Where to Download Free Cropland and Agriculture GIS Data

Agriculture and cropland data is essential for food security analysis, land use planning, and environmental modeling. Here’s a guide to the best free global and regional cropland datasets available for GIS users.

Global Cropland Extent — GFSAD30

The GFSAD30 dataset from NASA provides a global 30m resolution cropland mask distinguishing agricultural from non-agricultural land. Derived from Landsat imagery, it offers the highest-resolution free global cropland layer available.

• Coverage: Global (excluding Antarctica)
• Resolution: 30m
• License: Free open access
• Best for: Cropland vs. non-cropland classification

Global Irrigation Areas — FAO GMIA

The FAO Global Map of Irrigation Areas shows the percentage of each grid cell equipped for irrigation at ~10km resolution. It’s the standard reference for global irrigation infrastructure mapping.

• Coverage: Global
• Resolution: 5 arc-minutes (~10km)
• License: Free open access
• Best for: Irrigation extent and water management studies

Crop Production — SPAM

The SPAM (Spatial Production Allocation Model) from IFPRI provides global gridded crop production, area harvested, and yield data for 42 crop types at 10km resolution.

• Coverage: Global
• Crops: 42 types including wheat, rice, maize, soybeans
• Variables: Production, area, yield
• Best for: Crop-specific mapping and food supply chain analysis

US-Specific — USDA Cropland Data Layer

The USDA Cropland Data Layer (CDL) provides annual 30m crop-specific land cover for the continental US with over 100 crop types, updated annually since 1997.

• Coverage: Contiguous US
• Resolution: 30m
• Best for: US crop type mapping and agricultural policy analysis

High-Resolution Cereals — WorldCereal

The WorldCereal project from ESA provides global 10m cereal crop maps from Sentinel-1 and Sentinel-2 satellite imagery, covering maize, wheat, and other cereals.

• Coverage: Global (major agricultural regions)
• Resolution: 10m
• Best for: High-resolution cereal crop mapping

Tips for Working with Cropland Data

1. Start with GFSAD30 for a quick global baseline of cropland extent.
2. Use SPAM or WorldCereal when you need crop-specific rather than just cropland/non-cropland data.
3. Combine with climate data from the Climate & Weather category to analyze growing conditions.
4. All processing is local — use GeoDataViewer Studio to inspect and combine these layers directly in your browser.