Modernizing irrigation systems in Central Asia could increase the productivity of the irrigation sector to meet growing food and export demand, while also improving farmers’ livelihoods. It could ensure greater irrigation efficiency and crop productivity amid growing water scarcity in the region and deliver cost-effective and reliable irrigation services to...

A study tour brought representatives of Armenia, Kyrgyzstan, and North Macedonia to Hungary to learn about improving their seed systems. The visit on 16–20 May constituted part of an FAO project aiming to enhance climate resilience in agriculture. Specifically, national professionals and policy-makers from the three countries deepened their knowledge in...

The sixth European Union – African Union Summit will be held in Brussels on 17-18 February. On this occasion, as peasant farmers in Africa and Europe, we jointly express the urgent need to rebuild food sovereignty on our two continents. Today, people in Europe and Africa are still fed by peasant...

FAO launched a new initiative in Bosnia and Herzegovina to help selected local authorities boost agriculture and economic development through local agriculture and rural development plans and corresponding action plans. The project builds on experiences gathered in the Livno area (Canton 10), where similar activities took place a few years ago. As the cornerstone...

The one-day, unplanned Session of the Council was convened in line with Rule XXV, paragraph 1, of the General Rules of the Organization, and Rule II, paragraph 4, of the Rules of Procedure of the Council, on request received in writing from 43 Member Nations and co-signed by one Member...

Since 2014 the ongoing conflict has been affecting people’s lives and driving humanitarian needs in eastern Ukraine, particularly in the Donbas region. The recent war in Ukraine is posing additional risks on civilians, particularly women and children, as is predicted to become the largest humanitarian emergency in Europe since World...

To officially launch the upcoming  Good to Grow Weekend of Action , Capital Growth, Good to Grow and Sustain are organising a webinar on 15 March to discuss the climate and nature emergency and how to apply agroecological principles in urban community gardens. During the webinar, it will be covered: How urban food growers can address the climate...

In December 2018, after 6 years of negotiations and 17 years of awareness raising, advocacy and studies at different levels and with different countries, the United Nations (UN) General Assembly adopted the UN Declaration on the Rights of Peasants and Other People Working in Rural Areas (UNDROP), which codifies in...

Agriculture in Eastern Europe and Central Asia is diverse, and has great potential to revitalize the economy of the countries in the region via improved productivity (efficiency) and higher total yield for food, fodder and fibre crops. Conservation Agriculture can rise to the major challenge of making sustainable intensification of...

Rural households in the areas close to this conflict have also been affected particularly hard by the situation in the region . The current war between Ukraine and the Russian Federation will pose additional threats and negatively impact Ukraine’s rural labour markets, potentially affecting rural households and populations’ livelihoods through...

The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) is rapidly scaling up its efforts to respond to urgent food security needs resulting from the unfolding war in Ukraine, focusing initially on livelihood-saving interventions for the most vulnerable smallholder farmers.   FAO has a team of 81 experts in Ukraine – 76...

The Mediterranean Sea is being invaded by hundreds of fish, jellyfish, prawns and other marine species from outside the region. More than 1 000 non-indigenous species have been identified in the Mediterranean and the Black Sea. Over half have established permanent populations and are spreading, causing concern about the threat they...

This report aims to highlight the current strengths of the institutional DRR system for agriculture in Kyrgyzstan as well as indicate existing gaps and capacity needs to further enhance it. A comprehensive assessment is conducted, which includes a general overview of the country’s agricultural sector and outlines the most frequent...

FAO’s Strategic Framework (2022–2031) envisages the transformation to more efficient, inclusive, resilient, and sustainable agrifood systems for better production, better nutrition, a better environment, and a better life, leaving no one behind. In this scope, FAO promotes inclusive economic growth by reducing inequalities between urban and rural areas, rich and...

This monthly e-newsletter gives a bird’s eye view of all the exciting updates from Access Agriculture, a world-leading organisation for quality agricultural training videos in international and local languages, working across the Global South. The Access Agriculture Panorama features information on new videos, audio podcasts, blog posts, articles contributed by experts,...

FAO developed the Surveillance Evaluation Tool (SET) during 2017 to support prevention and control of animal disease threats, including zoonoses. A SET assessment was conducted in April 2021 as part of the efforts to establish the Central Asia Animal Health Network (CAAHN). Other SET and Laboratory Mapping Tool (LMT) assessments...

A new five-year cooperation agreement was signed today by FAO and the Republic of North Macedonia, with both parties committing to continue the joint efforts in achieving a more competitive and resilient rural economy fostering job creation and inclusive, green growth. Priorities of FAO’s new Country Programming Framework for North Macedonia...

This monthly e-newsletter gives a bird’s eye view of all the exciting updates from Access Agriculture, a world-leading organisation for quality agricultural training videos in international and local languages, working across the Global South.

This report is based on a survey conducted in the Western Balkans and Turkey between June and November 2019. The survey focused on sectors deemed suitable for participation in modern supply chains (MSCs) and covered one to three sectors for each country. Based on data retrieved from national statistical offices...

The COVID-19 pandemic fully exposed the vulnerability of the global agri-food system to shocks and stresses, highlighting the need for transformation and action to make it more resilient and inclusive. This paper offers a unique insight into the global nature of the COVID-19 pandemic by examining impacts and responses in...