Global Forum on Food Security and Nutrition (FSN Forum)

FAO’s Global Forum on Food Security and Nutrition (FSN Forum) is organizing the two-day Workshop “FSN Forum policy dialogues: contributing to food security and nutrition policy processes at country and regional level”, in Rome on 10-11 December 2015.

In many countries, agricultural development has traditionally focused on raising productivity and maximizing production of cereals, making it difficult for people to access foods that are richer in protein and minerals, such as milk, meat, fish, eggs, beans, vegetables, and fruits, which are often more expensive than cereals. The lack of nutrition training of agricultural workers is acknowledged globally as a significant barrier to combating malnutrition through agriculture and food systems.

Extending social protection and risk management systems effectively to rural populations is often a challenge for government institutions in many developing countries. The High Level Panel of Experts on Food Security and Nutrition has recognized in its 2012 report the importance of involving non-state actors, including rural organizations, in the formulation and execution of social protection systems.

In October 2014, the UN Committee on World Food Security (CFS) requested the High Level Panel of Experts on Food Security and Nutrition (HLPE) to conduct a study on Sustainable Agricultural Development for Food Security and Nutrition, including the role of Livestock.

As part of the process of elaboration of its reports, the HLPE is organizing a consultation to seek inputs, suggestions, and comments on the present V0 draft. This open e-consultation will be used by the HLPE to further elaborate the report, which will then be submitted to external expert review, before finalization and approval by the HLPE Steering Committee.

This online discussion constitutes one of the ways adopted to allow the interested actors to put forward their opinions on the management of ECOWAP and on the regional challenges to achieving the objective of the eradication of hunger and malnutrition in West Africa by 2025.

Reliable information on forests is fundamental for improving the management of forest resources. This information can be used as an indicator of biodiversity, hydrology, and soil conservation and is also needed to fulfil the reporting requirements of many international agreements, such as the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change. In this context, the 21st Committee on Forestry requested FAO to prepare a set of voluntary guidelines on national forest monitoring.

To contribute to the knowledge building and dialogue on the social protection reforms in the post-Soviet countries, the FAO Regional Office for Europe and Central Asia (REU) has initiated an online consultation that is supported by the regional platform of the FAO Global Forum on Food Security and Nutrition (FSN Forum in ECA).

This discussion is aimed at food security practitioners from all across the globe to discuss how food security can be improved in Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) economies and beyond. Your inputs will feed into the APEC Food Security Training and Workshop hosted by the Chinese Academy of Agriculture Sciences in Beijing.

The discussion's aim is to take stock of what countries around the world are doing in the area of nutrition-sensitive social protection – their successes and their challenges - and to provide a mechanism for stakeholders globally to engage in the dialogue and exchange experiences and lessons learned. 

Honeybees provide a wide range of benefits to humans from honey, other bee products, pollination of food crops and ecological services. Beekeeping is practiced around the world, and can provide a valuable source of income to people in developing regions with relatively little investment. However, apiculture faces a number of challenges that can impact on the health and survival of the colony. What can we do to create sustainable conditions for agriculture and apiculture to coexist and to benefit from each other?