FAO’s first forecast for global wheat production in 2016 points to a small decrease, with lower outputs expected in Europe and the United States of America. COUNTRIES IN NEED OF EXTERNAL ASSISTANCE: FAO estimates that, globally, 34 countries, including 27 in Africa, are in need of external assistance for food. Civil conflicts continued to severely affect the food security of a number of countries, while adverse weather, in some cases...

International wheat prices declined in February as a result of reduced trade activity, while maize quotations were firmer on stronger demand. International prices of rice followed mixed trends depending on the origin. Overall, cereal quotations remained lower than in the corresponding period last year. In Southern Africa, maize prices continued to increase in February, although at a slower rate, and were at record highs. Prices increased also in several East...

This report is based on information available as of February 2016.

À la demande du Gouvernement de la République centrafricaine, une mission conjointe FAO/PAM a visité le pays du 26 Octobre au 28 Novembre 2015 pour estimer le niveau des récoltes et évaluer la situation alimentaire générale. En plus du personnel de la FAO et du PAM, les équipes de terrain comprenaient des représentants du Ministère du Développement Rural, du Ministère du plan et de la coopération internationale à travers l’Institut...

Abundant supplies and strong export competition kept international grain prices low, with quotations of wheat and maize in January averaging well below their year-earlier levels. International rice prices followed mixed trends depending on the origin. In Southern Africa, maize prices increased sharply in Malawi and South Africa, and also strengthened in Zambia, reaching record highs in all three countries in January. This mostly reflects expectations of a steep reduction of...

At the request of the Ecuadorian Government, FAO undertook a technical assistance to generate an integrated assessment climate impacts on the banana value chain in support of the Ecuador initiatives towards sustainable and climate-adapted strategies. Both biophysical and socio-economic analyses were carried out using a team of FAO and international experts. Evidence was generated on: (i) banana suitability under climate change in Ecuador and other banana producing countries; (ii) climate...

Given the significance of agriculture to rural livelihoods, agricultural trade has the potential to significantly impact rural employment and incomes. Agriculture is the largest employer of the world’s poor, most of whom live in rural areas. As developing economies grow, and undergo structural transformation, employment tends to shift away from agriculture into other sectors, such as industry or services. Along the path of structural transformation, agricultural trade can speed up...