News & Highlights Archive

	Global production of wood products posts highest growth in 70 years. The global production and trade of major wood products such as industrial roundwood, sawnwood and wood-based panels have surged to their highest level since the Food and Agriculture Organization began recording forest statistics in 1947. According to the latest data released by FAO today, record volumes of wood-based products were produced and traded around the world in 2018. The value of international trade was 11 percent higher than in 2017. More... 19-12-2019
	FAO welcomes global recognition of fruits, vegetables, tea and food loss and waste. FAO welcomes today's decision by the United Nations to create two new international days and one international year devoted to issues directly related to food and agriculture. The UN General Assembly adopted resolutions designating 2021 as the International Year of Fruits and Vegetables, 21 May as International Tea Day and 29 September as International Day of Awareness of Food Loss and Waste, following requests made by the FAO Conference. More... 19-12-2019
	Low level of hunger but high prevalence of moderate food insecurity, overweight, and obesity in Europe and Central Asia. The Regional Overview of Food Security and Nutrition in Europe and Central Asia 2019, launched today in Moscow, provides specific recommendations for policymakers for targeted interventions on nutrition, inequalities and rural development, and achieving the global goals of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. More... 17-12-2019
	FAO hails Europe’s forest restoration ambitions. FAO Director-General QU Dongyu today hailed the European Union's pledge to achieve climate neutrality by 2050 and praised commitments to protect and restore the world's forests. "We very much welcome the European Green Deal", the Director-General said, noting that the European Commission's blueprint plans involve reducing greenhouse gas emissions, improving biodiversity and making the continent's food systems more sustainable. More... 16-12-2019
	European Union provides ˆ82 million for an FAO-led initiative targeting rural communities in Papua New Guinea. FAO welcomed the European Union's support for a development project in Papua New Guinea that aims to support and strengthen sustainable agricultural chains with emphasis on assuring that rural women and youth are to benefit the most. The five-year ˆ82 million initiative will be implemented as a United Nations Joint programme in partnership with the Government of Papua New Guinea. More... 16-12-2019
	FAO and the Chinese Academy of Fishery Sciences strengthen efforts to build sustainability in fisheries and aquaculture. FAO and the Chinese Academy of Fishery Sciences (CAFS) today agreed to strengthen cooperation and build the capacity and sustainability of fisheries and aquaculture in developing countries. The partnership will advance the transfer of technology and capacity development through the South-South Cooperation and promote joint efforts to advance global sustainable fisheries and aquaculture management, particularly in the Asia-Pacific region. More... 16-12-2019
	Need to harness youth’s potential to achieve to end hunger. Youth face immense challenges, reason why it is imperative to scale up youth-focused initiatives and harness their potential to reach the UN Sustainable Development Goal 2. This was FAO Director-General QU Dongyu's main message at a panel on food security in Africa at the World Youth Forum on Sunday. More... 13-12-2019
	South-South and Triangular Cooperation: a "game changer" for world's most vulnerable, says FAO Director-General. Innovative partnerships, investment and technical exchange through South-South and Triangular Cooperation are critical for countries especially in the global South to address climate change and achieve the UN's Sustainable Development Goals. This was the message from FAO Director-General, QU Dongyu, when he spoke to the High-Level Forum on South-South Cooperation at the 25th Session of the Conference of Parties (COP25) in Madrid on Wednesday. More... 13-12-2019
	Need for transformational change to address food security, agriculture and forestry together. FAO Director-General QU Dongyu today called for a transformational change aimed at addressing food security, agriculture and forestry together - through a holistic approach. "It is possible to reconcile food security, agriculture production and forest conservation," said the FAO chief at a dialogue on "turning the tide on deforestation" on the margins of COP25. More... 13-12-2019
	Greater innovation needed to fight climate change, poverty and hunger. FAO Director-General QU Dongyu called for greater agricultural innovation to tackle the risks of climate change and reach the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). There is a need for innovation not only in science but also in policies, in how we do business and the way we think, said the FAO chief at the opening of SDG 2 - Linking Technological Innovation and Climate Change Actions for a World Free of Hunger, Malnutrition and Poverty event on Thursday, on the margins of COP25. More... 13-12-2019
	Nature-based solutions to climate change must be scaled up across food systems. FAO Director-General QU Dongyu has highlighted the key role of agriculture in offering nature-based solutions to address climate change. He made his remarks on Wednesday at a special event "Accelerating Action on Nature-Based Solutions Together in 2020" on the sidelines of the UN Climate Change Conference COP25. More... 12-12-2019
	FAO Director-General kicks off International Mountain Day. Youth are driving the world's climate agenda and can help on all fronts, including bolstering mountain ecosystems, FAO Director-General QU Dongyu said today in remarks opening International Mountain Day. "Mountains matter for youth, and our future," he said at a high-level event held by the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change during the COP25 climate summit. More... 11-12-2019
	Three million undernourished people in Asia-Pacific need to be lifted out of hunger every single month until the end of 2030 to achieve Sustainable Development Goal. Three million undernourished people in Asia and the Pacific must be lifted out of hunger each month from now on, if the region is to meet the SDG 2 Zero Hunger goal by the end of 2030, says a new report released today by four United Nations agencies. More... 11-12-2019
	Innovative solutions needed in agriculture to respond to climate change. FAO Director-General, QU Dongyu, said today innovation was vital to build resilience and competitiveness in agriculture and to meet the urgent challenges presented by climate change. The Director-General was speaking at the 10th Annual Sustainable Innovation Forum at the COP25 climate summit in Madrid. He said global food systems had to greatly increase productivity and feed a growing population without jeopardizing our natural resources and ecosystems. More... 11-12-2019
	Germany launches ˆ20 million programme with FAO and UNDP to boost the agriculture sectors’ role in addressing climate change. The German Ministry of Environment, Nature Conservation and Nuclear Safety through its International Climate Initiative today announced it is providing ˆ20 million for a new programme co-led by FAO and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), to accelerate climate change action in developing countries' agricultural and land use sectors. More... 11-12-2019
	Pulses take the stage in flagship partnershipn. FAO and the Global Pulse Confederation (GPC) today agreed on a three-year partnership to promote cultivation of foods such as lentils, dry beans, dry peas and chickpeas and to advocate for their high nutritional values. The agreement "provides a framework for the FAO and the GPC to demonstrate leadership in the development of the global pulse sector", said Cindy Brown, Board President of the Global Pulse Confederation. More... 10-12-2019
	FAO and INCATEMA team up to support small island developing nations in the Caribbean. FAO and INCATEMA today agreed to support Small Island Developing States (SIDS) in the Caribbean to scale up their use of renewable energy sources in agriculture and food systems. The new partnership will strengthen small island nations' efforts to grow more food, avoid food loss and waste, use already scarce natural resources more sustainably, and be better equipped to withstand the impacts of climate change to which they are particularly prone. More... 10-12-2019
	FAO Council approves structural changes including new offices to support least developed countries. FAO Director-General Qu Dongyu today praised Member countries and thanked them for their endorsement of his proposals to forge FAO into a more transparent and efficient organization that can play a better and more dynamic role in global efforts to achieve the UN Sustainable Development Goals. More... 06-12-2019
