we have recently received some questions concerning the differences between “Potential production capacity (t/ha) for current cultivated land” and the “Total production capacity (t/ha)”:
The “Potential production capacity (t/ha) for current cultivated land” differ from the “Total production capacity (t/ha)”. The first refers to cultivated land shares within grid-cells; the second refers to the entire grid-cell (the cultivated part of the grid–cells contains normally land with higher production potentials). In a country the sum of the shares of cultivated land compares with the national statistics (FAOSTAT).
For accuracy and methods used for downscaling agricultural area, yield and production statistics to 5 arc-minute grid-cells, please refer to: GAEZ Model documentation Section 8 Module VI (pages 89-93) and Appendix 8 (page 168-174).
“Baseline climate” means average climate conditions over the period 1961-1990. Here yield and production are then calculated on the basis of this average climatic conditions. “30 year average” provides averages of yields and production calculated for individual year climates (also 1961-1990). Of course, you can also look at individual years results.
Currently we are updating the system with amongst others, climate data up-to 2010, land cover of 2010, and new IPCC climate scenarios (ready by the end of the year).