Systematic global gridded crop simulations for improved understanding of climate change impacts on agricultural productivity

The Global Gridded Crop Model Intercomparison (GGCMI) of the Agricultural Model Intercomparison and Improvement Project (AgMIP) brings together a diverse international community of crop modelers for climate impact assessment, model intercomparison and improvement at the global scale. After conducting a fast-track analysis of climate change impacts on agricultural productivity in the framework of the InterSectoral Impact Model Intercomparison Project (ISIMIP)[1], GGCMI protocols[2] established a benchmark for model evaluation and analyzed model performance and different sources of uncertainty[3]. In the current phase, GGCMI conducts a large input-sensitivity analysis that aims to enhance understanding of how models work and to characterize models by sensitivity to drivers: Carbon dioxide, Temperatures, Water supply, Nitrogen supply and Adaptation. Modelers were asked to supply up to 1512 global 31-year simulations for five different crops: maize, rice, soybean, spring wheat and winter wheat.