The Global Dataset of Historical Yields (GDHYv1.2 + v1.3) provides annual time series data of gridded 0.5-degree yield estimates of major global crops for the period 1981-2016. The crops considered in this dataset are maize, rice, wheat, and soybean. The yield unit data is t/ha. The grd cell productivity data were estimated using the crop-specific vegetation index derived from satellite and the FAO-reported country-level yield statistics. Maize and rice have data for each of the two cropping seasons (main/secondary). “Winter” and “spring” are used as the growing season categories for wheat. Only the “major” growing season is available for soybean.