China | Ag economics, policy and land use

2026 Top Agri-food Pioneers: Liangzhi You

Liangzhi You is a pioneering spatial data scientist and agricultural economist who created invaluable tools to address global food security, agricultural productivity and climate resilience. As the inventor of the Spatial Production Allocation Model (SPAM), he developed one of the world’s most widely used global crop distribution datasets. SPAM empowers governments, development partners and researchers with high-resolution agricultural data, enabling evidence-based decisions on food security and land-use planning. His seminal study on Africa’s irrigation potential has guided global agricultural water investment strategies. He also co-piloted risk-contingent credit, a market-based and inclusive risk management solution adopted by governments and private banks to enhance climatic resilience for smallholder farmers. His innovative research has advanced the understanding of global change impacts on agriculture and facilitated vital knowledge exchange on smallholder practices between China and Africa.