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The sustainable utilization of natural resources is a major element of rural livelihoods and economic development in Brazil. From 2011 to 2019, FAO implemented the project “Strengthening the national knowledge and information framework to foster sustainable forest resources management policies". This project helped to establish and consolidate a National Forest Inventory (NFI) model approved by, and agreed with, different partners and stakeholders in the forest sector. The focus given to institutional strengthening and data collection was strategic to achieve an unprecedented level of qualified knowledge on the topic. To date, there is some evidence on the use of NFI results [...]

The report summarizes country achievements in the Asia and Pacific region in advancing towards the 2030 SDG deadlines. These success stories involve FAO offices working with governments and partners in some 21 countries in Asia and a complitation of success stories from the Pacific. It was initially published for presentation at the 35th Session of the FAO Regional Conference for Asia and the Pacific (APRC-35) in Thimphu, Bhutan (17-20 February 2020), but these achievements will be of interest to member countries and other development partners for several years to come.

The initial direct impact of COVID-19 is on health, in terms of morbidity and mortality, with quickly overburdened health care services. The containment measures taken to curb the impact of COVID-19 have indirectly been socially and economically devastating and will significantly set back efforts to achieve the 2030 Agenda, including SDGs 1, 2 and 10 on poverty, food security and inequality. Inequality between countries and within countries is strongly conditioning the direct and indirect effects of the COVID-19 pandemic, and these inequalities will likely worsen due to COVID-19. However, rising inequality is not inevitable; national institutions, politics and policy can [...]

Cette note technique analyse le niveau, la composition et la cohérence des dépenses publiques en soutient à l’agriculture et l’alimentation au Bénin pour la période 2008-2018. Spécifiquement, la méthodologie du programme de Suivi et analyse des politiques agricoles et alimentaires (SAPAA) est employée pour identifier les tendances de soutien budgétaire à l’agriculture et l’alimentation en terme de composition fonctionnelle de la dépense publique (recherche agricole, subvention au capital, vulgarisation, etc.) et du sous-secteur qui est visé par la dépense (forêt, élevage, denrées spécifiques, etc.) ainsi que la source de financement de ces dépenses. L’étude également vise à évaluer la cohérence [...]

During COP 13, the Global Mechanism of the UNCCD and FAO strengthened their collaborative efforts to support Small Island Developing States (SIDS) to set national targets to achieve LDN. The purpose was to identify lessons learned from the LDN target setting process in SIDS in order to generate recommendations to policy makers and interested stakeholders on future actions and to consider cross-cutting issues and linkages between emerging and existing challenges and priorities. This briefing note presents an overview of these recommendations.

The policy brief reviews the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic on migrants working in agri-food systems and their families in rural areas of origin. It points out some of the policy implications and presents key policy recommendations. Measures affecting the movement of people (internally and internationally) and resulting labour shortages, will have an impact on agricultural value chains, affecting food availability and market prices globally. At the same time, large shares of migrants work under informal or casual arrangements, which leave them unprotected, vulnerable to exploitation, poverty and food insecurity, and often without access to healthcare, social protection and the measures [...]

While the COVID-19 pandemic is devastating lives, public health systems, livelihoods and economies all over the world, populations living in food crisis contexts are particularly exposed to its effects. Countries with existing humanitarian crises are particularly exposed to the effects of the pandemic, which is already directly affecting food systems through impacts on food supply and demand, and indirectly through decreases in purchasing power, the capacity to produce and distribute food, and the intensification of care tasks, all of which will have differentiated impacts and will more strongly affect the most vulnerable populations. The effects could be even stronger in countries [...]

The policy brief highlights that policy measures should aim to address actual rather than perceived demand and supply disruptions, and that enhanced market transparency, and coordination with trading partners is critical in this regard. It is noted that experiences from past crises have demonstrated that avoiding certain trade-restrictive measures can be equally important to more direct forms of supporting consumers and producers. In this context, following international guidelines on safe travel and trade corridors can help keep agri-food supply chains functional, mitigate food supply disruptions, and promote food security.  

The FAO Global Forum on Food Security and Nutrition (FSN Forum) is an inclusive, neutral platform for people and institutions to share knowledge and support policy-making. Over the years, the FSN Forum online discussions have played an important role in strengthening and democratizing policy dialogue in line with the UN’s move towards more inclusive decision-making processes within the development community. The FSN Forum engages a broad spectrum of citizens, experts, governments, non-governmental and private entities at the global, regional and national levels, fostering awareness, debate and mutual learning on the broad range of issues that affect food securityand nutrition. This publication presents the [...]

These guidelines are intended to provide guidance on pesticide risk reduction through reduced exposure by effective personal protection with special attention to the use of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE). First, they provide technical information on personal protection and on the selection and use of PPE. Second, in line with the FAO/WHO International Code of Conduct on Pesticide Management, they address policy issues and recommend measures to improve personal protection and specifically the use and availability of adequate quality and affordable PPE. They are primarily aimed at government authorities in charge of pesticide management and risk reduction, but are also considered useful [...]