News & Highlights Archive

	Sites in Iran, Morocco and Spain recognized as important for the world’s agricultural heritage. A traditional saffron cultivation system in Iran, an argan-based agro-pastoral system in Morocco, and an ancient olive trees system in Spain today won recognition from FAO as Globally Important Agricultural Heritage Systems (GIAHS). All the sites feature unique ways to produce nutritious foods and/or spices using traditional knowledge and skills while improving local people's livelihoods and preserving biodiversity. More... 21-12-2018
	New UN resolutions sharpen focus on plant health, food safety and pulses. Three new UN international observances highlight relevance of key areas of FAO’s work. FAO applauded today's decision by the United Nations to create two new international days and one entire year devoted to central issues in global food security and nutrition. The UN General Assembly approved three new resolutions creating three awareness-raising initiatives, focused on plant health, food safety and pulses. "The International Year of Plant Health is a key initiative to highlight the importance of plant health to enhance food security, protect the environment and biodiversity, and boost economic development," FAO Deputy Director-General Maria Helena Semedo said. More... 20-12-2018
	The Russian Federation donates $3million to boost food security and nutrition in Syria. The Russian Federation has donated $3 million to help FAO provide conflict-affected farmers and herders in Syria with critical livelihood and nutrition support. This is the first FAO emergency project funded by Russia. The donation will enable FAO to support 60,000 vulnerable households (or 360 000 farmers and herders) in the area of Aleppo, who were severely impacted by the crisis, to restore their production capacity and improve their food security and nutrition. More... 19-12-2018
	FAO hails landmark UN resolution that enshrines rights of peasants and rural workers. Resolution also recognizes rural populations, workers and indigenous peoples' contribution to sustainable development and biodiversity. "FAO welcomes the adoption of the declaration. Rural people have been consistently left behind - they make up the vast majority of the world's poor, generally have lower wages and less access to water, energy, social protection and other services that are essential for their sustainable development. This is an opportunity to change this reality," said Carla Mucavi, Director of the FAO Liaison Office to the United Nations in New York. More... 18-12-2018
	FAO and WFO to help farmers drive global agricultural agenda. The new FAO-WFO agreement will focus on supporting and promoting the key role that farmers and their organizations play in efficient, inclusive and sustainable agriculture and food systems; reducing rural poverty; reaching food and nutrition security; and achieving the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. It will do so by building farmers' capacity to lead decision-making processes on agricultural policies at all levels, based on best sustainable agricultural practices that farmers are already applying. More... 14-12-2018
	FAO urges to scale up response to climate change in agricultural sectors. Investing in policies, people, data, innovations and leadership should be part of the solution – FAO Deputy Director-General says at COP24 summit. At the special event, focusing on Sustainable Development Goal 2: Zero Hunger, Semedo warned of the increased global hunger levels, driven largely by the impacts of climate change, conflicts, and economic slowdown, noting that "our efforts to end hunger will become more challenging if warming reaches two degrees Celsius". More... 13-12-2018
	NASA and FAO launch next-generation geospatial tool. Seeing both forests and trees is about to get easier, thanks to a new open-access tool developed by NASA and FAO, with support from the Google Earth Engine Team and the US Government's SilvaCarbon Program - allowing anyone to track land-use and landscape changes anywhere. Collect Earth Online (CEO) amplifies the power of FAO's Open Foris Collect Earth tool, which for the past few years has enabled the collection of data on land use, deforestation and for other purposes with the help of satellite imagery. CEO will become a central technology supporting FAO's global Remote Sensing Survey. The new platform is web-based, free of charge, open to all, requires no downloads or installation, and allows users to systematically inspect any location on the Earth with satellite data. More... 12-12-2018
	New report raises hopes for Mediterranean and Black Sea fisheries. There is a need to reduce bycatch, discards and provide small-scale fishers with more support. Although the main commercial fish species in the Mediterranean and Black Sea are still over-fished, pressure has reduced over the past years, raising hopes - for the first time - for the recovery of fish stocks, according to new FAO-GFCM report launched today. The percentage of overexploited fish stocks decreased by 10 percent - from 88 percent in 2014 to 78 percent in 2016. More efforts are needed, however, to ensure long-term fish stock sustainability, warns "The State of Mediterranean and Black Sea Fisheries". More... 11-12-2018
	Unabated climate change will cause more conflict and hunger. FAO Director-General speaks at Nobel Peace Prize Forum on climate change. FAO Director-General José Graziano da Silva today warned of increased conflict and hunger if climate change is left unabated. Graziano da Silva made the remarks at the Nobel Peace Prize Forum 2018 panel discussion on how to solve the climate crisis, with 2007 Nobel Peace Prize laureate and former US Vice-President Al Gore as keynote speaker. More... 11-12-2018
	Progress on food security and nutrition stagnates in Europe and Central Asia. More than 14 million adults, and some 4.7 million children in Europe and Central Asia suffer from severe food insecurity - as defined by the Food Insecurity Experience Scale (FIES) - the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations said in a report released today. "The Regional Overview of Food Security and Nutrition: Europe and Central Asia 2018" analyzes a wealth of country data on dietary energy supply, undernourishment and nutrition indicators, such as stunting and wasting, anaemia, overweight and obesity, and the effects of the shifts in people's diets. More... 11-12-2018
	Slow Food and the Mountain Partnership Secretariat to bolster mountain people’s livelihoods. New project promotes indigenous food and sustainable tourism in the Philippines. Slow Food and the Mountain Partnership Secretariat, hosted by FAO, have signed an agreement to improve the livelihoods of mountain people, with special focus on Cordillera's mountain community in the Philippines. The agreement comes ahead of the International Mountain Day - a day celebrated each year on 11 December to highlight the importance of mountains to people's lives and livelihoods. More... 10-12-2018