	FAO offers novel assessment of trees and forests in the world’s drylands. More than a quarter of the world's forest area is located in drylands, and trees are present on almost a third of the world's dryland regions, according to Trees, forests and land use in drylands: The first global assessment, launched by FAO today at the High-Level Meeting on Forests at the U.N. COP25 climate summit. The results "demonstrate that drylands are not wastelands, but productive landscapes with considerable economic potential and environmental value." More... 05-12-2019
	World food prices jump in November. World food prices rose significantly in November, reaching their highest point in more than two years, driven by jumps in the international prices of meat products and vegetable oils. The FAO Food Price Index, which tracks monthly changes in the international prices of commonly-traded food commodities, averaged 177.2 points over the month, up 2.7 percent from October and 9.5 percent from the same period a year earlier. More... 05-12-2019
	Hand-in-Hand Initiative creates a new business model for partners to work together to end poverty and hunger. FAO Director-General Qu Dongyu today pointed to the UN agency's new Hand-in-Hand Initiative as an innovative business model and a unique opportunity through which partners across the public, private and other sectors can work together to end poverty and hunger and build prosperity in developing countries. More... 04-12-2019
	FAO scales up fight against Fall Armyworm. FAO launched today a three-year Global Action for Fall Armyworm Control to scale up efforts to curb the growing spread of the invasive pest which is causing serious damage to food production and affecting millions of farmers across the world. Fall Armyworm (FAW), a crop pest native to the Americas, has rapidly spread through Africa, and to the Near East and Asia in the past four years. More... 04-12-2019
	FAO and Centro Agroalimentare Roma to promote the sale of local fresh fruits and vegetables on FAO premises. FAO is partnering with the Rome-based Centro Agroalimentare Roma (CAR) by providing a marketplace for regionally sourced fresh fruits and vegetables on the premises of the UN agency. More... 04-12-2019
	FAO to open Partnership and Liaison Office in Kuwait. FAO and the Government of Kuwait have agreed that the UN agency will open a Partnership and Liaison Office in the country in order to step up joint efforts to end hunger and poverty, boost nutrition and promote sustainable agriculture in the Near East region. More... 04-12-2019
	FAO Director-General introduces innovation agenda to Council. FAO Director-General Qu Dongyu vowed today to boost transparency across the Organization and proposed new institutional structures to achieve stronger results in two key focus areas - innovation and the interests of vulnerable people in Small Island Developing States, Least Developed Countries and Landlocked Developing Countries. More... 02-12-2019
	FAO launches 2020 as the UN’s International Year of Plant Health. The Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) today launched the United Nations’ International Year of Plant Health (IYPH) for 2020, which aims to raise global awareness on how protecting plant health can help end hunger, reduce poverty, protect the environment, and boost economic development. Plants make up 80 percent of the food we eat, and produce 98 percent of the oxygen we breathe. Yet, they are under constant and increasing threat from pests and diseases. More... 02-12-2019
	Spain’s Horta of Valencia wins recognition on FAO’s global agricultural heritage list. A 1,200-year-old farming and fishing site known as the “Horta” (garden) of Valencia has been recognized on the register of Globally Important Agricultural Heritage Systems (GIAHS), managed by the UN Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO). More... 27-11-2019
	Putting Mediterranean and other traditional diets back on the consumer’s plate. Promoting traditional healthy diets is important for advancing our efforts towards a food system that respects the environment, culture and well-being of people, which is a fundamental element of sustainable development. That was the main message at an event today organized by the Government of Italy with support from FAO aimed at deepening understanding of the Mediterranean and other traditional diets from around the world and their nutritional benefits, as well as raising awareness on how they can help achieve progress towards the Sustainable Development Goals. More... 27-11-2019
	Celebrating South-South Cooperation, innovative partnerships for tackling food insecurity and poverty. Through South-South Cooperation, countries across the global South are successfully exchanging technical expertise and building innovative partnerships, which if strengthened, can continue to play a crucial role in the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals. This was the message at the opening today of a three-day event in Kampala, Uganda, marking the 10th Anniversary of the FAO-China South-South Cooperation Programme and Triangular Cooperation. More... 25-11-2019
	Partnerships with the private sector are vital for boosting global food production and nutrition levels. FAO Director-General, Qu Dongyu, said today partnerships with the private sectors are vital for raising production and nutrition levels for the world's most vulnerable people who are poor or undernourished. The Director-General was addressing the Second Philanthropy Summit for Sustainable Development in Beijing where he also welcomed a CNY100 million ($15 million) donation to FAO from the Ningxia Yanbao Charity Foundation. The donation will be used to establish a joint FAO-Yanbao fund to support talent in agriculture and, in particular, facilitate research to achieve food security and nutrition. More... 23-11-2019
	Ensuring fishers’ safety while sustainably managing the world’s aquatic resources. The fisheries sector is making an increasingly important contribution to food security and livelihoods, however more needs to be done to improve working conditions which remain dangerous for many people, FAO Deputy Director-General for Climate and Natural Resources, Maria Helena Semedo, said today. Semedo was speaking at a World Fisheries Day 2019 special event jointly organized by FAO, the Vatican and the International Labour Organization (ILO) in Rome. The event was held on the closing day of the International Symposium on Fisheries Sustainability organized by FAO this week. More... 21-11-2019
	New global atlas on using advanced technology to monitor fishing activity. A new global atlas - the first-ever of its kind - analyses the opportunities and challenges of using Automatic Identification Systems (AIS) to monitor fishing activity around the globe. AIS is a tracking technology designed for navigation safety that transmits a ship's location, identity, course and speed. By using machine-learning algorithms, AIS information allows us to identify vessel's activity at sea. The number of fishing vessels with AIS is increasing by 10 to 30 percent each year, making this technology more and more informative with time. More... 19-11-2019
	Increased support for Afghan farmers hit by conflict and natural disasters. The Afghanistan Humanitarian Fund (AHF) has contributed $9.5 million to an FAO-led project that aims to boost the resilience of farmers affected by conflict and natural disasters in 16 of Afghanistan's most food insecure provinces, the two partners announced today. Over 10 million people in Afghanistan are now coping with severe acute food insecurity and in need of urgent humanitarian support, according to a report issued last week by the Integrated Food Security Phase Classification initiative (IPC). More... 19-11-2019
	FAO and Italy’s National Research Council strengthen iMarine ties. FAO and Italy's National Research Council (CNR) have agreed to intensify their collaboration in iMarine, a cloud-based community platform powered by the D4 Science Infrastructure to help improve fisheries management. The agreement assures that FAO's extensive knowledge of fisheries and aquaculture will be further integrated in the iMarine's portal and can be used in data research and development projects. More... 18-11-2019
	New tool to help local crop varieties flourish. Fisheries are facing an important crossroad and the world needs a new vision for fisheries in the 21st century. This was FAO-Director General Qu Dongyu's main message today at the opening of the UN agency's International Symposium on Fisheries Sustainability (18-21 November). With the world's population to rise to nearly 10 billion by 2050, land alone will not feed us - we also need aquatic food production. But we need to do so without compromising the health of oceans and rivers, and while improving the social conditions of those dependent on fisheries - often the poorest in society, stressed the FAO Director-General. More... 18-11-2019
	New tool to help local crop varieties flourish. The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations today published new guidelines aimed at assuring crop diversity and farmers' resilience to plant genetic resource loss. The Voluntary Guidelines for the Conservation and Sustainable Use of Farmers Varieties/Landraces are a valuable aid to countries in developing national plans to conserve these critical crop resources. More... 14-11-2019
