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This Global Plan of Action for the Conservation, Sustainable Use and Development of Aquatic Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture (GPA) was developed by FAO at the request of the members of the Commission on Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture in response to the needs and challenges identified in the first global assessment of the status of Aquatic Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture (AqGR). It was developed following broad consultation with the regions and, following endorsement by the Commission, was formally adopted by FAO members at the 168th session of the FAO Council. The GPA is voluntary and [...]

Biodiversity for food and agriculture comprises all the components of biodiversity that contribute to crop and livestock production, forestry, fisheries and aquaculture – both wild and domesticated, and at genetic, species and ecosystem levels. It is vital to food security and nutrition, livelihoods and the supply of a range of ecosystem services. The Framework for Action on Biodiversity for Food and Agriculture was endorsed by the FAO Council in 2021. It contains more than 50 individual actions grouped into three strategic priority areas: characterization, assessment and monitoring; management (sustainable use and conservation); and institutional frameworks. It was developed in response to [...]

By 2050, the world needs to produce an estimated 50 percent more food than in 2012 to ensure global food security, and it must do so while conserving and enhancing the natural resource base. Water is a major input and environmental condition in the provision of food – from production in the field through all the steps in the supply chain. Water is also required to meet personal and household needs, for energy and industrial production, and to maintain important water-dependent ecosystems and their services. With demand and competition for water on the rise, however, the planet’s water resources are under unprecedented stress due to [...]

South-South Cooperation (SSC) is increasingly recognized as an effective instrument for catalyzing economic development by fostering the exchange of innovation and good practices, and expanding market opportunities across countries with a similar level of development and shared development objectives, such as those reflected in the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Key to this economic cooperation are trade and investment relationships among South countries. The importance of South countries in global agrifood markets and trade has been increasing over the last two decades, with growth in their participation, as both exporters and importers, having outpaced that of North countries. Agricultural productivity growth has [...]

This paper discusses how adapting food production systems to respond to consumer demand for healthier diets is a major opportunity to mitigate and adapt to climate change in agro-rural economies. It also addresses how existing technological solutions for climate change mitigation and adaptation need to create more balance between the production and consumption tiers of agrifood systems.Policy dialogue includes managing trade-offs between different sector and stakeholder interests and exploring synergies rather than focusing on exclusivity and competition. This requires a new framework that goes beyond sector-specific policy development. Political economy issues compound the outcome of evidence-based policy dialogue results. For [...]

An important part of FAO’s work involves the development and uptake of assessment tools that can help improve understanding of the characteristics, dynamics and constraints of food systems.Recent efforts have focused on supporting national and subnational governments and food system stakeholders in urban settings.Numerous tools, methodologies and guiding principles are available in the broad technical areas of food supply chains, cityregion food systems and value chains, to assess the contribution of food systems for the eradication of hunger.However, there is a dearth of resources that place primary focus on navigating food systems for outcomes related to nutrition – in particular, [...]

Diet and nutrition are critical to health, well-being and longevity. The economic and health burdens associated with poor quality diets are a worldwide concern, but for low- and middle-income countries (LMICs), the long-term impact of these burdens has the potential to be especially devastating. Many of these LMICs are currently grappling with the deepening multiple burdens of malnutrition, with undernutrition, nutrient inadequacies, and overweight and obesity often presenting simultaneously in communities, households and even in single individuals.Time-relevant data is a necessary and critical component of any process or initiative that aims to ensure healthy diets. Robust data on what people [...]

This study looks at the business models of small and medium sized rice processors in Kenya in order to better understand the policy and technical support they need to grow and fulfil their role in agrifood systems transformation. More specifically, by employing semi-structured interviews with Kenyan rice millers, the technical study identifies challenges in their day-to-day business activities, including procurement, inbound and outbound logistics, in-house operations, financing, and human resources management. Additionally, the publication looks at opportunities for improving the business enabling environment in which these enterprises operate, providing a set of policy options to foster their role. The methodology cross [...]

Access to formal credit is critical to farmers for purchasing inputs such as seeds, fertilizers, plant protection materials or animal feed. In the absence of personal savings, borrowing from informal sources (such as moneylenders, relatives and friends) may involve unduly high interest rates and unfavourable conditions, which may make many agricultural operations uneconomical. The lack of access to credit is particularly problematic for farmers as there is a gap between the time that money is spent on cultivating crops or raising livestock, and the time money is made from the sale of the products.Credit to agriculture measures the amount of [...]

In this report, FAO illustrates the progress in fulfilling the mandate given to us by the Member Countries during 2021. In 2021, Latin American and Caribbean countries proved that even during one of the most demanding periods in recent history, it is possible to drive better production, better nutrition, a better environment and a better life, leaving no one behind. The results included in this document are important, but partial, examples of our work. Also available in Spanish