	Nobel Peace Prize Laureate Nadia Murad joins FAO’s efforts to end hunger. 2018 awardee becomes a member of the Alliance for Food Security and Peace. The Iraqi Yazidi human rights activist and 2018 Nobel Peace Laureate Nadia Murad today joined FAO’s efforts to tackle the twin problems of hunger and violence by becoming a new member of FAO's Nobel Peace Laureates Alliance for Food Security and Peace. FAO Director-General José Graziano da Silva presented Murad with a membership diploma on the sidelines of the Nobel Peace Prize ceremony, taking place in Oslo. More... 10-12-2018
	Humanitarian assistance continues to prevent a massive human catastrophe in Yemen but it is not enough. As many as 20 million Yemenis are food insecure in the world's worst humanitarian crisis. Already, 15.9 million people wake up hungry, according to the latest Integrated food security Phase Classification (IPC) analysis which is released today by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), the UN Children's Fund (UNICEF), the World Food Programme (WFP) and humanitarian partners. More... 08-12-2018
	Innovation and joint action needed to achieve sustainable agriculture and food systems. "No country alone will be able to overcome all the challenges we face fully, so we must act globally. Nobody must be left behind," FAO Director-General José Graziano da Silva said in remarks to member states. "Countries cannot achieve the Sustainable Development Goals on the basis of traditional agricultural approaches," Graziano da Silva added. "We need innovation." More... 07-12-2018
	FAO Food Price Index declines in November. Abundant inventories pull international food commodity prices lower, led by palm oil. Globally traded food commodity prices declined in November, led by marked drops for palm oil and other vegetable oils. The FAO Food Price Index averaged 160.8 points for the month of November, down 1.3 percent from October and 8.5 percent from a year earlier. The index, an indicator of the monthly change in international prices of a basket of food commodities, is now at its lowest level since May 2016. More... 06-12-2018
	Increased soil contamination puts food safety and food security at risk. Urgent action is needed to address soil pollution and contain the multiple threats it poses to global food safety and food security, said FAO today marking World Soil Day. "About 33 percent of all soils are degraded - and soils continue to deteriorate at an alarming rate," said Deputy Director-General Maria Helena Semedo at the World Soil Day Ceremony. "Soil acts as a filter for contaminants. But when its buffering capacity is exceeded, contaminants can enter the environment and the food chain. This undermines food security by making crops risky and unsafe for consumption". More... 05-12-2018
	Russia’s PhosAgro donates $1.2 million to improve sustainable soil management in Africa, Latin America and the Near East. FAO project aims to enhance farmers’ skills in assessing soil conditions and strengthen capacities of national soil laboratories. The contribution will help farmers to enhance their capacities in soil condition assessment and informed decision-making regarding sustainable soil management, particularly soil fertility, as well as facilitate knowledge exchange among farmers. The Soil Doctors Testing Kits - special kits for assessing soil condition - will be developed and distributed to at least 5,000 farmers in participating countries who will also receive training on how to use them. More... 05-12-2018
	FAO Director-General calls for transformative changes to our food systems. FAO Director-General José Graziano da Silva today called on countries to urgently address all forms of malnutrition, during his opening address to FAO's Council, the organization's executive body. Citing the 2018 "State of Food Security and Nutrition in the World" report, Graziano da Silva said obesity now affects around 672 million people and the increase has been faster in Africa than any other region. He also said more than two billion people globally suffer from micronutrient deficiencies. More... 03-12-2018
	Sites in Iran and Italy designated FAO globally important agricultural heritage sites. Traditional grape cultivation systems in Iran and Soave vineyards in Italy were formally recognised today as Globally Important Agricultural Heritage Systems (GIAHS), for their unique ways to produce grape and grape-based products using traditional practices and knowledge while preserving biodiversity and ecosystems. More... 30-11-2018
	Nuclear technologies support food, agriculture and the SDGs. Innovation and technology are critical tools to achieving FAO's vision of a world free from hunger and malnutrition, Deputy Director-General Maria Helena Semedo said, pointing to cutting-edge scientific applications in plant breeding and pest control that have contributed to improving livelihoods for millions of the world's rural poor. More scientific advances are needed in order for our food systems to "produce more - and better - with less," she said in an address to the Ministerial Conference on Nuclear Science and Technology. More... 28-11-2018
	Nations urged to accelerate efforts to wipe out hunger and malnutrition. With rising levels of global hunger putting the goal of ending malnutrition in all its forms by 2030 in serious jeopardy, the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) and the International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI) have today launched a global conference aimed at urgently accelerating efforts to achieve Zero Hunger worldwide. More... 28-11-2018
	Treasuring trees to make cities greener and healthier. Forests and green spaces can help create more resilient and sustainable cities, and address the challenges of an increasing urban population, is the message FAO delivered today to participants of the first World Forum on Urban Forests. "More sustainable models of urban growth are urgently needed," said Hiroto Mitsugi, FAO Assistant Director-General, Forestry Department at the opening of the forum. More... 28-11-2018
	Farmers grappling with Afghanistan drought urgently need seed and animal feed support. A new drought response will help 1.4 million of the most vulnerable drought-affected people in Afghanistan during the coming winter season and into April next year, the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) announced today on the sidelines of the Geneva Conference on Afghanistan (27-28 November). More... 27-11-2018
	Mediterranean forest area on the rise but increasingly in jeopardy. Climate change, wildfires and water scarcity drive forest degradation. The Mediterranean forest area has increased by two percent between 2010 and 2015, resulting in a rise of 1.8 million hectares - about the size of Slovenia, says a new FAO-Plan Bleu report - "The State of Mediterranean Forests". More... 27-11-2018
	Food diversity expresses cultural heritage and is key for healthy diets. FAO Director-General receives the Artusi Prize for contribution towards Zero Hunger. "The more we concentrate on fresh local foods for our diets, the more we will build a generation free from obesity and overweight," Graziano da Silva said, underscoring that while hunger still needs to be eradicated, other forms of malnutrition linked to inadequate diets are on the rise. More... 24-11-2018
	European Union provides €12 million in support of global food security. The European Union and FAO along with its Rome-based UN partner agencies, the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) and the World Food Programme (WFP), have today signed an €12 million deal that will lend EU backing to three separate programs designed to tackle diverse aspects of food security and rural development. More... 23-11-2018
