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This publication contributes to SO1 and under Regional Initiative on Zero Hunger Challenge. Eradication of hunger and malnutrition as well as climate change are major challenges in Asia and the Pacific. Dietary and production diversity are recognized factors in strategies to improve food security and nutrition.  Currently, agriculture has an over-reliance on a handful of major staple crops. In this regard, Future Smart Food (FSF), often referred to as Neglected and Underutilized Species (NUS) represent a promising abundance of food resources and constitute the bedrock of the food system diversity. FSF have enormous benefits which are nutrition-density, climate-resilience and economic viability.  To [...]

Setting nutrition guidelines and standards has been recommended internationally to ensure that school meals are in line with children’s nutrition needs and adequate to their context. This report provides a descriptive overview of the situation of school meal nutrition guidelines and standards in 33 low and middle-income countries as reported through a global survey. The report identifies key aspects to consider for stakeholders who are planning to develop or update their guidelines and standards in the context of school meal programmes.

This sourcebook provides an overview of the second, digital edition of the Climate-Smart Agriculture Sourcebook. The new edition includes new findings, case studies and lessons learned. It also takes into account the changes in the landscape of international climate action since the original edition was published in 2013. The 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development – which encompasses the Paris Agreement on Climate Change, the Sustainable Development Goals and the Addis Ababa Action Agenda – provides an international framework for strong national actions and collective efforts to achieve sustainable development. Climate-smart agriculture, as an approach to achieve sustainable food and agriculture, [...]

There is a growing awareness to the role that natural resources, such as water, land, forests and environmental amenities, play in our lives. There are many competing uses for natural resources, and society is challenged to manage them for improving social well-being. Furthermore, there may be dire consequences to natural resources mismanagement. Renewable resources, such as water, land and the environment are linked, and decisions made with regard to one may affect the others. Policy and management of natural resources now require interdisciplinary approaches including natural and social sciences to correctly address our society preferences.  This series provides a collection of works containing most recent findings on economics, [...]

This publication is a compilation of the success stories covering different regions’ landscapes where on-the-ground climate-smart agriculture (CSA) work has been implemented in recent years. Climate change affects all agricultural sectors, from mussel production along Chile’s coastline to floating gardens in Bangladesh. There are many agricultural practices that can achieve the three objectives of CSA, ranging from climate-smart agroforestry systems implemented in the Dry Corridor of Central America to Sloping Agricultural Land Technology (SALT) in coconut-farming communities in the Philippines. Whether climate change is experienced slowly over the course of many years, on a seasonal basis or as an extreme [...]

This manual is designed for a four-day training course on climate-smart agriculture that would take the learner from the basics of climate science to the impacts of climate change and the linkages among climate, agriculture and food security. It contains four modules, each addressing a particular aspect and consisting of several sessions that are held either in plenary, as one group, or in smaller work groups. The content and structure of this manual has been developed and tested through fieldwork involving extension agents and agricultural producers in Zambia, Malawi and Viet Nam.  

Value chain development is an important paradigm in development practice and thinking, including within FAO. However, gender equality dimensions remain often overlooked in value chain development interventions, with the risk of perpetuating existing gender inequalities and, in turn, undermining the efficiency of targeted value chains. The publications intends to provide practitioners with a conceptual framework on how to develop agri-food value chains which provide women and men with equal opportunities to participate and benefit from value chain development. The purpose of the publication is to contribute to the publication on Developing sustainable food value chains - Guiding principles (FAO, 2014) from a [...]

The global market of organic products increased fivefold between 1999 and 2014, Organic Monitor projects growth to continue. This trend is also true for the Asian region where the third largest market for organic products in the world and forty percent of the world’s organic producers are located (a total of 0.9 million producers, mostly concentrated in India). Consumers in the region are increasingly demanding organic products to ensure food safety. This trend represents an opportunity for smallholder farmers practicing organic production to increase their sales and improve their livelihoods. Yet, this opportunity is not readily available to smallholder farmers in [...]

This policy guidance note is part of a series that the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) and partners are producing to support policy makers address the food security and nutrition situation in their country. Each note provides guidance on how to sharpen the focus of sector policies in order to achieve sustainable food security and nutrition outcomes. By supporting countries to formulate and adopt policies and programmes to eradicate hunger and attain food security, FAO contributes towards its Strategic Programme 1: help eliminate hunger, food insecurity and malnutrition.  Public procurement has been commonly used as a tool [...]

The purpose of this publication is to showcase the importance of Geographical Indications (GIs) and their positive impact on food quality and safety, as well as the economy. Reaffirming the right of every person to have access to safe, sufficient and nutritious food, consistent with the right to adequate food and the fundamental right to be free from hunger, the Second International Conference on Nutrition (19–21 November 2014) adopted a Framework for Action that provides a set of recommendations for governments. In particular, recommended actions for sustainable food systems promoting healthy diets include: strengthening local food production and processing, especially [...]