	Green Climate Fund approves programmes to fight climate change in Chile, Kyrgyzstan and Nepal. The Board of the Green Climate Fund (GCF) today approved $161 million in funding to support climate resilient projects in Chile, Kyrgyzstan and Nepal benefitting 1.5 million people. The United Nations' Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) has been supporting the formulation of the projects that will build resilience and mitigate the effects of climate change in the three countries. More... 13-11-2019
	United Nations calls for urgent action to curb the rise in hunger and obesity in Latin America and the Caribbean. The prevalence of adult obesity in Latin America and the Caribbean has tripled since 1975, affecting one in four adults in a region where hunger has grown once again, reaching 42.5 million people, according to a new United Nations report issued today, the Panorama of Food and Nutritional Security 2019. More... 12-11-2019
	FAO and Russian Geographical Society step up efforts to facilitate technical expertise and knowledge exchange. FAO and Russia's non-governmental organization "Russian Geographical Society" (RGS) are stepping up efforts to facilitate technical expertise and knowledge exchange in the field of forestry, conservation of biodiversity and natural resources, climate change and other areas of mutual interest. Agreements covering the use of volunteers and fellows for a three-year period were signed by FAO Deputy Director-General for Programmes Daniel Gustafson and RGS's First Deputy Executive Director Ilya Gurov at the FAO headquarters in Rome. More... 12-11-2019
	Innovation needed to end food loss and global hunger. FAO Director-General Qu Dongyu said today raising awareness, greater innovation - including digital technologies - and investment were needed to reduce food waste and eliminate global hunger. The Director-General gave the keynote speech to the Vatican's Conference on Food Loss and Waste Reduction hosted by the Pontifical Academy of Sciences in Rome. Pope Francis has described food waste as scandalous and called for urgent economic and social initiatives to end hunger. More... 11-11-2019
	Global treaty critical for saving disappearing plants amid climate change.As a public good that benefits the global community, crop diversity must remain a legacy for generations to come, FAO's Deputy Director-General for Climate and Natural Resources, Maria Helena Semedo, said today. Semedo made the remarks at the eighth session of the Governing Body of the International Treaty on Plant Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture (GB-8) at FAO's headquarters in Rome. She noted that the Treaty has created the largest global genepool, which has been accessed 5.4 million times by farmers, scientists and plant breeders. More... 11-11-2019
	Helping countries better monitor and report on forest and land-use under the Paris Climate Agreement. FAO today launched a new $7.1 million project supported by the Global Environment Facility (GEF) to make forest data more accessible, transparent and available, and, in particular, help developing countries to meet the Paris Climate Agreement's enhanced transparency requirements. Efficient monitoring of and reporting on forests and land-use change is essential for tracking progress towards the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and as countries adopt climate change-mitigation and adaptation measures. More... 11-11-2019
	FAO sees cereal boom, protein pinch and banana risks. World meat production is expected to decline in 2019 for the first time in more than two decades, as the African Swine Fever outbreak in China decimates pig herds, according to the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations. Production of bovine, ovine, poultry and pig meats is forecast to total 335 million tonnes in carcass weight equivalent, 1.0 percent lower than the previous year, according to the Food Outlook published today. More... 07-11-2019
	October rise for global food prices. Global food prices rose in October for the first time in five months, as international quotations for sugar and key cereals increased significantly, according to the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO). The FAO Food Price Index, averaged 172.7 points in October, some 1.7 percent higher than the previous month and 6.0 percent higher than during October 2018. More... 07-11-2019
	Global cooperation and climate friendly technologies are key to tackling global food loss and waste. FAO Director-General Qu Dongyu said today international co-operation and innovative, climate friendly technologies were critical to address global food loss and waste which totals more than 1.3 billion tonnes a year. The Director-General was addressing the High-Level Segment of the 31st Meeting of the Parties to the Montreal Protocol on Substances that Deplete the Ozone Layer, held at FAO headquarters in Rome. More... 07-11-2019
	Empowering farmers through innovation is key for sustainable development. It is fundamental to support smallholder and family farmers by enhancing their access to innovation for sustainable food systems and to foster sustainable development, FAO Director-General Qu Dongyu said today. The FAO Director-General also highlighted the need to promote new business models to make innovation accessible to millions of farmers, citing as an example FAO's new Hand-in Hand Initiative. Through "matchmaking" the initiative aims to support development efforts in the Least Developed Countries, Landlocked Developing Countries, Small Island Developing States, many of which are affected by food crises. More... 06-11-2019
	FAO and the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation strengthen partnership on food security and sustainable development. FAO and the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation today agreed to boost joint efforts aimed at providing food security and sustainable development for present and future generations, in the context of the 2030 Agenda and the Sustainable Development Goals. The Memorandum of Understanding was signed on the sidelines of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation's 18th meeting of the Heads of Government Council in Tashkent, Uzbekistan, by Vladimir Rakhmanin FAO Assistant Director-General and Regional Representative for Europe and Central Asia and Vladimir Norov, Secretary-General of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation. More... 02-11-2019
	As climate shocks intensify, UN food agencies urge more support for Southern Africa’s hungry people. A record 45 million people across the 16-nation Southern African Development Community (SADC) will be severely food insecure in the next six months, United Nations food agencies have warned. The FAO, the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) and the World Food Programme (WFP) are calling for urgent funding to avert a major hunger crisis and for the international community to step up investment in long-term measures to combat the impact of climate shocks and build the capacity of communities and countries to withstand them. More... 31-10-2019
	More money and brains needed for ocean sustainability. Serious investments in ocean sustainability will raise the amount of fish to feed the poor, helping drive progress towards the eradication of hunger which is the lynchpin for achieving the other Sustainable Development Goals, FAO Director-General Qu Dongyu said today. "Ocean protection will only succeed if we spend financial and brain power in developing sustainable solutions," Qu said in a keynote address at the Our Ocean Conference in Oslo. More... 23-10-2019
	EU provides ˆ40 million to boost sustainable fisheries and aquaculture in Africa, the Caribbean and the Pacific. The EU, the African, Caribbean and Pacific Group of States (ACP) and the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) signed a ˆ40 million, five-year programme (FISH4ACP) to boost the development of sustainable fisheries and aquaculture in Africa, the Caribbean and the Pacific. FISH4ACP is an innovative EU-funded programme, devised with ACP and to be implemented by FAO. It will invest in value chains to stimulate inclusive growth, bolster food security and minimise impacts on the marine environment. More... 23-10-2019
	FAO and World Union of Wholesale Markets team up to combat food loss and waste. FAO and the World Union of Wholesale Markets (WUWM) have agreed to renew and strengthen their partnership with an eye to globally reducing food loss and waste and assure supplies of healthy and fresh food in an increasingly urbanized world. The new three-year pact which was signed on 17 October 2019, establishes a framework for supporting FAO's initiatives and programmes for food loss and waste reduction as well improving food markets and distribution systems. More... 22-10-2019
	FAO Director-General hails inclusive approach of Committee on World Food Security. The 46th session of the CFS appointed a new chair, Thanawat Tiensin, a trained veterinarian and livestock expert who has been serving as the Permanent Representative of the Kingdom of Thailand to the Rome-based U.N. agencies. Tiensin replaces Mario Arvelo, who presided over this week's agenda. More... 18-10-2019