	Eradication isn’t the end of the Rinderpest story. FAO and OIE launch Global Action Plan to keep the world free of deadly cattle plague. Two international agencies have urged countries to remain vigilant about the possible re-emergence of the deadly cattle disease called Rinderpest. FAO and OIE are using the successful Rinderpest eradication programme as a model for a new campaign to rid the world of peste des petits ruminants, which affects sheep and goats and causes up to $2.1 billion a year in losses, mostly shouldered by small-scale farmers. More... 22-11-2018
	Latin America and the Caribbean suffers setback in fight against rural poverty. Rural poverty increased by 2 million people, the first rise in 10 years, warns a new FAO publication. The first edition of the "Panorama of Rural Poverty in Latin America and the Caribbean" warns of a historical reversal in the struggle to improve rural welfare in the region. Rural poverty grew by two million people between 2014 and 2016, reaching a total of 59 million. More... 21-11-2018
	The Vatican joins FAO to denounce labour abuses in fishing industry. World Fisheries Day call to support human rights and make fisheries socially sustainable. “We (FAO and the Holy See) convey a joint message urging an end to the violation of human rights within the fishing sector, and we call for an end to illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing,” FAO Director-General Jose Graziano da Silva said at an event celebrating World Fisheries Day. More... 21-11-2018
	Innovation in agriculture vital to address future food challenges. Symposium on Agricultural Innovation for Family Farmers opens in Rome. Rapid advances in agricultural innovation that address climate change and support family farmers are crucial if the Sustainable Development Goals are to be achieved, the UN Food and Agriculture Organization's Director-General told the opening session of the first International Symposium on Agricultural Innovation for Family Farmers. More... 21-11-2018
	FAO and Italy’s Coldiretti join forces to promote healthier diets for all. Agricultural producers are key allies achieve Zero Hunger and improve food systems. FAO and Italy’s main farmers’ organization, Confederazione Nazionale Coltivatori Diretti (Coldiretti), have joined forces to contribute to the achievement of Zero Hunger and healthier diets for all. Under the agreement, FAO and Coldiretti will promote exchanges of knowledge and good practices on sustainable agriculture and use of natural resources, food value chain organization, and innovation for a sustainable agri-food sector, as well as on strengthening the enabling environment for smallholder and family farmers through their inclusion in policy-making processes that affect them. More... 21-11-2018
	Farmers, frontline defenders against antimicrobial resistance. FAO marks World Antibiotic Awareness Week by calling on farmers to boost farm hygiene. Farmers have a vital role to play in stemming the spread of antimicrobial resistance among disease-causing pathogens, and can make a significant contribution simply by adopting good hygiene practices during their day-to-day farm operations. More... 14-11-2018
	World Antibiotic Awareness Week: Emphasis on preventing antimicrobial misuse across the entire Asia-Pacific biosphere. New AMR publication launched and partnership expanded. The global tripartite partnership calling for more responsible use of antibiotics in humans, animals and agriculture (including aquaculture and plant production) has announced it is widening its coverage to include the environment sector. More... 12-11-2018
	Strengthening indigenous food systems is key to achieving a zero-hunger world. FAO hosts an high-level seminar with indigenous experts from seven regions to analyze indigenous food systems. Indigenous Food systems and indigenous traditional knowledge have survived hundreds and sometimes thousands of years, therefore they may have some of the answers we are looking for. 70 panelists and more than 150 attendees from 40 countries reviewed evidence and discussed strategies at a high-level expert seminar held to explore ways to build on traditional knowledge to achieve Zero Hunger, organized by FAO and UNESCO. More... 09-11-2018
	Waste not, want not: Improving diets by reducing food loss and waste. A new policy brief calls for action to reduce the loss and waste of high-nutrient foods. The brief, Preventing nutrient loss and waste across the food system: Policy actions for high-quality diets, points out that poor-quality diets are now a greater public health threat than malaria, tuberculosis or measles. Meanwhile, approximately one third of all the food produced for human consumption never reaches the consumer's plate or bowl. More... 07-11-2018
	Inequality exacerbates hunger, malnutrition and obesity in Latin America and the Caribbean. Obesity grows by 3.6 million people every year in the region, while hunger has increased in three countries since 2014, according to a new report from FAO, PAHO, UNICEF and WFP. "The Panorama of Food and Nutrition Security 2018", focuses on the close linkages between economic and social inequality and the higher levels of hunger, obesity and malnutrition of the most vulnerable populations of the region. More... 07-11-2018
	Declining international prices to ease food import burden for poorest countries. FAO's Food Outlook warns of impact of price and currency trends on smallholder incomes. Declining international agricultural commodity prices should ease the bill the world's poorest countries pay for food imports, although the strengthening U.S. dollar poses "serious concerns", a new United Nations report says. More... 06-11-2018
	The world cannot stand by watching Yemen’s human tragedy. Briefing to UN Permanent Representatives in New York on food security, migration. The international community is failing to end hunger, evidenced by the tragic crisis in Yemen, the Director-General of the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) José Graziano da Silva told a high-level briefing on food insecurity to Member States at the United Nations in New York. More... 06-11-2018
	FAO helps Indonesian farmers and fishers recover after earthquake and tsunami. The UN's Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) has launched a recovery programme to help more than 70 000 Indonesian farmers and fishers grow food and fish again following a series of disasters that just over a month ago devastated their livelihoods. The country's deadliest earthquake in more than a decade, a tsunami and then landslides wracked havoc on people's homes and lands, and caused widespread loss of life and displacement. More... 05-11-2018
	South-South cooperation on agriculture a key ingredient for Zero Hunger. FAO to open an International Centre of Excellence in Agriculture Innovation and Rural Development in Beijing. Government representatives attending the Ministerial Forum on South-South Cooperation in Agriculture have today committed to greater South-South cooperation on agriculture and rural development to increase momentum towards achieving the Sustainable Development Goals of ending poverty and hunger. More... 02-11-2018
