This article is brought to you by the Food Systems, Land Use and Restoration (FOLUR) Impact Program. Learn more about the GLF’s partnership with FOLUR here.
Just three crops provide most of the plant-derived calories we consume: wheat, rice and maize.
Wheat provides about 20 percent of the total dietary calories consumed worldwide. It thrives in diverse soils and climates, making it a crucial dietary staple.
According to the FAO World Food Situation report, around 789 million tons of wheat were produced in 2024, making it the world’s second-most consumed grain after rice.
But demand for food is growing rapidly, driving deforestation as forests are turned into farmland – much of it dedicated to food crop cereals such as wheat and maize.
This deforestation not only releases vast amounts of carbon into the atmosphere but also contributes to biodiversity loss.
As the climate crisis intensifies, it threatens the stability of crop production – which is why we urgently need new approaches to land management at the landscape level to sustainably feed the world’s growing population.
Small-scale producers are key to wheat production globally, producing roughly one-third of the world’s food.
While the proportion of small-scale farmers varies significantly by country – for instance, they contribute roughly 80% of the food supply in China but only single-digit percentages in Brazil – there are an estimated 608 million family farms worldwide.
We now recognize the importance of going back to our more Indigenous practices. That is where local knowledge from these small-scale farmers plays a very important role.
Konda Chavva, assistant representative (programme), Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), India
In China, the world’s leading wheat producer, the sector’s growth is contributing to environmental degradation and greenhouse gas emissions.
In Kazakhstan, wheat is grown on half of the country’s total arable land, resulting in desertification and exposing the country to climate risks due to monoculture practices.
In Ukraine, the war with Russia has resulted in the mining of agricultural land and the massive destruction of energy and water supply systems, which has greatly impacted the small and medium scale farmers in the region. Ukraine is one of Europe’s largest grain producers, and the war’s impact on exports has driven up global food prices.
Small-scale Ukrainian maize and wheat producers can no longer export their products because only large agricultural holdings can use the currently limited logistics routes. They have three options: sell domestically, farm livestock and use grain for feed, or start growing other crops.
Inna Hoch, lead national technical analyst, United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) Ukraine
A variety of techniques have been adopted to tackle these challenges. These include integrated landscape management and conservation agriculture techniques such as crop diversification and zero tillage.
Small farmers can also benefit from crop and system modeling, mechanization support and climate-smart agriculture, as well as the redirection of agricultural subsidies.
The wheat value chain is deeply intertwined with critical sectors like water, infrastructure, energy and transport.
This interconnectedness highlights the pressing need for cross-sector collaboration to enhance the sustainability of wheat production and ensure a reliable supply of this vital global staple.
Discover the journey behind the wheat value chain and uncover how collaboration shapes its sustainability.
This stage involves the distribution of essential farming inputs such as high-quality seeds, fertilizers, pesticides, irrigation tools and farm machinery. Agricultural extension services play a vital role by providing technical knowledge to farmers, enhancing productivity and sustainability.
Wheat cultivation takes place across diverse farming systems, from smallholder farms to large-scale commercial operations. Factors like climate, soil conditions and access to technology significantly impact production efficiency.
Once mature, wheat is harvested using traditional or mechanized methods. Proper storage is critical to prevent spoilage and maintain quality. Facilities like silos and warehouses are used to protect the grain from pests, moisture and temperature fluctuations.
Wheat undergoes milling and processing to create flour, semolina, or bran for various uses. Processing also generates by-products used in animal feed. Advances in technology allow the extraction of gluten and starch for industrial applications, broadening wheat’s utility beyond food.
Processed wheat products are sold in local, regional, and international markets. This stage includes transportation, packaging, and retail activities. Efficient marketing systems and fair trade practices ensure that farmers and traders benefit from competitive pricing.
Wheat is consumed in multiple forms, such as bread, pasta, biscuits and animal feed. Consumer demand influences production and processing trends.
This stage underpins the entire value chain, encompassing research and development, policy frameworks, financial support and training programs. These services address challenges like climate change, pest management and market fluctuations, ensuring the chain’s sustainability and resilience.
Understanding the wheat value chain is essential to addressing global challenges like food security, price volatility and environmental sustainability.
As demand for wheat rises globally, it’s more important than ever to optimize every stage of the value chain to improve efficiency, reduce losses and ensure equitable benefits for all stakeholders – from farmers to consumers.
The FOLUR Impact Program collaborates globally to transform food systems through sustainable value chains for eight commodities across 27 countries. The program has wheat projects in China, India, Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan and maize projects in China and Kenya.
These projects implement sustainable cereal production at a landscape level, involving all actors along the value chain. In practice, this involves connecting with farmers, smallholder producer organizations, women – who often contribute substantially to cereal production – and governments to achieve a multi-stakeholder transformative approach.
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