	FAO and the Netherland's FMO partner to improve agriculture financing in developing countries. The FAO and FMO, the Dutch Entrepreneurial Development Bank today launched a formal partnership which aims to increase investments in favor of small and medium enterprises (SMEs) and small-scale producers operating within the agribusiness sector in developing countries. According to the Memorandum of Understanding, over the next two years, FAO and FMO will work with members of farmers' organizations, staff of SMEs and rural microfinance institutions to improve agri-business management skills, sustainable agro-ecological and processing practices and food loss-reduction techniques. More... 18-10-2019
	FAO and Danone team up to foster sustainable diets and food systems. The UN agency and the global food and beverage company have a shared understanding of the need to scale up sustainable food and agricultural practices, and to provide people with access to more diverse and healthier foods. Sharing data and knowledge on this, specifically on nutrition, food safety and responsible investments in agriculture, will help advance efforts to reach Sustainable Development Goal 2 - Zero Hunger. More... 17-10-2019
	World Food Day sees call for bolder action to make healthy and sustainable diets available to all. At the global World Food Day ceremony today speakers called for bolder and faster action across sectors to make healthy and sustainable diets available and affordable for all. This year's World Food Day - with the theme "Our actions are our future. Healthy diets for a #ZeroHunger world" - takes place in the context of rising global hunger but also increasing overweight and obesity. FAO and its partners believe that affordable solutions to reduce all forms of malnutrition exist, but they require greater global commitment and action. More... 16-10-2019
	Opening ceremony of the 46th Session of the Committee on World Food Security. Innovative collaboration and actions are needed to reverse rising food insecurity rates and resume progress towards the eradication of hunger by 2030, Director-General Qu Dongyu told delegates gathered at FAO today in the opening of 46th session of the Committee on World Food Security (CFS). "We have a huge challenge ahead of us," he said. "We can achieve this if we work together hand in hand." Recent trends indicate that efforts to eradicate hunger by 2030 are "coming up short," Qu said. "We must come up with new ideas and take bolder action," he said. More... 14-10-2019
	EU provides extra ˆ9 million to support FAO's work promoting nature-friendly agricultural practices in Africa, the Caribbean and the Pacific. European Commissioner for International Cooperation and Development, Neven Mimica, and Director-General of the UN Food and Agriculture Organization, Qu Dongyu, today signed a new agreement which will see the EU provide an additional ˆ9 million to support the UN agency's work in Africa, the Caribbean and the Pacific. In particular, the funding will boost the efforts of countries in the targeted regions to bring about sustainable changes in agricultural policies and practices to conserve and sustainably use biodiversity and natural resources. More... 14-10-2019
	A major step forward in reducing food loss and waste is critical to achieve the SDGs. A new FAO report launched today by the UN Food and Agriculture Organization provides insights into how much food is lost - as well as where and why - at different stages of the food supply chain, calls for informed decisions for an effective reduction and offers new ways to measure progress. According to the State of Food and Agriculture 2019, globally around 14 percent of the world's food is lost after harvesting and before reaching the retail level, including through on-farm activities, storage and transportation. More... 14-10-2019
	FAO hails partnership potential with civil society. Partnerships at multiple levels are critical to achieving a world without hunger, FAO Director-General Qu Dongyu said Saturday at a meeting with leading exponents of civil society and indigenous peoples representing small scale food producers and family farmers. "We need all of civil society to play an active role", the Director-General said in wide-ranging remarks underscoring the need to improve global food systems. "FAO is here to help you." More... 12-10-2019
	Norway, FAO will boost transparency and accessibility of global forest information. Information on the world's forests will be more transparent and easy-to-use than ever in the coming years, thanks to the new cooperation between FAO and the Government of Norway, which aims to improve global statistics on forest resources and their changes. A three-year project will enable FAO to organize a number of capacity development events that focus on improved reporting on forest resources as well as hands-on training of developing country participants on using satellite remote sensing to collect data that can be used to produce new and independent global and regional estimates of forest area, biomass, carbon stocks and their changes following an internationally agreed methodology. More... 11-10-2019
	Feeding people and protecting our planet should go hand in hand. Green agriculture has a vast potential to transform the agricultural sector in a way that enables access for everyone to nutritious food and at the same time ensures conservation of crucial natural resources, FAO Director-General Qu Dongyu said today. Qu delivered his remarks at the high-profile International Agro-Industrial Forum on the sidelines of the 21st "Golden Autumn - 2019" Exhibition in Moscow. More... 09-10-2019
	Cotton sustainability is key for rural development. Managing trade policy and climate risks are critical to supporting the more than 25 million farmers who grow cotton, experts gathered here emphasized. "Cotton represents so much more than just a commodity: It is a culture, a way of life, and a tradition that finds its roots at the heart of human civilization," said FAO Director-General Qu Dongyu at a World Cotton Day event held on Monday at the World Trade Organization's headquarters here. More... 08-10-2019
	FAO and partners intensify efforts to help countries combat banana disease threat. The FAO has launched an emergency project under its Technical Cooperation Programme to help countries in Latin America and the Caribbean fight the spread of Fusarium wilt. The disease affects the production of many varieties of plantains and bananas, including Cavendish, one of the globally most popular varieties in the market. TR4 damages the roots and stems of the plant and, while not harmful to human health, can lead to 100 percent yield losses, making it a major concern for countries and communities where banana production is a critical source of food, household income, and export revenues. More... 03-10-2019
	FAO Food Price Index holds steady. Global food prices were steady in September, as lower sugar prices were offset by increased quotations for vegetable oils and meat. The FAO Food Price Index, which tracks monthly changes in the international prices of commonly-traded food commodities, averaged 170 points in September, virtually unchanged from August and 3.3 percent higher than in the same month in 2018. More... 03-10-2019
	Activist from Burundi receives top forestry award. Burundian forestry activist Leonidas Nzigiyimpa was awarded the 2019 Wangari Maathai ‘Forest Champions' Award in recognition of his passionate commitment and outstanding contribution to improving forests and the lives of indigenous peoples, women and youth in his country. The award ceremony took place on Monday on the sidelines of the 25th World Congress of the International Union of Forest Research Organizations (IUFRO). More... 01-10-2019
	Healthy foods are clear priority for Small Island Developing States. Food security and nutrition must be a priority in Small Island Developing States (SIDS), which can count on FAO's support in taking "better coordinated and more coherent actions" towards that goal, Director-General Qu Dongyu said on Friday. Climate change, vulnerability, resilience, disaster risk reduction, isolation, insufficient land resources and dietary changes that favour obesity, are all particular challenges for SIDS, he said at a high-level meeting to review progress along the "SAMOA Pathway", which stands for a broader SIDS Accelerated Modalities of Action framework. More... 27-09-2019
	FAO, UN Environment deepen their partnership. The Memorandum of Understanding, which replenishes a formal collaboration the two UN agencies began in 1977, was signed by FAO Director-General Qu Dongyu and UNEP Executive Director Inger Andersen. The agreement outlines a plan to capitalize on an already-strong relationship and notes cooperation will focus on themes such as sustainable food systems, ecosystem services and biodiversity in agriculture, forestry and fisheries, data and statistics, and international legal instruments, legislation and regulatory matters. More... 27-09-2019