	UN agencies raise alarm over weakened fight against hunger and malnutrition in Asia and the Pacific. World's biggest region at serious risk of missing 2030 targets to end all forms of malnutrition-from hunger to obesity. Four specialized agencies of the United Nations today warned of a colossal human loss to Asia and the Pacific and its economies if countries in the region do not recommit themselves to ending all forms of malnutrition and achieving zero hunger by 2030. More... 02-11-2018
	Food prices dip in October. Abundant export supplies for key commodities more than offset jumping sugar prices. International food commodity prices dipped in October, as falling dairy, meat and vegetable oils prices more than offset a surge in sugar prices, the United Nations said today. The FAO Food Price Index, a measure of the monthly change in international prices of a basket of food commodities, averaged 163.5 points in October, down 0.9 percent from September and 7.4 percent below its level a year earlier. More... 01-11-2018
	FAO and the New Development Bank plan to join forces in boost for efforts to achieve 2030 Agenda. In the first partnership of its kind, the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) and the New Development Bank (NDB) are set to increase their joint efforts to help countries achieve the Sustainable Development Goals, with a special focus on safeguarding water and soil resources. More... 31-10-2018
	New training for veterinarians in 14 African countries to help combat infectious diseases. Some 180 veterinarians drawn from 14 African countries will benefit from a training programme, In-Service Applied Veterinary Epidemiology (ISAVET), launched today by the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) of the United Nations and the Institute for Infectious Animal Diseases (IIAD), part of Texas A&M AgriLife Research. The trainings will be held over the next 12 months and will operate within an approach involving public, animal and wildlife health as well as for pathogens that cross institutional mandates and geographic boundaries. More... 30-10-2018
	Lawmakers’ action key to ending hunger and ensuring healthy and sustainable diets for all. FAO Director-General urges parliamentarians from all over the world to place food security and nutrition at the top of the political agenda. It is essential that parliaments around the world act without delay to adapt and improve legal, political and institutional frameworks to end hunger and ensure nutritious and healthy diets for all. More... 29-10-2018
	Africa needs its young people to modernize its agricultural sectors. FAO Director-General stresses the importance of creating jobs in rural areas. He made the remarks at the Italy-Africa Ministerial Conference in Rome, which includes foreign ministers and other officials from more than 45 African Countries, as well as representatives from the African Union, other international organizations, and the private sector. More... 25-10-2018
	Together, public and private funding can end poverty and hunger. Public funding alone is not enough to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), and development and international financing institutions must collaborate more strategically to leverage private investments. A Global Forum in Marrakesh supported by the European Union and organized by the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development and FAO has heard that development and international financing institutions must collaborate more strategically to leverage private investments. More... 23-10-2018
	Committee on World Food Security focuses on food systems and nutrition. Key multi-stakeholder forum agrees to draft voluntary guidelines to reverse growing malnutrition rates. The Committee on World Food Security (CFS) wrapped up its 45th Session today, tasking itself with formulating Voluntary Guidelines for Food Systems and Nutrition for approval in 2020. More... 19-10-2018
	Green Climate Fund approves $127 million project for El Salvador's Dry Corridor. The Green Climate Fund today approved RECLIMA, a $127.7 million FAO-designed project that aims to improve the climate resilience of farming systems in El Salvador's Dry Corridor while benefitting 225,000 people, 20,000 of whom belong to indigenous communities. Women will head around 38 percent of beneficiary households. More... 19-10-2018
	Unlocking the carbon storage potential of forests through better data. UN-led effort helps developing nations improve forest monitoring and management to counter climate change. The UN Programme on Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and Forest Degradation (UN-REDD) program that is helping developing countries cut greenhouse gas emissions from deforestation has scored a number of successes by boosting their forest monitoring capacities, a new assessment says. More... 19-10-2018
	Harnessing the power of livestock to drive sustainable development. Sector can make major contributions to the 2030 agenda, but important choices have to be made. A new FAO report highlights the multiple contributions made by the global livestock sector but also says that changes in policies and practices are needed in order to optimize those contributions. According to "World Livestock: Transforming the livestock sector through the Sustainable Development Goals", the debate around livestock production has so far been largely focused on how the sector can produce more to satisfy surging demand for animal products and feed a growing global population while at the same time reducing its environmental footprint. More... 17-10-2018
	Urgent need to step up efforts to end hunger and malnutrition in all its forms. World Food Day official ceremony highlights Zero Hunger goal still possible. Speakers at the global World Food Day ceremony in Rome today called for stronger political will and more financial support to end hunger and malnutrition in all its forms, urging the international community to step up its efforts until everyone has enough and quality food. More... 16-10-2018
	No time to lose to reverse negative hunger and malnutrition trends. Committee on World Food Security has a leading role in delivering concrete policies, FAO’s director-general says. Failure to eradicate hunger will undermine all the Sustainable Development Goals, meaning “poverty will not be eradicated, natural resources will continue to degrade, and forced migration will continue to rise,” he told delegates gathered in Rome for the Committee on World Food Security (CFS). More... 15-10-2018
	Policies should not stem migration, but maximize its potential and minimize negatives. A new report on migration launched today by the UN Food and Agriculture Organization urges that policies should not stem or accelerate migration but maximize the contribution of rural migration to economic and social development while minimizing the costs. The State of Food and Agriculture 2018 states that migration must be a choice and not a necessity. More... 15-10-2018
