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This review is the third in a series of publications devoted to the analysis of agricultural trade and trade policies in the post-Soviet countries. The purpose of the review is to study trends in the agri-food foreign trade and to monitor the latest policy changes in trade policies of these countries that affect its dynamics and structure. This publication also includes a chapter on review of strategies and programs on export promotion of agricultural goods developed by post-Soviet countries. In order to diversify agricultural markets in 2016-2017, many post-Soviet countries have intensified the development of such policy documents, considering the [...]

New evidence this year corroborates the rise in world hunger observed in this report last year, sending a warning that more action is needed if we aspire to end world hunger and malnutrition in all its forms by 2030. Updated estimates show the number of people who suffer from hunger has been growing over the past three years, returning to prevailing levels from almost a decade ago. Although progress continues to be made in reducing child stunting, over 22 percent of children under five years of age are still affected. Other forms of malnutrition are also growing: adult obesity continues [...]

Part of a series of materials that raise awareness on the VGGT among indigenous peoples and local authorities in India, this booklet explains through simple cartoons how the Voluntary Guidelines can be implemented at national and local level. This guideline is only available in Hindi.

This document summarizes the online discussion Sustaining the impact of capacity development initiatives for African youth in agriculture, which was held on the FAO Global Forum on Food Security and Nutrition in Africa (FSN Forum Africa) from 25 October to 17 November 2017. The aim was to solicit opinions on capacity development sustainability initiatives for young agripreneurs in Africa, and to contribute to identifying challenges and opportunities related to sustaining the impact of all interventions (existing and future ones) aimed at developing capacities and engaging youth in agriculture. See all ongoing and past discussion on the Global Forum on Food Security and [...]

This fact sheet describes the course which introduces the CFS Principles for Responsible Investment in Agriculture and Food Systems (also known as the CFS-RAI), a set of ten principles that apply to all types and sizes of agricultural investment including fisheries, forests and livestock. The principles address all stakeholders and apply to all stages of the value chain. As a soft law instrument, they are globally applicable and include actions to address a range of environmental, social and economic issues.

We need a much better understanding of the causes and effects of agricultural water pollution as well as effective means to prevent and remedy the problem. In the existing literature, information on water pollution from agriculture is highly dispersed. This report is a comprehensive review and covers different agricultural sectors (including crops, livestock and aquaculture), and examines the drivers of water pollution in these sectors as well as the resulting pressures and changes in water bodies, the associated impacts on human health and the environment, and the responses needed to prevent pollution and mitigate its risks.

The Agricultural Outlook 2018-2027 is a collaborative effort of the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) and the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) of the United Nations. It brings together the commodity, policy and country expertise of both organisations and input from collaborating member countries to provide an annual assessment of prospects for the coming decade of national, regional and global agricultural commodity markets. This year’s edition contains a special chapter on the prospects and challenges of agriculture and fisheries in the Middle East and North Africa that reviews the prospects and challenges facing the agricultural sector in the Middle East [...]

Many countries in the region have seen positive changes in agricultural development in recent years associated with countries’ reforms during the transition period after the Soviet Union collapse, as well as due to support from international organizations. This report overviews eighteen countries in Eastern Europe and Central Asia. The report examines agriculture sectors and food systems, relevant programmes, it reveals the status of agro-processing sector and value chain development activities, and it covers food loss and waste. In the final analysis it was concluded, that more research and data collection are needed to understand the extent of food loss and waste at regional and national levels. It [...]

Trade Policy Brief No. 30 Certified areas and market share of products compliant with Voluntary Sustainability Standards (VSSs) are growing rapidly. VSSs can deliver positive impacts, but also present challenges for small-scale producers. There has been no formal discussions in the WTO on the VSSs, even though calls for impact assessments on standards (public and private) have been made frequently. See the complete series: Trade Policy Briefs

The endorsement of the National School Feeding Programme (Projecto de Alimentação Escolar—PRONAE) by the Mozambican Council of Ministers in 2013 represented a key stage in the institutionalization of school feeding and local food purchases in the country’s education system. This publication presents analysis on the divide between policy change and effective implementation. An FAO project, the Purchase from Africans for Africa (PAA Africa), is assessed regarding its demonstrative effect and contributions to enlarge the knowledge basis for translating policy change in effective purchases of food from smallholders for a diversified food basket at schools. The need for a regulatory framework [...]