YPYGA builds on more than a decade of groundbreaking work to establish the Global Yield Gap Atlas (GYGA). Launched in 2011 as a partnership between Emeritus Professor Ken Cassman (https://agronomy.unl.edu/cassman/) at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln (UNL) and Prof. Martin van Ittersum (https://www.wur.nl/en/persons/profdrir-mk-martin-van-ittersum) at Wageningen University & Research (WUR), the GYGA team developed new methods to support improved estimation of crop yield potential, current average farm yields, the difference between the two—called the yield gap, and crop water productivity. The goal was to provide scientifically robust, globally consistent, and locally relevant estimates of these key food system variables for the world’s major food crops.

GYGA became a valuable resource for researchers, policymakers, agribusinesses, and development organizations with more than 150,000 webpage views in 2025. Covering all major crop-producing regions, GYGA provided critical insight into prospects for regional and national food self-sufficiency, and to identify where yield gaps are largest, which means greatest potential for increasing yields with existing technologies. A key strength of the project has been the combination of local expertise and cutting-edge science. Rather than relying on top-down global datasets that require spatial juggling to reconcile data taken at very different spatial scales, GYGA uses a novel “bottom-up” spatial scaling approach based on climate zones and soil properties governing crop productivity. Primary data are used to the extent possible, and contributions from local agronomists help ensure data quality and relevance to real-world conditions and farming practices.

As the project evolved, its leadership and direction transitioned. GYGA closed down at the end of 2025, and a new website was created to build on the GYGA foundation. Led by Univ. of Nebraska Sunkist Distinguished Prof. Patricio Grassini (https://agronomy.unl.edu/grassini/), the new website, called the Yield Potential and Yield Gap Atlas (YPYGA), was established in March 2026.