Dataset of Biodiversity Loss in Global Staple Food Trade, 1995-2022

Understanding the intricate link between global food trade and ongoing biodiversity loss is critical, yet comprehensive datasets visualising this relationship remain scarce. To address this, we developed a novel global staple food trade biodiversity loss network dataset spanning 1995-2022. This dataset uniquely integrates global trade data with agricultural production metrics to quantify the embodied biodiversity loss associated with the trade of four major crops: wheat, soybean, rice and maize, across 157 countries and encompassing up to 91414 trade relationships. By constructing this dynamic network framework, our work provides a comprehensive resource for analysing the complex interplay between food trade and biodiversity loss. This dataset offers crucial insights for identifying key countries, trade relations and risk transfer mechanisms, thereby serving as a foundational tool for providing information for the development of sustainable food trade policies and fostering interdisciplinary research in this vital area.