Carbon Sequestration Potential of Managed Pastures | |
| 85. Plastic Mulch and Container Recovery Rates in Farming | |
| 86. Pollinator Diversity and Abundance Trends | |
| Better Life | 87. Rural-Urban Income Gap |
| 88. Proportion of Smallholders in Formal Producer Organizations | |
| 89. Percentage of Rural Population with Access to Electricity | |
| 90. Financial Inclusion: Mobile Money Usage in Rural Trade | |
| 91. Incidence of Child Labor in Agriculture | |
| 92. Safety and Health Standards Compliance for Farm Workers | |
| 93. Land Conflict Resolution Rate (Tenure Security) | |
| 94. Rural Infrastructure Quality Index | |
| 95. Migration Rate from Rural to Urban Areas (Distress Migration) | |
| 96. Share of Women in Agricultural Decision-Making Positions | |
| 97. Digital Skills Literacy among Rural Youth | |
| 98. Impact of Food Systems on Local Community Wellbeing | |
| 99. Public Investment in Rural Public Goods (Roads, Water, Health) | |
| 100. Governance and Policy Consistency in Agrifood Systems |
| Category | Indicator Name |
| Better Production | 101. Seed Replacement Rate (SRR) for major cereals |
| 102. Efficiency of aquaculture recirculating systems (RAS) | |
| 103. Prevalence of antimicrobial resistance (AMR) in livestock | |
| 104. Proportion of agricultural area under agroforestry | |
| 105. Public-private partnerships (PPP) in agrifood innovation | |
| 106. Satellite-based crop monitoring coverage (%) | |
| Better Nutrition | 107. Availability of fortified staple foods per capita |
| 108. Sugar and sodium content trends in processed foods | |
| 109. Food safety certification compliance for export markets | |
| 110. Proximity to fresh food markets in rural districts | |
| 111. Nutritional quality of school-based food procurement | |
| 112. Cold chain storage capacity (cubic meters per capita) | |
| Better Environment | 113. Phosphorus runoff intensity from agricultural lands |
| 114. Share of agriculture in national biodiversity strategies | |
| 115. Adoption of low-carbon livestock management practices | |
| 116. Proportion of recycled water used for irrigation | |
| 117. Impact of invasive species on local food crops | |
| 118. Marine protected areas with sustainable fishing zones | |
| Better Life | 119. Rural-to-urban digital connectivity gap |
| 120. Participation of indigenous peoples in food governance | |
| 121. Number of cooperatives with digital marketplace access | |
| 122. Prevalence of crop insurance among smallholder farmers | |
| 123. Labor rights compliance in the commercial fishing sector | |
| 124. Level of government investment in rural education | |
| 125. Frequency of climate-induced internal displacement |
| Category | Indicator Name |
| Better Production | 126. Total Factor Productivity (TFP) growth in crop and livestock sectors |
| 127. Adoption of Integrated Pest Management (IPM) practices | |
| 128. Proportion of area under protective cultivation (Greenhouses/Nets) | |
| 129. Efficiency of nitrogen use in cereal production | |
| 130. Number of agricultural patents filed by developing countries | |
| 131. Post-harvest storage capacity per metric ton of grain | |
| Better Nutrition | 132. Minimum Dietary Diversity for Women (MDD-W) — New 2025 metric |
| 133. Share of processed foods with front-of-pack nutrition labeling | |
| 134. Food Safety Index for domestic vegetable markets | |
| 135. Incidence of food price anomalies (Target 2.c.1) | |
| 136. Percentage of population consuming biofortified staple crops | |
| 137. Transparency Index of global grain stocks (AMIS data) | |
| Better Environment | 138. Greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from synthetic fertilizer use |
| 139. Proportion of degraded land restored through regenerative agriculture | |
| 140. Biodiversity Intactness Index for agricultural landscapes | |
| 141. Water-use efficiency (WUE) in irrigated agrifood systems | |
| 142. Rate of world’s forest area decline (SDG 15.1.1) | |
| 143. Number of countries implementing "Guidelines for Sustainable Aquaculture" | |
| Better Life | 144. Rural poverty gap (Depth of poverty in agricultural regions) |
| 145. Share of women with secure tenure rights to agricultural land | |
| 146. Incidence of distress migration from rural to urban centers | |
| 147. Number of smallholder farmers with access to index-based insurance | |
| 148. Government Expenditure on Agriculture (GEA) as % of total outlays | |
| 149. Rural employment share in non-farm agrifood activities | |
| 150. Level of digital literacy among rural female food producers |
| Category | Indicator Name |
| Better Production | 151. Investment in biotech-based agricultural solutions |
| 152. Proportion of farms utilizing AI-enabled geospatial advice | |
| 153. Efficiency of agricultural input supply chains (Fertilizer/Seed) | |
| 154. Adoption rate of "No-Till" and conservation agriculture | |
| 155. Prevalence of regenerative grazing management systems | |
| 156. Share of new FAO action plans including healthy diet priorities | |
| Better Nutrition | 157. Cost of a nutrient-adequate diet relative to local income |
| 158. Prevalence of food-safe certified informal markets | |
| 159. Level of public investment in nutrition-sensitive agriculture | |
| 160. Supply chain resilience index for perishable food items | |
| 161. Frequency of real-time food price monitoring updates | |
| 162. Effectiveness of shock-responsive school feeding systems | |
| Better Environment | 163. Carbon sequestration rates in agricultural land restoration |
| 164. Level of agrifood systems alignment with Paris Agreement NDCs | |
| 165. Proportion of urban areas adopting "Green City" food principles | |
| 166. Adoption of energy-efficient food processing technologies | |
| 167. Biodiversity protection in "GIAHS" (Global Heritage Systems) | |
| 168. Reduction in ocean plastic waste from fishing gear (ALDFG) | |
| Better Life | 169. Percentage of rural households with shock-responsive insurance |
| 170. Number of youth-led agrifood startups receiving venture capital | |
| 171. Proportion of development funding dedicated to LDCs/SIDS | |
| 172. Frequency of civil society participation in food governance | |
| 173. Level of transparency in government agrifood accountability | |
| 174. Accessibility of early warning systems (EWS) for smallholders | |
| 175. Index of rural community resilience to climate-induced shocks |
Source and Quality Assurance
This integrated framework is synthesized from the FAO Strategic Framework 2022–31, the 2025 State of Food and Agriculture (SOFA) report, and the FAO SDG Progress Report 2025. It follows the FAO Chief Statistician’s guidelines for data transparency and multi-sectoral accountability.