	Mobilizing technologies, innovations, knowledge and expertise to reshape food systems. Establishing a new business model based on science, data, transparency and accountability and conducive to strong partnerships with the private sector is a major focus for FAO, the Organization's Director-General Qu Dongyu today told private sector representatives at a meeting on the margins of the 74th session of the UN General Assembly. "The world needs a strong, efficient and dynamic FAO. And FAO needs strong reliable partnerships with you," said the FAO chief. More... 26-09-2019
	FAO, UNDP renew partnership to better deliver on the 2030 Agenda. The United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) and the UN Development Programme (UNDP) have signed a new Memorandum of Understanding to strengthen their partnership towards achieving the Sustainable Development Goals. The agreement renews a long-standing formal collaboration between the two UN agencies and was signed today in New York by FAO Director-General Qu Dongyu and UNDP Administrator Achim Steiner on the sidelines of the 74th UN General Assembly. More... 26-09-2019
	New FAO Hand-in-Hand Initiative to maximize partnerships for greater impacts. Having Member States’ support and buy-in is paramount to FAO successfully rolling out new initiatives, such as the new Hand-in-Hand Initiative, to help accelerate achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals - especially ending poverty and hunger - and not leaving anyone behind. The Hand-in-Hand Initiative, presented at the event, aims to enable “matchmaking” – bringing countries with the highest poverty and hunger rates together with developed countries – to support development efforts in the Least Developed Landlocked Countries, Least Developed Small Island Developing States, and countries affected by food crises. More... 26-09-2019
	Food systems and tropical agriculture are SDG hotspots. Transforming food and nutrition systems is central to achieving the 2030 Agenda, FAO Director-General Qu Dongyu said today at a Leaders' Dialogue on the Sustainable Development Goals as part of the 74th UN General Assembly. The Global Sustainable Development Report released earlier this month identified food systems and nutrition patterns as one of six "entry points" for achieving structural transformation at the necessary scale and speed. More... 25-09-2019
	New pathway for food systems development. Food systems are huge economic, social and environmental drivers of transformational change, FAO Director-General Qu Dongyusaid today. Turning them into accelerators of progress on the SDGs is essential to achieving several core objectives of the 2030 Agenda, including ending extreme poverty, addressing hunger an all forms of malnutrition, protecting and restoring the world's biodiversity and natural resources, and combatting and building resilience to climate change. More... 25-09-2019
	The food industry needs to do more to support healthy foods. The UN Food and Agriculture Organization’s Director-General Qu Dongyu has called for the food industry to do more to support healthy foods, and to reduce food loss and waste throughout the cycle of food systems from farm to fork. Qu also pointed to the need to ensure that at the production level, farmers are equipped with the tools, the knowledge and the capacity to improve agricultural output. More... 24-09-2019
	Netherlands donates $28 million to build more resilient food systems in protracted crises. The Kingdom of the Netherlands has contributed $28 million to back FAO's work to boost the resilience of food systems in Somalia, Sudan, and South Sudan - part of a new initiative to scale-up resilience-based development work in countries affected by protracted crises. The funding agreement was signed on Monday by the Minister for Foreign Trade and Development Cooperation of the Netherlands, Sigrid A.M. Kaag, and FAO Director-General Qu Dongyu on the side-lines of the United Nations General Assembly in New York (17-30 September). More... 24-09-2019
	Planet satellites bolster FAO’s geospatial toolkit. Putting the world's eyes in the skies to work to improve human lives and combat climate change is now easier thanks to an overhaul of the FAO' innovative geospatial monitoring system. A new version of SEPAL - System for Earth Observation Data Access, Processing and Analysis for Land Monitoring - has been developed that enables advanced forest monitoring from mobile phones. It also provides access to high-resolution data updated daily by a fleet of more than 190 satellites run by Planet, an integrated aerospace and data analytics company. More... 23-09-2019
	FAO’s leader calls for collaboration to “break the cycle” in the Sahel. Tackling the challenges in the Sahel will require a "common, coordinated and coherent response" to provide people living in the desert region with viable livelihoods and establish resilient agrifood systems, FAO Director-General Qu Dongyu said today. He noted how since 2005, the Sahel region has been hit by repeated crises, each leaving the most vulnerable more exposed. As a result, almost 4 million people were at risk of acute food insecurity in the Sahel this year, while youth unemployment remains persistently high in the region, too. More... 22-09-2019
	Agriculture holds the key to offering nature-based solutions. Agriculture has a crucial role in providing sustainable solutions to many of today's most urgent environmental issues, provided we change the way we farm, fish and herd livestock, FAO Director-General Qu Dongyu said today. He pointed to the crucial role that youth must play in transforming the agricultural sectors, recalling his participation the day before in an event on the sidelines of the Youth Climate Summit where he launched a new FAO publication: "Youth in motion for climate action! A compilation of youth initiatives in agriculture to address the impacts of climate change". More... 22-09-2019
	A Great Green Wall for Cities. The UN Food and Agriculture Organization's Director-General Qu Dongyu today announced the Great Green Wall for Cities initiative that aims to support nature-based solutions to climate change. The Director-General made the announcement on the eve of this week's Climate Action Summit in New York at a Summit side event. Qu outlined how the Great Green Wall for Cities builds on the progress made under the Great Green Wall of Africa and the Sahel project and would see the creation of urban green areas that are integrated into wider landscape restoration activities. More... 21-09-2019
	FAO report cites 41 countries needing external assistance for food. Some 41 countries continue to be in need of external assistance for food, with conflicts acting as the primary cause of high levels of food insecurity and adverse weather conditions - particularly rainfall shortages in Africa - acutely affecting food availability and access for millions of people, a quarterly report by the United Nations says. The countries on the list, which include 31 in Africa, remained unchanged over the last six months, according to the Crop Prospects and Food Situation report issued today by the Food and Agriculture Organization. More... 19-09-2019
	Italy and FAO advance awareness on the benefits of Mediterranean diet. Access for all to healthy diets such as the Mediterranean diet is critical for achieving the Agenda 2030, and such diets must be protected and promoted. That was the main message at an event today organized by the Government of Italy with support from FAO aimed at deepening understanding of the Mediterranean diet and raising awareness on how it can help achieve the Sustainable Development Goals. More... 18-09-2019
	United Arab Emirates and FAO team up to boost resilience in Liberia. The United Arab Emirates have agreed to provide $4 million in funding to foster rural development in Liberia in partnership with FAO. The contribution, agreed earlier this week, comes from the UAE's Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, and aims to support 1 500 rural women in three counties with improved and sustainable poultry and vegetable production. More... 06-09-2019
	World food prices dip in August. Global food prices declined in August, driven by sharp falls in the prices of staple cereals and sugar, according to a report issued today by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations. The FAO Food Price Index, which tracks monthly changes in the international prices of commonly traded food commodities, averaged 169.8 points in August 2019, down 1.1 percent from July while still up 1.1 percent from its August 2018 level. More... 05-09-2019
	Rains improve harvests in Syria but families still struggle to survive. Favourable rains in Syria's agricultural areas, coupled with improved overall security, have boosted harvests compared to last year, but higher food prices are putting more strain on many Syrians, a new United Nations report has found. Wheat production is estimated at 2.2 million metric tonnes, compared to last year's 29-year low of 1.2 million tonnes, but is still far below the pre-crisis average of 4.1 million tonnes (2002-2011), according to the latest Crop and Food Security Assessment Mission (CFSAM) report, produced jointly by the FAO and the World Food Programme (WFP). More... 05-09-2019
