Agriculture and food
Yield gap
The difference between what farms actually harvest and what they could harvest with better practices.
Last reviewedWhat does Yield gap mean?
The yield gap is the difference between the crop yield farmers actually get per hectare and the yield that is achievable in the same place with good seeds, fertilizer, water and practices. Example: rice farmers in a region harvest 3.5 tonnes per hectare while well-managed farms nearby reach 6 tonnes, a gap of 2.5 tonnes, about 42 percent of the achievable level. Closing yield gaps raises food supply without clearing more land, which is why governments and development banks focus on it. Projects such as the Global Yield Gap Atlas estimate gaps by crop and country.
Where does it come up in case interview prep?
- How agriculture and food production work: from seed to plateLesson in Agriculture and food production
- Farm economics and the food supply chain: yields, inputs and the cold chainLesson in Agriculture and food production
- Agriculture players, food security, trends 2024 to 2026, and how to crack the casesLesson in Agriculture and food production
Related terms
- Post-harvest lossFood lost between harvest and the shop, through poor storage, handling and transport.
- Unit economicsThe revenue and cost of one unit: one product, order or customer.
- Penetration rateThe share of potential customers who already use the product.
- Cold chainA temperature-controlled supply chain for food, medicines and other perishables.
- Feed conversion ratio (FCR)Kilograms of feed needed to produce one kilogram of animal weight or output.
- Minimum support price (MSP, India)The price at which the Indian government offers to buy certain crops from farmers.