Comparing and contrasting where the challenges to and opportunities for growth in productivity are located, and doing so at multiple scales and over time, can give us powerful insights that can enrich our understanding of the variables that affect agricultural productivity. The Atlas of African Agriculture Research & Development presents a broad range of geospatial data that relate to strategic agriculture policy, investment, and planning issues. The maps and analyses will give anyone who wants to learn about the role of agriculture in Africa, or find new ways to boost agricultural performance, a sense of the increasingly diverse geospatial data resources that can inform their work and guide decisionmaking on agricultural development. A better understanding of current and evolving growing conditions and how to increase productivity, despite obstacles, should aid in tailoring more pragmatic solutions for poor smallholder farmers.