Upon request from the governments of Armenia, Georgia and Ukraine, FAO has been helping these countries maintain the genetic diversity and sustainable use of local brown cattle breeds suitable for both dairy and meat production. A two-day workshop starting today in Kyiv will provide an update on the process, present a...

Fish from inland rivers and lakes, whether wild or raised through freshwater aquaculture, have the potential to make significant contributions to healthy diets and sustainable food supplies in Europe. This is the main message of two important meetings of FAO’s European Inland Fisheries and Aquaculture Advisory Commission (EIFAAC), being held...

During the SusOrganic project it became obvious that hops and herb producers face several challenges in terms of drying. Especially uneven air distribution inside the dryer, the fan generated airflow and the boiler to heat the drying air have been identified as hotspots regarding product quality and environmental impact. In...

A new report published by a network of  European grassroots civil society organisations calls for a Common Agriculture Policy (CAP) and wider policy framework that explicitly favours small-scale sustainable producers and re-localisation of food supply-chains, write Chris Chancellor and Geneviève Savigny.

Despite remarkable developments in the field of food safety in recent decades, the global burden of foodborne diseases is still unacceptably high. An estimated 600 million – almost 1 in 10 people in the world – fall ill after eating contaminated food every year, and 420 000 of them die....

Small-scale family farms are the backbone of food production worldwide. Together, they are the main or sole providers of diverse and nutritious food for 70% of the world’s population. However, the livelihoods of these small-scale producers are increasingly being threatened by the development of our globalised industrial food system. The...

Experts in agricultural trade from 12 post-Soviet countries gather alongside state representatives beginning today in Chisinau for the fifth annual meeting of the Agricultural Trade Expert Network in Europe and Central Asia, or ATEN in short. Over the two-day meeting, participants will exchange information about agricultural trade policy developments in their...

Ukraine has productive and healthy soil, called chernozem, that is rich in organic matter. However, leading Ukrainian soil scientists estimate that water erosion affects 13.4 million ha, including 10.6 million ha of arable land. Erosion directly impacts soil fertility and agricultural production, which can lead to significant economic losses of...

Climate change has become an issue of national security and survival for many countries, as it further exacerbates the fragility of natural resources through the increased frequency and severity of extreme weather events. Climate change also affects food production and value chains and causes considerable damage and production losses in the...

How to combat depopulation and make rural areas vibrant again? This was the question addressed during the ENRD Workshop on May 21, 2019. The event explored the role of Rural Development Programmes and other EU policies in maintaining a high quality of life in these regions, where demographic trends are...

In Tajikistan, irrigation water is the bottleneck of crop production. And with water scarcity on the rise due to climate change-induced weather extremes, the situation is getting even worse, particularly in rural areas. At this time of year, with the long dry periods and high temperatures of spring and summer to...

A quick look at the collection of examples of social innovation in the SIMRA database makes you realise that food is a central element in most of them. Food production is traditionally connected to rural areas shaping landscapes, diets, and even cultural heritage (local cuisines, traditions, etc.).

By supporting local traditions to build better livelihoods and empower communities, FAO and its partners are working toward a world free of poverty and hunger.  

FAO assesses that globally 41 countries, of which 31 are in Africa, continue to be in need of external assistance for food. Conflict remains the main driver of high levels of severe food insecurity. Weather‑induced production declines and economic instability have also adversely impacted on food availability and access.

During the VI Mediterranean Forest Week, which took place from 1 to 5 April in Brummana, Lebanon, hundreds of researchers, policy-makers and other relevant stakeholders from the wide Mediterranean basin gathered to discuss Mediterranean-wide forestry issues. Emerging topics included: the role of forests for achieving NDC targets for COP21, existing linkages...

Traditionally, extensive farming has been one of the activities that has fixed more population in disadvantaged rural areas in Europe and the Mediterranean. Moreover, it creates jobs and shapes most of our ecosystems. However, isolation and depopulation in these areas translate into the loss of their activities and the landscapes...

The FAO project “Strengthening food security and nutrition in Caucasus and Central Asia” has proven to be an innovative initiative that is concretely contributing to the eradication of poverty, food insecurity and malnutrition of the most vulnerable communities in the region. Funded by the Russian Federation, the project is working...

Young people have key roles to play in helping achieve the Sustainable Development Goals by 2030. With this in mind, FAO is actively trying to involve young people in taking actions for a better future. One of the ways recent FAO has done this is through an annual youth camp held...

Stronger, more efficient promotion of agrifood products and new methodologies and indicators in agriculture and rural statistics are among the positive changes expected during the implementation of two new FAO projects in Republic of Moldova. The project agreements were signed in Chisinau today by Raimund Jehle, the FAO Representative in Republic...

This article discusses the economic dimensions of agroecological farming systems in Europe. It firstly theoretically elaborates the reasons why, and under what conditions, agroecological farming systems have the potential to produce higher incomes than farms that follow the conventional logic. This theoretical exposition is then followed by a presentation of...