The Access to Land Network is releasing a new handbook to provide guidance for officials and staff of local governments on how to make a difference in the way agricultural land is used and shared, for the benefit of people and the planet. Local action is key to a regenerative future....

Food security has different dimensions: availability, access, stability over time, and utilisation2. In the current European context, only accessibility and stability are of concern. Food supply or availability is not at stake in the EU despite the ongoing war in Ukraine, but soaring food prices mean low-income households struggle to...

Legume-supported cropping systems affect environmental, production, and economic impacts. In Europe, legume production is still marginal with grain legumes covering less than 3% of arable land. A transition towards legume-supported systems could contribute to a higher level of protein self-sufficiency and lower environmental impacts of agriculture. Suitable approaches for designing...

Digital innovation and technology can transform agrifood systems into environmentally and economically sustainable systems that will promote better production and enhance more equitable rural livelihoods with increased opportunities for women, youth, and vulnerable groups.  The challenge is how to move ahead with a digitalization programme that is effective and efficient,...

Organic mixed livestock farming offers a range of potential benefits for the environment. Due to the diversification of enterprises, this farming system can be associated with a high workload, which means that it could be socially unsustainable. The aim of this study was to understand and explain work satisfaction of farmers...

Organic farming delivers multiple benefits for the climate and biodiversity, including increased carbon sequestration in soils, lower energy input, 30% more on-farm biodiversity and increased resilience of the farming system. These are highlighted in a document on the benefits of organic farming published by IFOAM Organics Europe. Transforming how we...

Biodiversity protection and well-functioning ecosystems are essential for food production. But the Commission’s proposal on a nature restoration law has faced unjustified opposition when it comes to setting restoration targets for agricultural ecosystems. The organic movement calls on MEPs to support ambitious nature restoration on agriculture land as well preserved...

In December 2022, there are officially nearly 400 all over France and they cover 2/3 of French population. Mostly led by territorial authorities (municipalities, inter-municipalities, Départements, Parcs Naturels Régionaux, etc.), they have to include a series of key issues and actions (food justice, food education, food waste, territorial anchoring of...

In historic Samarkand, Uzbekistan, leading thinkers from around the globe convened for an international conference on food security to discuss a more sustainable, equitable, and resilient future for the world's agrifood systems. The event was organized by the Government of Uzbekistan, with technical support of the Food and Agriculture Organization...

Following the Kyrgyz tradition, Manzura Orolbaeva welcomes guests with homemade bread and a saucer of melted butter. The bread is made from grain grown on their farm and the butter from the livestock they keep. Agriculture is the main source of income and food for a large part of the local...

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...

Projects and collective dynamics around territorial agri-food transitions are multiplying, boosted by public policies around the Territorial Food Projects in France, but going far beyond them. This booklet proposes and illustrates through concrete examples some principles aimed at encouraging a better taking in account of the plurality of visions of ecologisation...

Food standards help ensure that food produced, traded, and consumed is safe, and meets the quality parameters expected by the consumer.  Several countries in the Europe and Central Asia region use Codex standards and texts as the basis for strengthening their legal framework for food safety including development of food...

At the request of the government, an FAO Crop and Food Supply Assessment Mission (CFSAM) visited the country from 10 to 28 October 2022 to estimate the 2022 crop production and forecast the country’s import requirements during the 2022/23 marketing year (July/June). The mission’s aim was to provide an accurate...

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...