The Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) has reported that Nigeria’s maize output is set to increase as part of a global surge in cereal production. 

The announcement, which was contained in FAO’s 2025 statistical food yearbook, reveals that global harvested cropland reached 1.49 billion hectares in 2023, the highest level in 23 years, up 26 per cent from 2000. Cereals accounted for over half of the total harvested area.

Cereal production took 50 per cent of the harvested area in 2023, a slight decline from previous years and this expansion supports global food security and livestock feed requirements.

Nigeria currently produces an average of 11.16 million metric tons of maize annually. FAO projects the country’s maize output will increase by 2.7 million metric tons by 2034, driven primarily by demand for livestock feed and this rise is expected to encourage more farmers to cultivate maize.

India and Ethiopia are leading other developing countries in cereal yield growth, with projected increases of 4.1 million and 3.2 million metric tons, respectively, by 2034. 

These trends are expected to strengthen agricultural productivity in developing regions.

Other crops accounted for a smaller share of harvested area between 2000 and 2023: oil crops 24 per cent, roots and tubers five per cent, and fruits five per cent while cereal crops remain dominant in global production.

Organic agriculture has expanded to 99 million hectares in 2023. 

Australia led the global total, followed by India, Argentina, Uruguay, and China, collectively accounting for 78 per cent of organic cropland. 

Organic farming avoids synthetic fertilisers and pesticides, promoting sustainable agriculture.

FAO notes that the growth in organic agriculture contributes to climate resilience, soil health, and sustainable livelihoods for smallholder farmers worldwide.

Source: Business Day