In Europe and Central Asia, Members of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) talked about improving the management of land and water resources at the Forty-third Session of the European Commission on Agriculture, held in Budapest from 27 to 28 September. The meeting marked a significant step towards Member Nations enacting their commitments to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

Agriculture faces a multitude of challenges. Soil degradation, the severe impacts of intensive farming practices on water and land quality, access to arable land and reliable water resources, population growth, demographic shifts, industrialization and gender inequities in control over productive resources such as land, credit, training, and agricultural inputs are some of the outstanding issues and trends to overcome.  All these issues are exacerbated by the negative impacts of climate change: rising temperatures, extreme weather events, unpredictable rain patterns, and increased natural disasters . Smaller farms and family-run operations, common in both Europe and Central Asia, are especially vulnerable to this complex context.