	Mechanization powers the way to Africa’s sustainable development. Agriculture is crucial to Africa's development but needs increased mechanization to boost economic productivity, reduce harvest and post-harvest losses and meet growing demand for food. This is one of the messages that has emerged during the seventh Tokyo International Conference on African Development (TICAD7) held in Yokohama, Japan. At a TICAD7 side-event hosted by the Coalition for African Rice Development (CARD), a framework for sustainable agricultural mechanization in Africa was presented by the African Union Commission (AUC) and the Food and FAO. More... 30-08-2019
	Syrian women food producers learn new skills from Italian farmers. Slow Food and the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) are organizing a study tour this week in northwest Italy for a group of Syrian small-scale women farmers. The two organizations have teamed up to enhance the skills of small-scale women food producers from Syria - all with the aim of supporting crisis-affected communities to regain or boost their livelihoods, and reviving the country's agriculture sector. More... 27-08-2019
	African countries can benefit more from Japan’s knowledge and culture of healthy foods and diets. In their fight to end hunger and improve nutrition, African countries have the opportunity to tap into Japan's knowledge of smart technologies, agricultural machinery and marketing, as well as from the East Asian nation's high food safety and nutrition standards, and culture of healthy foods and diets, said FAO Director-General Qu Dongyu today. More... 27-08-2019
	FAO highlights the great potential of genetic improvements in aquaculture for better food security. Wider, appropriate and long-term application of genetic improvement in aquaculture, with a focus on selective breeding, will help boost food production to meet a projected increase in demand for fish and fish products with relatively little extra feed, land, water and other inputs, according to a new FAO report launched today. The State of the World's Aquatic Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture reviews our use of aquatic genetic resources both in capture fisheries and in aquaculture, in areas under national jurisdiction. More... 23-08-2019
	Condolences for former Director-General Jacques Diouf. Diouf has passed away at the age of 81. The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) expresses condolences to the family of former Director-General Jacques Diouf who passed away. Diouf began his first term at the helm of FAO in January 1994 and held the position until December 2011. He was an untiring advocate in the fight against poverty, hunger and malnutrition. More... 18-08-2019
	One year on, close to 5 million pigs lost to Asia’s swine fever outbreak. Almost 5 million pigs in Asia have now died or been culled because of the spread of African swine fever (ASF), a contagious viral disease that affects domestic and wild pigs and that was first detected in Asia one year ago this month. While not dangerous to humans, the disease causes up to 100% fatality in pigs, leading to severe economic losses to the pig sector. More... 09-08-2019
	We need better stewardship of our land to tackle climate change, safeguard food security and conserve biodiversity. FAO welcomes the IPCC special report released today, which gives a comprehensive and stark account on the damages being done to our planet, highlighting how unsustainable agricultural practices can turn land from an ally into a foe when it comes to climate change, and putting forward workable solutions to reduce or reverse these negative trends. More... 08-08-2019
	Greater resilience needed for African food security in the face of climate change. Resilience must be boosted in Africa in response to climate change, according to participants at the high-level Africa Food Security Leadership Dialogue hosted by the Government of Rwanda in Kigali (5-6 August), in partnership with the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, the African Union Commission, the African Development Bank, the International Fund for Agricultural Development and the World Bank. More... 06-08-2019
	Kuwait supports efforts to reduce hunger in Syria. Kuwait and the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) have strengthened their partnership to help Syrian farmers and herders recover and boost their food security and nutrition - all thanks to a $3 million contribution from Kuwait to benefit some 20,000 highly vulnerable people and their extended families. More... 06-08-2019
	Italy and FAO confirm strategic partnership, including joint efforts to eradicate hunger and malnutrition. FAO's special relationship with Italy, the UN agency's host country, and joint efforts to achieve the Sustainable Development goals, topped the agenda during talks today between Italian Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte and FAO Director-General Qu Dongyu. Qu, who took office as the UN agency's chief just last week (1 August), met Conte at the Italian Prime Minister's office, Palazzo Chigi. More... 05-08-2019
	Qu Dongyu takes up post as FAO chief. Qu Dongyu marked his first day in office as Director-General of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations by outlining some of his priorities, including stepping up global efforts to achieve Zero Hunger and spearheading initiatives that focus on making agriculture more sustainable. "Let's work together, learn together and contribute together for the benefit of our (FAO's) member countries," he told FAO staff. More... 01-08-2019
	World food prices slide marginally in July. Global food commodity prices saw a slight decline in July, led by lower prices for some cereals, dairy and sugar, more than offsetting firmer prices for meat and oils. The FAO's Food Price Index (FPI) - a trade-weighted index that measures prices of five major food commodities on international markets - averaged 170.9 points in July 2019, slipping 1.1 percent below its level in June but up 2.3 percent from a year earlier. More... 01-08-2019
	FAO Director-General Graziano da Silva hands over helm to Qu Dongyu with call to improve access to quality food for all. Social protection programmes and public policies are fundamental to reducing hunger, and the quality of our food - both produced and consumed - must be improved, FAO's Director-General Jose Graziano da Silva said today at a handover ceremony marking his last day at the UN agency's helm. Qu Dongyu from China will take office on 1 August 2019. His term will run until 31 July 2023. More... 31-07-2019
	FAO Director-General calls for strong measures to combat global obesity pandemic. FAO Director-General Jose Graziano da Silva today made his strongest appeal yet for tougher measures to combat the global obesity pandemic, urging the use of concrete fiscal and legal policies to promote healthier diets. "It's unbelievable, but it's difficult to find and buy healthy food in our cities today," Graziano da Silva said, adding that there are numerous policy tools to improve the accessibility and affordability of healthier diets. More... 26-07-2019
	FAO warns of Desert Locust outbreaks in Yemen and the Horn of Africa. Desert Locust summer breeding, amplified by heavy rains, can pose a serious threat to agricultural production areas of Yemen, Sudan, Eritrea and parts of Ethiopia and northern Somalia during the next three months, FAO warned today. This could result in potentially adverse impacts on the agricultural seasonal yields and local economies affecting food security and livelihoods of the populations in the countries concerned. More... 25-07-2019
	FAO Director-General meets Queen Letizia of Spain. FAO Director-General Jose Graziano da Silva met Queen Letizia of Spain to discuss joint collaboration in her role as FAO's Special Ambassador for Nutrition. They discussed the latest data released in the State of Food Security and Nutrition in the World report, which warns that more than 820 million people continue to suffer from hunger in the world while overweight and obesity continue to increase in all regions. More... 23-07-2019
	FAO Director-General inaugurates the World Sustainable Urban Food Centre (CEMAS). FAO Director-General Jose Graziano da Silva urged cities around the world today to redouble their efforts to promote healthier and more sustainable urban diets and food systems to tackle the increasing levels of overweight and obesity. "There are already more obese people than hungry people in the world. People are increasingly eating badly, and the main reason is that current food systems encourage the consumption of ultra-processed foods, which are high in salt, sugar, saturated fats and artificial ingredients,” he said, warning of the rising “pandemic” of obesity in the five continents. More... 22-07-2019
	The world is off-track to meet most food and agriculture-related Sustainable Development Goals. The world is off-track to meet most of the Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) targets linked to hunger, food security and nutrition, according to a FAO report released today. "The report paints a grim picture. Four years into the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, regression is the norm when it comes to ending hunger and rendering agriculture and the management of natural resources - be that on land or in our oceans - sustainable," said Pietro Gennari, FAO Chief Statistician. More... 18-07-2019
