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The Global Forum on Food Security and Nutrition “FSN Forum” is an online platform for multi-stakeholder dialogue on food security and nutrition facilitated by FAO’s Agricultural Development Economics Division. The FSN Forum allows registered members and other stakeholders to engage in policy dialogue and knowledge sharing on food security and nutrition both globally and in targeted geographic areas. See also FSN Regional Platforms

The present study reviews recent trends in rural finance and investment in general, and in the agricultural sector in particular, within the Asian region. The analysis of these trends aims to offer a critical perspective on some of the main constraints to achieving more inclusive rural financial systems in developing countries in the region, and to propose areas of public and private intervention that could advance this objective, based on evidence compiled from important innovations led by local rural actors in various countries within the region. The study makes a joint analysis of recent trends in both agricultural markets and [...]

Turkey’s agri-food sector will be of tremendous importance in the decades to come. In 2013, in terms of its total gross agricultural production value (at 2004-06 constant prices), Turkey was ranked eighth in the world, just behind Argentina and closely followed by France and Mexico. The first objective of this report is to compile empirical evidence from official statistics on water usage in the Turkish agricultural sector and to combine this with available qualitative information and first-hand company-level and stakeholder information about water usage in typical processing steps along the Turkish food value chain. This analysis was conducted while taking [...]

In this paper, we evaluate the impact of this proposed change to the existing FISP design and implementation mechanisms by utilizing two waves of the Living Standards Measurement Study - Integrated Surveys on Agriculture (LSMS-ISA)survey merged with historical climate data. We estimate how the demand for agricultural inputs varies according to a variation in the targeting criteria and identify more efficient farmers that should be eligible for the FISP.  

The brief contains recommendations and a framework for developing an Institutional Food Procurement Programme (IFPP) based on lessons from ten case study appraisals of WFP's purchase for progress initiative and Brazil's national food procurement programmes. 

Crop diversification is often promoted as a strategy to achieve climate resilience. However, the benefits to crop diversification may vary depending on household resource endowments. For farm households with few resources, as shown by studies of Burkina Faso, Malawi and Zambia, crop diversification is likely to be an important strategy for managing production and price risk. However, for larger, better capitalized farms, diversification may not be welfare enhancing, because returns to specialization may be higher for these households.

Food Outlook is published by the Trade and Markets Division of FAO under Global Information and Early Warning System (GIEWS). It is a biannual publication focusing on developments affecting global food and feed markets. Each report provides comprehensive assessments and short term forecasts for production, utilization, trade, stocks and prices on a commodity by commodity basis and includes feature articles on topical issues. Food Outlook maintains a close synergy with another major GIEWS publication, Crop Prospects and Food Situation, especially with regard to the coverage of cereals. Food Outlook is available in English. The summary section is also available in Arabic, Chinese, French, Russian and [...]

The main purposes of this research are to identify and analyse the role of women and men in the forestry sector in Kosovo, and women’s and men’s ownership and use of forests. The report also aims to analyse the gender issues within the institutional policy and legal framework that governs forest management, in order to provide recommendations on how to mainstream gender in forest policies in Kosovo more effectively.

A sustainable agriculture and rural development strategy for Oman Oman’s recent economic growth still depends on hydrocarbon revenue and foreign labour. Sustainable development in the agriculture sector would increase agriculture’s contribution to the gross domestic product and employment, and enable the sector to improve Oman’s trade balance. The objective of the project was thus to support the government in analyzing the existing situation and formulating a sustainable agricultural development and rural development strategy to address the efficient and sustainable use of the scarce natural resources for the improved livelihoods of the Omani people. Duration: 01/01/2013 - 01/03/2017

The objective of this case study is to understand the application of ICT technologies for rural groundwater management in China, and it’s impacts on the rural poor. This will help understand the physical and policy context this technology is being applied and expanded, its impact on resource management, and changes in water delivery service to farmers. These understanding will help improve this technology and provide data and information for its replication in other parts of Asia. It will also help understand the capabilities of the ICT within the water sector applications.