The background for conducting country studies on the challenges, needs and constraints of smallholders and family farms in seven countries has been a wish to further strengthen the Regional Initiative and develop the initiative towards a stronger programmatic approach at both the regional and country levels. To provide support to...

It is estimated that about half of the world’s obsolete pesticides can be found in the former Soviet Union, with many of them stored throughout Central Asia. As an important centre for agriculture, particularly cotton production, the subregion was a heavy user of pesticides. What remain are inappropriate burial sites,...

Current food systems are at a crossroads. There is a strong need for transforming food production and consumption patterns in a sustainable way. One where farmers adapt and build resilience to the increasing challenges from climate change and where nutritious food is available for all. Agroecology provides one solution towards...

Until now, there has been little information available to the international community regarding the state of forests in the Caucasus and Central Asia. Today, however, the UNECE/FAO Forestry and Timber Section has released the first regional overview of the forest sector in these countries since they became independent in the 1990s.

Turkey is home to a great variety of biodiversity and ecosystems. The country’s diverse geographic features range from the Black Sea Mountains to the Mediterranean plains, from eastern highlands to Aegean coastline, with three biogeographical regions. For centuries, Turkey’s ecosystems and biodiversity have been the basis of sustainable agricultural practices...

The study on the state of forests in the Caucasus and Central Asia aims to present the forest resources and the forest sector of the region, including trends in, and pressures on the resource, to describe the policies and institutions for the forest sector in the region and to list...

Kazakhstan has strengthened its commitment to improving the safety of raw milk and dairy products with the signing of a roadmap in the country’s capital Nur-Sultan today that will bring the national dairy industry to the level of the Eurasian Economic Union (EAEU) standards. The roadmap aims to provide a number...

Because every facet of agricultural activity depends on the weather, unpredictable weather patterns caused by climate change and other meteorological phenomena have increased the need for precise weather data. With careful planning and research, agrometeorology can help farmers overcome chaotic weather and meet the world’s demand for food and other agricultural...

Reducing the risk of incursions and improving preparation for the rapid detection and control of African swine fever in the Balkan countries is the main topic of the four-day FAO workshop finishing today in Belgrade. African swine fever is a viral hemorrhagic disease that kills up to 100 percent of infected animals,...

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...

The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) continues to protect the lives and livelihoods of conflict-affected people. Households from 52 settlements along the “contact line” will be provided with day-old chickens and animal feed. The help, valued at USD 1 million, comes as part of United Nations...

With more than 40 percent of the workforce working in agriculture and almost half of the population living in rural areas, Albania’s agriculture is the backbone of the country’s economic development. The sector will play a key role in the integration of Albania into the European Union and in achieving...

In recent years, Armenia has gone through severe structural changes that have affected the forest sector. Forests, which were formerly under the auspices of the Ministry of Agriculture, are now the responsibility of the Ministry of Nature Protection, together with areas dedicated to nature conservation. These changes allow for a harmonized...

Family farming shouldn’t be a solitary activity. Rural communities are key for supporting farmers and the development of the rural economy. In Europe and Central Asia, FAO has been supporting different initiatives and projects related to local rural development for more than a decade. Going now a step further, a workshop in Budapest marks...

Mixed cropping, using ‘weed’ crops to attract predators and cultivating resilient local breeds - these are all examples of agroecology in action. Agroecology refers to the application of ecological science and principles to the study, design and management of sustainable agricultural ecosystems.

Today, migratory phenomena are an essential part of political agendas. Little known, their effects on territories of origin and destination have an impact on the socio-economic balance in an already preoccupying climate context.As a major component of population movements, migration from countryside to cities is a strategy to improve household living conditions...

Despite that North Macedonia is a net importer of poultry meat, the country has a long tradition of broiler production. Given the country’s growing demand for high-quality, fresh poultry, North Macedonia could – with the right public–private collaboration, targeted investment and improvements to farmers’ already prodigious skills – increase the supply...

Mixed cropping, using ‘weed’ crops to attract predators and cultivating resilient local breeds - these are all examples of agroecology in action. Agroecology refers to the application of ecological science and principles to the study, design and management of sustainable agricultural ecosystems.

The development of rural areas and livelihoods in an integrated way will be the focus of a new FAO project beginning this week in North Macedonia. The project was launched in an event in Skopje today, organized by FAO and the Macedonian Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Water Economy (MAFWE) and...

The members of the Mediterranean network of Local and Solidarity -based Partnerships for Agroecology (MedNet) came up with a Vision during its 2nd meeting, held in Thessaloniki in November 2018. This was the result of an intensive maturation process. Several “Common Training Framework Editing Workshops” were conducted, in different locations. The first workshop,...