Transforming our agrifood systems to make them more efficient, inclusive, resilient, and sustainable is key to addressing the triple planetary crisis of climate change, biodiversity loss, and pollution. This was the overarching message from the Deputy Director-General of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), Maria Helena Semedo, in a series of events during the sixth session of the United Nations Environment Assembly (UNEA) and the Second Quadripartite Executive Annual Meeting.

You are kindly invited to join the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), the Society for Ecological Restoration (SER), and IUCN’s Commission on Ecosystem Management for the official launch of Standards of practice to guide ecosystem restoration: A contribution to the United Nations Decade on Ecosystem Restoration 2021–2030 on 6 and 8 March 2024. These Standards of Practice have been developed to serve as a universal framework for all forms of restorative efforts during the UN Decade, ranging from minimizing societal impacts to advancing ecological restoration.

FAO is currently seeking applications from experts to join the Scientific Advisory Group (SAG) of its Globally Important Agricultural Heritage Systems (GIAHS) Programme for the 2024-2025 term. The Scientific Advisory Group, composed of nine members nominated by the FAO's Director-General, serves as a crucial expert body. Members are selected based on their individual merits rather than as representatives of member countries, with a focus on ensuring a balance in terms of region and gender.

Over the last three years, under the ACP-MEAS 3 project, a European Union-funded initiative that seeks to strengthen environmental governance and implement Multilateral Environmental Agreements (MEAs), Zimbabwe has made significant progress in policy development, sustainable agriculture research and development, mitigation of the impact of Highly Hazardous Pesticides (HHPs), and promotion of ecosystems-based agricultural practices through farmer field schools.

FAO has launched a new phase of work – supported with $2 million from the Global Environment Facility (GEF) – to assist developing countries in monitoring and reporting data on both the state and changes in their forest cover more effectively and transparently. The project will directly benefit at least 20 countries and more broadly support 236 countries and territories that are part of the FAO Global Forest Resources Assessment national correspondent network.

For generations, Ariel Benitez's ancestors, the Ava Guaraní people, one of the Indigenous Peoples living in eastern Paraguay, have been harvesting the green leaves of the yerba mate tree to make the bitter, caffeinated brew beloved in South America and beyond. 

On 30 January, biodiversity experts from more than 20 African countries met in Harare to discuss the state of biodiversity for food and agriculture in the region and consider action to strengthen the conservation and sustainable use of biodiversity. National Focal Points shared experiences at national and regional levels with the aim of strengthening efforts to halt the loss of this key resource.

They are the dried edible seeds of legumes both cultivated for food and feed. They are pulses, and if you didn’t know already, they have the potential to transform our agrifood systems.

Colourful and flavourful, small yet powerful, pulses include the well-known beans, lentils, chickpeas and peas but there are also the lesser-known kinds like tarwi beans and adzuki beans.  

The World Wetlands Day raises global awareness about the importance of wetlands for human prosperity and a healthy planet. FAO, in collaboration with the Ramsar Convention Secretariat and the Italian Ministry of Environment and Energy Security, will host the World Wetlands Day celebration on 2 February 2024 from 12:00 to 13:30 (CET) at FAO Headquarters and online.

Ensuring the availability of seeds and seedlings from a range of tree species is crucial if we are to meet global targets on the restoration of degraded forests and landscapes, according to a new forestry working paper from the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations and the Alliance of Bioversity International and CIAT.