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Air pollution in developing country cities and in the surrounding countryside could have significant impacts on agricultural production. The current and future importance of air pollution as a constraint to agricultural productivity in developing countries is examined. The key pollutants of concern are ground level ozone, given its potential to cause widespread yield loss in sensitive crops; and other pollutants, such as sulphur dioxide and nitrogen dioxide, which also have significant localized effects. A global risk assessment reveals a high risk of crop loss from ozone, and local crop loss due to sulphur dioxide in a number of countries, including China and India. Projecting ozone emissions to 2025, the high risk area expands dramatically, covering the majority of the cultivated areas of India, China, Egypt, South Africa and significant areas in other countries. The implications are that the effectiveness of policies aimed …