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The FAO-China South-South Cooperation (SSC) Programme leverages cost-effective, adaptable, and scalable solutions and technologies to address pressing challenges in agriculture and food security in developing countries. This initiative draws upon China’s extensive experience in the sustainable transformation of agrifood systems. The Programme was initiated as a result of a strategic engagement between the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) and the government of the People’s Republic of China, leading to the establishment of a trust fund for South-South cooperation in 2009. To date, the government of China has contributed a total of USD 130 million to support [...]

Strengthening agricultural producer organizations (POs) and cooperatives has been recognized as a key way forward to support farmers in the West Bank and Gaza Strip (WBGS) and, in turn, promote food security, income generation and private sector development. Agriculture in the WBGS is characterized by smallholdings; there are just over 110 000 of these, and 90 percent are classified as small or medium-sized. The annual report on states that have limited or absent governance capability and are vulnerable to conflict or collapse. Yet, few would deny the extreme fragility of the WBGS given the conflict situation, a deadlocked political process [...]

In 2017, FAO launched its Global Capacity Development Programme to support the implementation of the Agreement on Port State Measures to Prevent, Deter, and Eliminate Illegal, Unreported and Unregulated fishing (PSMA) and complementary international instruments, regional mechanisms and tools to combat illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing. The programme aims to contribute to national, regional and global efforts to prevent, deter and eliminate IUU fishing. For the proper implementation of the programme, FAO developed its fisheries training framework, based on a modular approach, which has been invaluable in harmonizing the courses delivered under the programme. This modular approach also provides [...]

Public policies for family farming – when done appropriately – provide a perfect match between different policy areas related to productive, economic, social, environmental and cultural dimensions of sustainable food systems. The Learning framework for inclusive, integrated and innovative public policy cycles for family farming was developed under the framework of the United Nations Decade of Family Farming (2019–2028) to support policymakers, family farmers’ organizations and other relevant stakeholders to increase their understanding of public policy cycles and family farming related policies. This technical and methodological capacity development programme is adaptable to local, national or regional priorities. It offers a [...]

This policy brief examines some of the key legal considerations related to school gardens, and also explores regulatory options for strengthening the legislative environment for sustainable school food and nutrition in the country. This brief is rooted in a holistic approach to school food and nutrition and the analysis provided in this note, is drawn from a legal assessment carried out within the framework of a wider project led by FAO, “Developing capacity for strengthening food security and nutrition in selected countries of the Caucasus and Central Asia”, funded by the Russian Federation.

This course maps key features of governance and offers concrete methods for recognizing and managing governance issues related to agrifood systems, as well as for improving the effectiveness of FAO’s technical and policy assistance. The course follows the logic of the four phases of governance analysis developed by FAO and tested in several countries. This course is based on the Focus on governance for more effective policy  and technical support - Framework paper  

This report is the outcome of the Digital Excellence in Agriculture: FAO-ITU regional contest on good practices advancing digital agriculture in Europe and Central Asia, organized by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) Office for Europe and Central Asia and the International Telecommunication Union (ITU) Offices for Europe and Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS). Launched in November 2020, the contest sought to identify, showcase and celebrate good practices and innovative solutions that have proven successful in advancing the digital transformation of agriculture in the regions. With nearly 200 applicants from 36 countries in the regions, the [...]

Young people are key agents of change, with enormous innovation potential. FAO recognizes that youth are already at the frontline to build more sustainable agrifood systems and are best placed to rejuvenate the sector, acquire the knowledge and skills needed to innovate, uptake new technologies, and spearhead the digital transformation. The Organization provides support to countries to develop more youth-inclusive policies, strategies, investments and programmes, in order to enhance the overall well-being of young women and men. This compendium of good practices brings together snapshots of selected FAO’s youth-specific projects, activities and products in support of the Rural Youth Action [...]

1. Training: Small and Medium Enterprises and Nutrition – making the business case This is the first of a series of two e-learning courses on small and medium enterprises (SMEs) and nutrition. In this course, you will discover the business case for leveraging SMEs - and particularly those engaged in the post-production stages of the value chain - to make food systems more nutrition-sensitive. Published in 2021. >> Access the first course here 2. Training: Small and medium enterprises and nutrition - upgrading business models This is the second of a series of two e-learning courses on Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) and Nutrition. In this course, [...]

A growing number of poultry farmer field schools (FFS) are being implemented in developing countries by a wide range of actors. Experience over the past two decades has shown that good-quality facilitation and learning activities are key to the success and long-term sustainability of poultry FFS.This manual provides practical information and activities that help facilitators establish and implement good-quality FFS. It focuses on working with women and men poultry producers to sustainably enhance production, productivity and marketing in any family poultry production system, ranging from extensive to small-scale intensified, in line with producers’ aspirations and local conditions. The first module [...]