	FAO and the Community of Portuguese Language Countries launch new Training Centre for Sustainable Family Farming. FAO and the Community of Portuguese Language Countries (CPLP) have joined forces to boost food and nutrition security in their territories through strengthened sustainable family farming and agroecology development. The FAO Director-General spoke at the opening ceremony of the "Relevant Territories for a Sustainable World” event in Monsanto, as part of a three-day visit to Portugal. More... 18-07-2019
	Enhancing the contribution of family farmers to sustainable development. Family farmers need enabling public policies and legal frameworks that will "allow them to adapt and flourish in today's changing environment" and maximize their contribution to sustainable development, FAO Director-General Jose Graziano da Silva said on Tuesday. He made the remarks at the launch of the UN Decade of Family Farming on the sidelines of the High-Level Political Forum on Sustainable Development in New York. More... 17-07-2019
	Small island developing states need to take ownership of measures to combat obesity and hunger. Obesity affecting populations of the Small Island Developing States (SIDS) is a health emergency and these nations need to take ownership of measures to address this worrying trend's underlying causes, said FAO Director-General Jose Graziano da Silva today. The FAO chief made the remarks to participants - including leaders of small island nations - of a SIDS-focused event on the sidelines of the High Level Political Forum 2019. More... 15-07-2019
	World hunger is still not going down after three years and obesity is still growing – UN report. An estimated 820 million people did not have enough to eat in 2018, up from 811 million in the previous year, which is the third year of increase in a row. This underscores the immense challenge of achieving the Sustainable Development Goal of Zero Hunger by 2030, says a new edition of the annual The State of Food Security and Nutrition in the World report released today. More... 15-07-2019
	Agricultural output growth to keep food prices low over the coming decade, but many uncertainties are ahead. Global demand for agricultural products is projected to grow by 15 percent over the coming decade, while agricultural productivity growth is expected to increase slightly faster, causing inflation-adjusted prices of the major agricultural commodities to remain at or below their current levels, according to an annual report by the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development and the UN's Food and Agriculture Organization. More... 08-07-2019
	Codex Alimentarius Commission: 08-12 July 2019. The United Nations food standards body Codex Alimentarius Commission is meeting in Geneva from 08 to 12 July 2019 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... 07-07-2019
	Green Climate Fund approves major FAO climate change resilience project in Pakistan. The Board of the Green Climate Fund (GCF) today approved an FAO project designed to transform Pakistan's Indus River Basin by improving agriculture and water management to make this vital food-producing region more resilient to climate change. GCF has provided FAO with a grant of nearly $35 million for this work, while the provincial governments of Punjab and Sindh have committed an additional $12.7 million in co-financing to be managed by FAO. More... 07-07-2019
	FAO Food Price Index steady in June. Global food prices declined marginally in June, as lower prices of dairy products and vegetable oils more than offset a significant jump in maize quotations, and are now very close to their level of a year ago, according to a report by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations released today. The FAO Food Price Index, which tracks monthly changes in the international prices of commonly traded food commodities, averaged 173 points in June, down 0.3 percent from May. More... 04-07-2019
	Protracted conflicts and adverse weather conditions exacerbate food needs. Ongoing conflicts and dry weather conditions remain the primary causes of high levels of severe food insecurity, hampering food availability and access for millions of people, according to the Crop Prospects and Food Situation report issued today. The report by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations states that 41 countries, of which 31 are in Africa, continue to be in need of external assistance for food, unchanged from three months ago. More... 04-07-2019
	FAO Director-General in Mexico: "Migration must be optional and safe". A joint action program to promote rural development and the eradication of extreme poverty and hunger so that migration becomes an option and not a necessity, is the objective of a High-level meeting on migration, development and food security in Mesoamerica that kicked-off in Mexico City. "Migration must be a voluntary act, and not a forced last resort,” FAO Director-General Jose Graziano da Silva said at the event. More... 02-07-2019
	Food and agriculture must play a vital part in reaching a sustainable future. There is a growing realization that food and agriculture must play a vital part in reaching the Sustainable Development Goals and that in this context, FAO provides a neutral forum to address global issues of transboundary dimensions, the UN agency's Director-General, Jose Graziano da Silva said today. He made the remarks to representatives of member states at the closing of the 41st session of the FAO Conference. More... 27-06-2019
	The Near East and North Africa region needs to step up its efforts to end hunger by 2030. Countries in the Arab region need to set up policies supporting local food production and improve their governance of natural resources if hunger is to be eradicated from the Near East and North Africa by 2030. This was FAO Director-General Jose Graziano da Silva's message to participants at The Arab Region towards Zero Hunger: Challenge and Opportunities event on the sidelines of the 41st Session of the FAO Conference. More... 27-06-2019
	Trailblazers for food security lauded at FAO ceremony. Government ministries in Pakistan and Rwanda, a group of Spanish journalists, a Norwegian research vessel, a group of current and former parliamentarians in Chile, and FAO field staff who worked in South Sudan and Yemen have been recognized at today's FAO Awards ceremony, held on the sidelines of the 41st FAO Conference. More... 26-06-2019
	"Triple burden of malnutrition" slows down progress towards Zero Hunger in Europe and Central Asia. Despite the heterogeneity of the region, there is one common challenge related to food security that is present to varying degrees in all countries of Europe and Central Asia - "the triple burden of malnutrition" consisting of undernutrition, overweight and obesity, and micronutrient deficiencies. This pressing issue was discussed today by representatives of FAO Member Countries at a special event on the sidelines of the 41st Session of the UN agency's Conference. More... 26-06-2019
	Clearing the road ahead to reach Zero Hunger in Asia and the Pacific. Progress towards the Sustainable Development Goal of Zero Hunger has slowed in Asia and the Pacific, despite strong economic advances, and highlighting the need for concerted policy actions to tackle the increasingly complex nature of challenges ahead, representatives of FAO Member Countries heard during an event on the sidelines of the 41st Session of the FAO Conference. More... 25-06-2019
	Tiny fish are a big deal in Africa’s lakes and rivers. Small freshwater fish around Africa offer a large and underrecognized opportunity to boost food and nutrition security, according to a new FAO working paper investigating an array of species and related livelihoods that too often are undervalued. The study - which complements a recent report by the same authors on Fisheries in the Drylands of Sub-Saharan Africa- offers a review of numerous tiny species and fisheries around Africa in an effort to fill a knowledge gap that has led to the paradox of rules meant to promote sustainability actually hinder opportunities for maximizing yields while maintaining viable ecosystems. More... 25-06-2019
	Renewing political will, a key ingredient to end hunger and malnutrition in Latin America and the Caribbean. Political will is the fundamental and necessary ingredient to eradicate hunger and all forms of malnutrition - including overweight and obesity - in Latin America and the Caribbean, FAO Director-General Jose Graziano da Silva said. "The idea that to end hunger we must decide to invest in the poorest is now widely accepted by all the countries of the world," he said at an event on how to move from commitment to action to achieve Zero Hunger held during the 41st session of the FAO Conference, the Organization’s highest governing body. More... 25-06-2019
