OECD agriculture report 2026 shows production up while farmland biodiversity falls
OECD agriculture report 2026 finds 33% production rise since 1990, falling fertilizer use, rising water pressure and widespread declines in farmland bird populations.
The OECD agriculture report 2026, published in Paris, finds that agricultural output across member countries rose markedly while resource use has begun to decouple from production, even as biodiversity indicators deteriorate. The report highlights a 33 percent increase in agricultural production between 1990 and 2023 alongside reductions in land and—on average—more efficient use of fertilizers and energy. Officials and analysts described the mixed findings as evidence that technological and management gains can reduce some pressures, but that targeted ecological measures are urgently needed to halt species declines.
Production gains and shrinking farmland
From 1990 to 2023 agricultural output in OECD countries increased by roughly one-third, the report shows. This rise occurred even as agricultural land contracted by nearly 11 percent, signaling intensified production on smaller areas. The pattern points to higher yields per hectare driven by improved crop varieties, management practices and, in some regions, expanded irrigation and mechanization.
This concentration of production has allowed many countries to produce more food with less land, but it has also altered landscapes and habitat structures that support wildlife. The report warns that yield-driven intensification can carry ecological trade-offs if not paired with conservation measures.
Fertilizer trends and nutrient efficiency
The OECD found a gradual decoupling of fertilizer use from output, with average annual declines in nitrogen and phosphorus application despite rising production. Over the period studied, nitrogen use fell by an average 0.24 percent per year and phosphorus by 0.53 percent per year, reflecting more targeted application and lower use particularly between 2021 and 2023. The report attributes part of the recent reduction to price shocks following the 2022 war in Ukraine, which tightened fertilizer supplies and raised costs.
Despite those improvements, nutrient use efficiency remains imperfect: median data suggest only about 60 percent of applied nitrogen was converted into crop yield, leaving roughly 40 percent to leak into soils, waterways or the atmosphere. The OECD called for further improvements in nutrient management to reduce runoff, eutrophication and greenhouse gas emissions linked to fertilizer overuse.
Water use and mounting pressure on reserves
Water use showed a relative decoupling from production, with agricultural output growing faster than water withdrawals overall. Nevertheless, the OECD cautions that total agricultural water extraction rose at an average rate of 0.32 percent per year, indicating increasing pressure on freshwater reserves in many regions. Those trends, the report notes, raise concerns for areas already facing seasonal shortages and heightened competition between agricultural, urban and environmental needs.
The agency urged better water accounting, more efficient irrigation technologies and policy reforms that reflect the true scarcity value of water. Without such steps, gains in water productivity could be outpaced by rising demand in hotter, drier years.
Emissions and air pollutants show mixed direction
On greenhouse gases the picture is nuanced: emissions per farm or per unit of output have improved in some jurisdictions, but the aggregate agricultural emissions remained relatively stable across the membership for much of the reporting period. The report records an average annual increase in total agricultural greenhouse gases of 0.48 percent over the longer term, though emissions fell at an average of 0.84 percent per year since 2018, suggesting recent progress. The OECD stressed that sustained, deeper changes will be required to secure a persistent downward trajectory.
Ammonia emissions, which contribute to air and water pollution, were reduced in most reporting countries. Of 34 members providing 2013–2023 data, 24 showed declines in agricultural ammonia output, reflecting better manure management, lower stocking densities in some places, and regulatory action.
Biodiversity losses concentrated among farmland birds
Perhaps the most worrying finding concerns biodiversity: populations of farmland birds declined in 22 of 27 OECD member states that monitor this indicator. Only five countries in the 30-member OECD reported positive trends for those species. The report characterizes this decline as “concerning” and identifies habitat loss, intensified land use, pesticide impacts and reduced landscape heterogeneity as contributing factors.
The decline in bird populations is presented as an early-warning signal for wider ecosystem degradation, since birds often reflect changes in insect availability, hedgerow continuity and field margin quality. The OECD argues that agronomic gains must be combined with agrienvironmental measures to restore habitats and reverse long-term declines.
Recommendations for policy and practice
The report recommends targeted agronomic and policy interventions to build on resource-efficiency gains while reversing biodiversity losses. Suggested measures include improved nutrient and water management, incentives for habitat restoration, wider adoption of precision agriculture, and policy instruments that reward ecosystem services. The OECD also highlights the need for better monitoring to guide interventions and measure progress.
Policymakers were urged to tailor actions to local conditions, since the report emphasizes that national averages can obscure regional hotspots of environmental pressure. The agency called for integrated approaches that align productivity, climate and biodiversity objectives.
The OECD agriculture report 2026 presents a mixed but actionable picture: production and certain efficiency metrics have improved even as critical signs of ecological decline persist, especially for farmland species. Reversing biodiversity loss while maintaining food production will require coordinated policy effort, investment in sustainable practices and sustained monitoring to ensure that recent efficiency gains translate into longer-term environmental recovery.
