The GEOGLAM crop monitor for AMIS: Assessing crop conditions in the context of global markets

The GEOGLAM Crop Monitor for the G20 Agricultural Market Information System (AMIS) provides a public good of open, timely, science-driven information on crop conditions in support of market transparency. It reflects an international, multi-source, consensus assessment of crop growing conditions, status, and agro-climatic factors likely to impact global production, focusing on the major producing and trading countries for the four primary crops monitored by AMIS (wheat, maize, rice, and soybean). This initiative, developed in response to a request by AMIS, is fulfilling the demand from the international community for a timely and transparent consensus on global crop prospects. Since its launch, the Crop Monitor for AMIS has grown extensively and has become an internationally recognized source of information on global crop prospects, widely quoted by public and private agencies as well as top tier media. It represents the first time that the international community comes together on a monthly basis to produce joint crop assessments. This paper provides a historical and institutional perspective on the creation and role of the GEOGLAM Crop Monitor in fulfilling the objectives of AMIS including a description of its methods and protocols and, ultimately how decision-makers are using its information.