FAO.org

This database contains projections used for the preparation of the report "The future of food and agriculture – Alternative pathways to 2050". It disseminates foresight analyses of food and agricultural systems and provides access to country-level information on FAO projections.   Data from 2012 to 2050 in five-year intervals is available for visualization and download at country level by scenario and where applicable, by commodity or animal species. Data is organized in thematic domains, such as macro variables and indicators, crop and animal production, market balances by commodity, food security indicators and greenhouse gas emissions.  

This studies report aims at contributing to achieve SO4. Particularly, it serves to produce and share information and results in order to deliver under Output 2.2 of SO4, notably “Evidence-based food loss and waste reduction programs are developed at national, regional and global levels”. Fresh fruits and vegetables contribute significantly to food and nutrition security, poverty reduction and to economic development in the countries belonging to the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC). Smallholders who make little use of post-harvest (PH) technologies produce most of the fresh fruits and vegetables supplied to mass markets in the Region. The high qualitative [...]

“Food Systems for an Urbanizing World” is the outcome of a collaborative effort between the World Bank (WB) Global Practice for Food and Agriculture and the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO). it addresses a growing global concern regarding food availability and consumption patterns in an ever increasing urbanized world. Our increasingly urbanizing world carries tremendous implications for food systems and for their evolution, management and performance. Urban food issues are a critical dimension of an integrated urban-rural development agenda, contributing to multiple outcomes that are key to meeting the World Bank Group’s twin goals of boosting shared [...]

Almost 88 percent of the world’s 1.2 billion youth live in developing countries. Globally, young people account for approximately 24 percent of the working poor. Although the world’s youth population is expected to grow, employment and entrepreneurial opportunities for young women and men remain limited – particularly for those living in economically stagnant rural areas of developing countries. Hence, creating more productive and beneficial jobs for the rural youth is particularly urgent.  To address this challenge, FAO launched the Integrated Country Approach (ICA) for decent rural employment. The overall objective of ICA is to help country create more and better employment [...]

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.  This guidance note gives guidance on how to use [...]

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 [...]

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 [...]

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 [...]

The resource guide is part of the follow-up to the Second International Conference on Nutrition (ICN2) that was held in November 2014 in Rome, Italy. It aims at guiding countries to translate the 60 recommended policy options and actions of the ICN2 Framework of Action into country-specific commitments for action. This process is done according to the national needs and conditions, and builds on existing policies, strategies, programmes, plans and investments in order to achieve the 10 commitments of the Rome Declaration on Nutrition.

This booklet provides a comprehensive overview of the longer Future of Food and Agriculture publication. Shorter, more easily readable for the general public, this version sets out the key trends and challenges to be addressed in order to achieve sustainable agriculture and meet the SDGs, in particular ending hunger by 2030. This report presents a summary of the challenges that agriculture and food systems are currently facing and will face into the 21st century. Analysis of 15 global trends provides insight into what is at stake and what needs to be done.  Most of the trends are strongly interdependent and combine to [...]