	Addressing nutrition is primarily a public policy issue. FAO Director-General calls for guaranteeing healthy diets through legal and institutional frameworks. Photo: ©FAO/Giulio Napolitano "Changing the legal and institutional frameworks is fundamental to change the productive structure and ensure good nutrition for all," he told representatives gathered at the annual forum of the Civil Society Mechanism (MSC) - a vehicle for the participation of non-governmental actors in policy formulation in at the Committee on World Food Security (CFS). More... 13-10-2018
	World Food Day 2018 – multimedia resources and key messages. A package of WFD multimedia feature stories depicting real people’s actions towards Zero Hunger is available for media use, including accompanying photos and video. FAO and its partners are putting forward concrete actions that governments, farmers, public sector representatives and the general public can take - from countries' boosting social protection programmes to farmers using seeds that are more resistant to drought, to the general public supporting local food producers and adopting a healthier diet. The WFD brochure gives more facts and figures. More... 11-10-2018
	Erratic weather and prolonged conflict take toll on Syria’s agricultural output. Syria's wheat production this year fell to 1.2 million tonnes, about two-thirds of the 2017 level and marking a 29-year low, according to the latest Crop and Food Security Assessment Mission (CFSAM) conducted jointly by the UN Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) and the World Food Programme (WFP). More... 09-10-2018
	Media Advisory: World Food Week. This year's World Food Week starting on 15 October takes place in a global context where conflict, climate extremes and an increase in obesity are reversing progress made in the fight against hunger and malnutrition. A series of events including World Food Day on 16 October will explore the actions needed to put achieving Zero Hunger back on track. World Food Day is marked each year on 16 October to commemorate the founding of FAO in 1945. More... 09-10-2018
	Visiting Coldiretti’s farmers market to highlight the importance of family farming for Zero Hunger and healthy diets. During a visit to a farmers market fair in Rome today, FAO Director-General José Graziano da Silva and IFAD’s President Gilbert F. Houngbo stressed the importance of family farming to healthy diets, sustainable agricultural development and a Zero Hunger world. More... 06-10-2018
	Boosting farm productivity in Africa through the sustainable use of machines. New African Union-FAO framework also aims to create new jobs while reducing reliance on manual labor. FAO and the African Union launched a new framework document that aims to increase agricultural efficiency and reduce drudgery by helping countries in Africa to develop strategies for sustainable farm mechanization. The Sustainable Agricultural Mechanization: A Framework for Africa (SAMA) is the result of discussions with policy makers from AU member states, the AU Commission, FAO and key partners. More... 05-10-2018
	FAO Food Price Index down in September amid robust supplies. Drought hits sugarcane while forecasts for maize, rice and wheat outputs are raised. Global agricultural food commodity prices fell in September due to growing inventories of key staples. The FAO Food Price Index declined 1.4 percent from August and is now 7.4 percent below its level during September 2017. The FAO Cereal Price Index dropped 2.8 percent, led by maize as expectations of a very large crop in the United States of America pushed export quotations down. More... 04-10-2018
	EU and FAO reaffirm commitment to build a more sustainable future for all. EU contributed more than €1.5 billion to FAO programmes around the world in last 10 years. Over the next two years, EU and FAO will focus on: building communities' resilience to food crises; addressing climate change and better use of natural resources; investing in agriculture and value chains; and improving nutrition and food systems. "The EU's ongoing support for multilateralism and the United Nations system is as essential to achieving the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development as it is to addressing the immense challenges that forced migration, conflict and food crises continue to pose today," said José Graziano da Silva. More... 03-10-2018
	FAO chief and Nobel Peace Laureate Muhammad Yunus stress links between tackling violence and hunger. FAO-Nobel Peace Laureates Alliance aims to step up efforts to ensure peace and food security, first project launched in CAR. FAO Director-General José Graziano da Silva and Muhammad Yunus marked the United Nations International Day of Non-Violence by stressing that violence and hunger are often interlinked and that tackling this also requires creating income-generating opportunities for people, particularly for women and youth, in rural areas. More... 02-10-2018
	Transforming agriculture and food systems to nourish people and to nurture the planet. FAO's Committee on Agriculture focuses on boosting sustainable development through innovation. Achieving sustainable development means shifting away from high-input and resource-intensive farming and food systems, FAO Director-General José Graziano da Silva said. "Today, it is fundamental to produce food in a way that preserves the environment and biodiversity," Graziano da Silva said, adding: "We have to implement sustainable practices that provide healthy and nutritious food, ecosystem services and climate-change resilience." More... 01-10-2018
	Protecting and sustainably managing the planet's forests is crucial for achieving the Sustainable Development Goals. Senior government officials from around the world today gathered at FAO to focus on ways to step up global efforts in the forestry sector aimed at achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and the Paris Agreement on climate change. "Urgent action is needed to sustain and preserve the planet's forests in order to achieve our global goals," FAO Director-General José Graziano da Silva said in a video message to the opening of the week-long Committee on Forestry meeting. More... 16-07-2018
	FAO reiterates support to Portuguese-speaking countries to eradicate hunger and malnutrition. Graziano highlights in Cape Verde the need to consolidate National Councils of Food and Nutritional Security. FAO Director-General José Graziano da Silva today reiterated his support to the Community of Portuguese Language Countries (CPLP) in the implementation of their Regional Strategy for Food Security and Nutrition to eradicate hunger and ensure adequate food in the lusophone countries. He stressed that FAO will continue to support the work of the National Food and Nutritional Security Councils (CONSAN). More... 16-07-2018
	Kuwait contributes $5 million to FAO to support emergency operations in Yemen. Agricultural support to help hungry families in world’s largest food security crisis. The Government of Kuwait has contributed $5 million to FAO's work to deliver emergency agricultural interventions and improve food security and nutrition in Yemen which is facing the world's largest food security crisis. The Kuwaiti funding in support of FAO's Emergency Livelihoods Response Plan for Yemen will help to provide assistance to some of the 8.4 million severely food insecure Yemenis. More... 12-07-2018
	FAO and WorldFish forge partnership to build the resilience of fishers and fish farmers. New agreement aims to harness the power of fisheries and aquaculture research. The International Center for Living Aquatic Resources Management (WorldFish) and the UN FAO agreed to boost their efforts to build the resilience of fishers and small-scale fish farmers, promote sustainable aquaculture, and improve fish value chains. The partnership will harness the power of research in fisheries, aquaculture and fish value chains to improve programmes and policies for the benefit of millions of fishers and fish farmers belonging to some of the world's poorest communities. More... 11-07-2018
	Poorest countries face growing burden from the cost of importing food. FAO’s Food Outlook offers detailed look at market trends ranging from guava to ethanol. The world food import bill has broadly tripled since 2000 to reach $1.43 trillion in 2017, while it has risen around fivefold for countries that are the most vulnerable to food shortages. This shows a trend that has "been deteriorating over time, portending an increasing challenge, especially for the poorest countries, to meet their basic food needs from international markets," said Adam Prakash, a FAO economist and author of the study in the released Food Outlook. More... 10-07-2018
	Climate change poised to transform marine and freshwater ecosystems. The livelihoods of millions of fishery-dependent people at risk - FAO Director-General urges governments to resolve adaptation funding disputes. New analysis and modelling released today by FAO and more than 100 collaborating scientists projects that by 2050 climate change will have altered the productivity of many of the planet's marine and freshwater fisheries, affecting the livelihoods of millions of the worlds' poorest people. More... 10-07-2018
	Environmental institute ISPRA joins FAO’s renewed partnership with major Italian research bodies CNR, CREA, and ENEA. The Italian Institute for Environmental Research and Protection (ISPRA) today joined FAO and three of Italy's main research institutions - the National Research Council (CNR), the Council for Agricultural Research and Economics (CREA), and the National Agency for New Technologies, Energy and Sustainable Economic Development (ENEA) - in a partnership aimed at enhancing sustainable food production and nutrition in developing countries. More... 10-07-2018
	Is the planet approaching "peak fish"? Not so fast, study says. Global fish production will continue to expand over the next decade even though the amount of fish being captured in the wild has levelled off and aquaculture's previously explosive growth is now slowing, says a new report by the FAO. The latest edition of the agency's The State of World Fisheries and Aquaculture (SOFIA) report projects that by 2030 combined production from capture fisheries and aquaculture will grow to 201 million tonnes. More... 09-07-2018
	Forests and trees are key for a sustainable future. Time is running out for the world's forests, whose total area is shrinking by the day, warns a new FAO report urging governments to foster an all-inclusive approach to benefit both trees and those who rely on them. Halting deforestation, managing forests sustainably, restoring degraded forests and adding to worldwide tree cover all require actions to avoid potentially damaging consequences for the planet and its people, according to The State of the World's Forests 2018. More... 06-07-2018
	FAO Food Price Index declines in June for the first time in 2018. International agricultural food commodity prices fell in June for the first time in 2018, as trade tensions affected markets even with global production prospects down. The FAO Food Price Index averaged 173.7 points in June, down 1.3 percent from its level in May. The decline was driven primarily by lower benchmark price quotations for wheat, maize and vegetable oils including those made from soybeans. More... 05-07-2018
	FAO chief highlights peace as a powerful force for ending hunger. The Director-General of the UN Food and Agriculture Organization José Graziano da Silva has highlighted the vital role agriculture plays in preventing conflict and promoting sustainable peace, during a keynote speech delivered today at a forum on agriculture, defence, diplomacy and development (L'Agriculture en 3D: Défense, Diplomatie, Développement) in Paris. "Hunger and peace are closely linked. Conflicts have a major impact on local food systems. They contribute to the worsening of hunger in the world," Graziano da Silva said. More... 05-07-2018
	Two new sites added to global agricultural heritage list. Traditional ginseng farming in the Republic of Korea and olive tree groves in Italy's Umbria region have been recognized on the register of Globally Important Agricultural Heritage Systems (GIAHS), managed by the UN Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO). The two sites were added during a meeting of the GIAHS Scientific Advisory Group in Rome this week (2-4 July). It is the first time an Italian site has been recognized, and the fourth site in the Republic of Korea. More... 05-07-2018
	FAO and UNESCO redouble efforts to achieve Sustainable Development Goals. New agreement on closer collaboration aims to accelerate progress on Agenda 2030. The FAO and the UNESCO have renewed their partnership to boost efforts to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals, including the goal of Zero Hunger. FAO Director-General Jose Graziano da Silva and UNESCO Director-General Audrey Azoulay today signed a new Memorandum of Understanding in Paris. It comes more than 70 years after the first partnership signing between the agencies. More... 04-07-2018
	OECD-FAO: Predictable agricultural trade conditions needed to address food security challenges. Slowing population growth is expected to lead to decelerating demand for for food. The report, presented in Paris by OECD Secretary-General Angel Gurría and FAO Director General José Graziano da Silva, attributes the demand slowdown to a deceleration of demand growth in major emerging economies, stagnating per capita consumption of staple foods, and a further gradual decline in global population growth rates. The report stresses that agricultural trade plays an important role in promoting food security, underscoring the need for an enabling trade policy environment. More... 03-07-2018
	European Union supports conflict-affected Iraqi families. Through FAO, the EU will provide cash-for-work to improve access to water. Vulnerable farming families in post-conflict areas in Iraq's Ninewa plains, west of Mosul, will be able to better withstand shocks thanks to a European Union-funded UN FAO project that aims to increase household income while building, repairing and maintaining local infrastructure and creating communal and public productive assets. More... 02-07-2018
	Codex Alimentarius Commission: 02-06 July 2018. The United Nations food standards body Codex Alimentarius Commission is meeting in Rome from 02 to 06 July 2018 to adopt food safety and quality standards. Charged with protecting consumer health and ensuring fair practices in the food trade, the Codex Alimentarius is a joint initiative of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) and the World Health Organization (WHO). More... 02-07-2018
	Fall Armyworm keeps spreading and becomes more destructive. FAO calls for $23 million to scale up Fall Armyworm campaign – target is to reach more than 500 000 farmers in 2018. Fall Armyworm keeps spreading to larger areas within countries in sub-Saharan Africa and becomes more destructive as it feeds on more crops and different parts of crops, increasingly growing an appetite for sorghum and millet, in addition to maize. The pest could spread to Northern Africa, Southern Europe and the Near East, warned the FAO. More... 27-06-2018
	Norway and FAO will scale up innovative forest monitoring tool. Increasing access to geospatial technologies used to track land use change, carbon flows and climate mitigation. Access to satellite data and cutting-edge geospatial technologies will be broadened thanks to deeper collaboration between FAO and Norway, whose International Climate and Forest Initiative (NICFI) agreed to scale up an innovative FAO digital platform that helps countries measure, monitor and report on their forests and land use. More... 27-06-2018
	FAO and UNHCR launch new tool to save forests in displacement-affected areas. Reliance on woodfuel main driver of forest degradation and deforestation in displacement settings. The United Nations' Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) and Refugee Agency (UNHCR) launched today a new handbook to help restore forests in displacement-affected areas, where heavy reliance on woodfuel puts forests and woodlands in jeopardy. More... 20-06-2018
	Pollutants from agriculture a serious threat to world's water. New report paints a worrying picture, provides recommendations on what can be done. In many countries the biggest source of water pollution today is agriculture — not cities or industry — while worldwide, the most common chemical contaminant found in groundwater aquifers is nitrate from farming, according to More People, More Food, Worse Water? A Global Review of Water Pollution from Agriculture, launched by FAO and the International Water Management Institute at a conference in Tajikistan (19-22 June). More... 20-06-2018
	Europe highlights FAO’s unique role in achieving sustainability in food and agriculture.Council of the European Union stresses close cooperation with FAO on climate, food waste, antibiotics resistance. The Council of the European Union has stressed FAO's role as a knowledge-based organization for sustainable agriculture, forestry, fisheries and aquaculture, as well as food security and nutrition. In deliberations, the Council adopted conclusions on the EU and its member states' medium-term priorities for the FAO. More... 18-06-2018
	FAO launches Open Access for all publications.New policy facilitates and promotes access to a wealth of knowledge for all. FAO will implement an Open Access policy, enabling maximal reach and ease of use for FAO knowledge products. FAO has been disseminating knowledge since its foundation in 1945, and its publications have been freely accessible in the FAO online Document Repository since 1998. More... 18-06-2018
	Child labour in agriculture is on the rise, driven by conflict and disasters.FAO warns that this trend undermines efforts to end hunger and poverty. After years of steady decline, child labour in agriculture has started to rise again in recent years driven in part by an increase in conflicts and climate-induced disasters. This worrisome trend, not only threatens the wellbeing of millions of children, but also undermines efforts to end global hunger and poverty, warned FAO as it observed World Day Against Child Labour. More... 12-06-2018
	FAO helps countries lay the groundwork for climate-resilient initiatives.Green Climate Fund approves 10th FAO Readiness project. The UN Food and Agriculture Organization is supporting ten projects in countries in Africa, Asia, the Caribbean, Eastern Europe and South America to lay the groundwork for climate-resilient adaptation initiatives, funded by the Green Climate Fund (GCF)'s Readiness Programme. More... 11-06-2018
	20 actions to transforming food and agriculture. New FAO tool lists concrete steps ways to speed up implementation of the Sustainable Development Agenda. To help policy makers and other development actors accelerate progress towards global promises to end poverty and hunger, FAO has released a set of 20 inter-connected actions designed to show the impact sustainable agriculture can have on tackling the world's greatest challenges. More... 07-06-2018
	Conflicts and weather expand list of countries needing food aid. Pasture woes and conflict’s damage to livestock trade pushes up hunger among West Africa’s pastoralists. Global food supply conditions remain broadly ample, but conflicts continue to acutely aggravate and prolong severe food insecurity. Adverse local weather conditions have also raised the number of countries requiring external assistance for food, according to FAO's new Crop Prospects and Food Situation report. More... 07-06-2018
	Knowledge exchanges a potent tool in quest for Zero Hunger. Increasing sharing of best practices and expertise to fight hunger and poverty. Exchanges between developing countries of experiences and knowledge gained through their national hunger and poverty reduction efforts are proving to be a game changer for sustainable development, according to a roundtable discussion among experts and policymaker held at FAO. More... 07-06-2018
	Nobel Peace Prize laureate Adolfo Pérez Esquivel joins FAO efforts to fight hunger. The Argentinian activist joins other Nobel awardees in the Alliance for Food Security and Peace. "Hunger is a crime which we must overcome. Humanity is in a position to do it, but doesn't due to political and economic interests." With this blunt message, Adolfo Pérez Esquivel, became a new member of the FAO's Nobel Peace Laureates Alliance for Food Security and Peace. More... 06-06-2018
	Knowledge-sharing and partnerships are key to eradicating poverty and hunger by 2030. Workshop organized by the Government of China, FAO, IFAD and WFP focuses on good practices and enabling policies. Discussions focused on how to best share knowledge and promote partnerships that establish efficient mechanisms in support of Agenda 2030 and the Sustainable Development Goals, in particular, SDG1, No Poverty and SDG2, Zero Hunger. More... 05-06-2018
	FAO Director-General says peace is fundamental in bringing down the number of hungry people. FAO Director-General José Graziano da Silva in an opening address to the organization's executive, the Council, stressed the role of wars and conflict as drivers of global hunger, while lamenting an increase in military spending. "Countries should bear in mind that sustained peace and the end of conflicts are fundamental to bring the numbers of hunger down again. As head of a UN organization, allow me to say that it is indeed very frustrating to see that FAO's regular budget has been flat for the last seven years, while global military expenditure continues to increase," he said. More... 04-06-2018
	FAO hails UN Security Council Resolution on hunger and conflict. Director-General says it stresses need to protect agriculture and local food systems in conflict areas. A United Nations Security Council Resolution on hunger and conflict today won praise from FAO Director-General José Graziano da Silva for underscoring the critical role of safeguarding food production and rural livelihoods even under conditions of extreme violence and instability. More... 24-05-2018
	Bees must be protected for the future of our food. First World Bee Day to be observed on 20 May 2018. On the eve of the first World Bee Day, the UN Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) has urged countries and individuals to do more to protect bees and other pollinators or risk a sharp drop in food diversity. Bees are under great threat from the combined effects of climate change, intensive agriculture, pesticides, biodiversity loss and pollution. More... 19-05-2018
	Europe and Central Asia's quest to achieve Zero Hunger is threatened by poverty and climate change. FAO chief also calls for action to stimulate healthy diets and to curb food loss and waste. Achieving Zero Hunger in Europe and Central Asia requires supporting smallholders and family farmers to reduce poverty and, in the face of climate change, managing natural resources in a sustainable way, FAO Director-General José Graziano da Silva said. More... 16-05-2018
	FAO and ICA sign new partnership in lead up to the UN Decade of Family Farming. Goal is to strengthen support for agricultural cooperatives, promote inclusive growth and responsible investment in agriculture, and the SDGs. The International Co-operative Alliance (ICA) and FAO renewed their partnership today, paving the way for more joint efforts to enable smallholder and small-scale family farmers in the developing world to benefit from a unique and successful business model that combines economic and social goals for inclusive development. More... 14-05-2018
	FAO chief says building rural communities' resilience is crucial in conflict-ridden Near East. Impacts of climate change on the region's limited resources, especially water, also needs to be addressed. Conflict has increased food insecurity in the Near East and to reverse this situation it is crucial to strengthen the resilience of poor, rural communities, including through social protection systems, FAO Director-General José Graziano da Silva said. More... 10-05-2018
	Making forest concessions more transparent, accountable and pro-poor. The Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) launched today the first voluntary guidelines for forest concessions in the tropics to make concessions more transparent, accountable and inclusive - all for the benefit of some of the poorest and most isolated communities in the world. Over 70 percent of forests in the tropics used for harvesting timber and other forest products are state-owned or public; most of the public forests are managed through concessions that governments give to private entities or local communities. More... 09-05-2018
	"Think big" to make global food trade work for nutrition. Institutions designed to boost food availability too often favour unhealthy foods, FAO’s Director-General says. Global trade in food is essential for all countries, but the world's trade and regulation rulebook needs to be rebooted with an eye to bolstering trade in food that is healthy and nutritious rather than simply cheap, FAO Director-General José Graziano da Silva said. More... 08-05-2018
	FAO aid appeal to support Rohingya refugees and host communities in Bangladesh. As vulnerable communities brace for cyclones and monsoon season, the need to protect and restore livelihoods and reduce environmental impacts is critical. The Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) has launched an $8.3 million appeal to support Rohingya refugees and host populations - around 1.2 million people - in Bangladesh, as the onset of the cyclone season and monsoon rains is putting already vulnerable communities at even greater risk. More... 04-05-2018
	Global Migration Group meets to develop common initiatives. FAO and IOM help lead UN effort to support states in crafting a Global Compact on migration. Speaking at the opening of the GMG meeting in London on Wednesday, the two co-chairs of the Group, IOM's Director General, William Lacy Swing and FAO's Director General, José Graziano de Silva, highlighted the importance of the current negotiations of the Global Compact for Safe, Orderly and Regular Migration, and of the Global Compact on Refugees, due to be completed later this year. More... 03-05-2018
	Agroecology can help change the world’s food production for the better. FAO’s first forecasts for the year ahead: Cereals output to ease off record highs. The FAO Food Price Index remained broadly steady in April, averaging 173.5 points for the month, a tiny notch up from March and 2.7 percent higher than in the same month of 2017. Prices of cereals and dairy products continued their recent rising trend, while those of sugar continued their decline. FAO also released its first forecasts for the 2018/19 marketing season, predicting a decline in global cereal output and reserves, both of which have been at or near record highs. More... 03-05-2018
	Agroecology can help change the world’s food production for the better. FAO Director-General José Graziano da Silva called for healthier and more sustainable food systems, and said agroecology can contribute to such a transformation. José Graziano da Silva made the call during his opening remarks at the 2nd International Agroecology Symposium in Rome (3-5 April). More... 03-04-2018
	Food crises continue to strike, and acute hunger intensifies. A new report out today sounds the alarm regarding surging levels of acute hunger. Some 124 million people in 51 countries were affected by acute food insecurity during 2017 — 11 million more people than the year before — according to the latest edition of the Global Report on Food Crises. The report defines acute food insecurity as hunger so severe that it poses an immediate threat to lives or livelihoods. More... 22-03-2018
	Russia to host 2018 FAO Regional Conference for Europe and Central Asia. The city of Voronezh, in southern Russia, will be the venue for the next FAO Regional Conference for Europe, in May 2018. Regional Conferences are held once every two years, in years when the global FAO Conference does not meet in regular session. Participants debate challenges related to food and agriculture – thus promoting regional coherence – and identify priorities for the future work. Подробнее... 13-02-2018
	FAO’s lumpy skin disease (LSD) field manual for veterinarians is now available in six languages to aid in the prevention and control of the cattle disease that has established a large foothold in Europe since 2015. In addition to lumpy skin disease, FAO also has been working to combat the bluetongue disease in the region. At the end of 2017, FAO ran a train-the-trainers programme in the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, reaching out to official and private field veterinarians. More... 06-02-2018
	African swine fever being tackled in Ukraine. With the help of new equipment and training, the Ukrainian pork sector is taking further steps to enhance its monitoring and containment of African swine fever (ASF). In recent years, ASF – a deadly swine disease not transmittable to humans – has put the Ukrainian pork sector at risk, and with it the food security and livelihoods of many within the country. Since 2012, there have been 326 registered outbreaks of the disease. More... 01-02-2018

European System of Cooperative Research Networks in Agriculture (ESCORENA)