	More must be done to eradicate hunger in Africa. Stepped up and concerted actions are needed in Africa if the Sustainable Development Goal of Zero Hunger and the more ambitious Malabo hunger target are to be met, Member Countries were told during an event on the sidelines of the 41st Session of the FAO Conference. The FAO Director-General Jose Graziano da Silva emphasized the urgency required. "I am here to say yes we can, we can do it. I have experience in my country (Brazil). We eradicated hunger in less than 10 years. So if there is political will and commitment, we can do it," he said. More... 25-06-2019
	Consensus, partnerships and teamwork propel FAO to future. A new spirit of consensus, the embracing of partnerships and a new cross-disciplinary teamwork approach to tackling food security challenges are now hallmarks of how the FAO operates, Director-General Jose Graziano da Silva told member states. Those institutional innovations have boosted the salience of two key policy shifts in pursuing FAO's mandates - understanding that reducing hunger is more about access than production, and grasping that building resilience to shocks is cheaper and more effective than trying to provide help after disaster strikes - Graziano da Silva said. More... 24-06-2019
	Qu Dongyu of China elected FAO Director-General. Qu Dongyu of China was elected Director-General of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) today. Qu Dongyu received a total of 108 votes out of 191 cast, constituting a majority in the first round. The election took place during the 41st session of the FAO Conference (22-29 June 2019), the highest governing body of the Organization. More... 23-06-2019
	Graca Machel calls for disrupting the agricultural sector to achieve Zero Hunger. Considering the challenges of migration, the scourge of hunger and malnutrition, and the lack of investment in rural development, there is an immediate need to "change the way we do business", scale up hunger-ending initiatives, and "disrupt the agricultural sector as a whole". This was Graca Machel's message to participants at the opening of the 41st Session of the FAO Conference on the challenges and opportunities of reaching Zero Hunger. More... 22-06-2019
	New Multi-Partner Trust Fund launched to combat Antimicrobial Resistance globally. In a major boost to combat one of the gravest risks to global health a dedicated funding vehicle allowing partners to devote resources to accelerate global action against Antimicrobial Resistance (AMR) was unveiled here today at a Ministerial Conference. The Tripartite - a joint effort by the FAO, the OIE and the WHO, launched the AMR Multi-Partner Trust Fund, which is being supported by an initial contribution of $5 million from the Government of the Netherlands. More... 19-06-2019
	FAO accelerates global efforts towards lifting rural people out of extreme poverty. FAO has launched a new Corporate Framework on Rural Extreme Poverty to accelerate the UN agency's and its partners' efforts towards eradicating extreme poverty for all people by 2030 - target 1.1 of Sustainable Development Goal 1 - end poverty. Since 1990, global progress on poverty reduction has been unprecedented. Today, however, about 736 million people - 10 percent of the global population - are still living in extreme poverty, which is currently measured as people living on less than $1.90 a day. More... 19-06-2019
	Unlocking the potential of agricultural innovation to improve farmers’ resilience to drought. Speaking at the opening of the 2nd International Seminar on Drought and Agriculture at FAO headquarters in Rome, as part of the World Day to Combat Desertification and Drought celebrations, Graziano da Silva said: "It is quite impossible to avoid a drought from happening, but we can avoid a drought turning into famine or displacement of people. More... 17-06-2019
	European Union supports recovery of agricultural livelihoods in northern Iraq. Farming families in northern Iraq's Nineveh Governorate will benefit from a European Union contribution of ˆ15 million to the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations to recover agricultural livelihoods. The area, which includes the city of Mosul, was known as the country's ‘breadbasket' before conflict caused widespread damage and displacement. More... 17-06-2019
	New funding boosts efforts to combat deforestation, desertification, climate change and strengthen food systems. FAO today welcomed a decision by the Council of the Global Environment Facility (GEF) to provide $179 million to support the UN agency's work with countries worldwide at the critical nexus between agriculture and the environment. This includes projects focussed on biodiversity conservation, transboundary water resources management, sustainable land management, highly hazardous pesticide remediation, and climate change adaptation. More... 14-06-2019
	Record number of people facing critical lack of food in South Sudan. The number of people facing a critical lack of food in South Sudan is the highest ever, three United Nations agencies warned today. According to the Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC) update released today by the Government of South Sudan in collaboration with the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) and the World Food Programme (WFP), an estimated 6.96 million South Sudanese will face acute levels of food insecurity or worse (IPC Phases 3, 4 and 5) by the end of July. More... 14-06-2019
	FAO and Seeds&Chips join forces to promote youth’s active engagement in sustainable development. FAO and the Italian innovation global platform Seeds and Chips have joined forces to promote food innovation and education, with a strong focus on strengthening youth engagement and awareness-raising initiatives to fight hunger and malnutrition and achieve sustainable FAO Director-General Jose Graziano da Silva and Seeds and Chips Founder and Chairman Marco Gualtieri today signed an agreement that culminates years of close cooperation and aims at redoubling efforts to build the Zero Hunger Generation. More... 12-06-2019
	Bridging the divide: Digital technologies poised to transform agrifood systems. Digital agriculture has the potential to deliver significant economic, social and environmental benefits and, if promoted in an inclusive manner, it can contribute to the Sustainable Development Goals, FAO Director-General Graziano da Silva said today. "Information and communications technology has the potential to reshape not only the way we work in agriculture but also our food systems, the way we will eat in the future," he said. More... 12-06-2019
	FAO and Korea Telecom team up to advance digital agricultural innovation. Partnership to focus on digital technologies for agrifood and engaging youth in smart farming and agribusiness. The agreement was signed by FAO Director-General Jose Graziano da Silva and KT Chief Executive Officer Chang-Gyu Hwang at a ceremony on the side-lines of FAO's inaugural International Seminar on Digital Agriculture Transformation. The two-day event brings together several hundred participants, including government ministers, representatives of civil society and the private sector, non-governmental organizations and other industry leaders. More... 12-06-2019
	Call for renewed global push to tackle child labour in agriculture. FAO today urged nations to pay greater attention and allocate more financial resources to addressing child labour in domestic and local food supply chains and in subsistence farming where the vast majority of child labour in agriculture occurs. The call for action was made as FAO observed World Day Against Child Labour at a global conference "United to End Child Labour in Agriculture", which the UN agency co-organised with the European Commission's Directorate - General for International Cooperation and Development (DEVCO), and the International Labour Organization (ILO), in Brussels, Belgium. More... 12-06-2019
	Treasuring the cultural and heritage dimensions of the Mediterranean diet. FAO Director-General calls for greater promotion of sustainable, local diets. The Mediterranean diet, he said, has successfully combined the available food in the region, often grown by family farmers, for thousands and thousands of years. "If we allow it to disappear, what will be lost is not only the Mediterranean diet itself but also all the culture and the environment that enabled its development," he said in remarks at a high-level event at the Future of Food symposium at FAO (10-11 June). More... 11-06-2019
	Renewing solidarity to tackle Africa's hunger and poverty challenges. The Africa Solidarity Trust Fund (ASTF), a powerful demonstration of solidarity among African countries to improve agriculture and food security, needs to forge broader partnerships and explore innovative financing mechanisms to tackle the challenges facing the continent. More... 11-06-2019
	The food systems of the future must provide healthy and sustainable diets for all. FAO Director-General Graziano da Silva called for a transformation of food systems to improve people's diets. Graziano da Silva spoke at the opening of the international symposium The Future of Food (10-11 June) in Rome, which brings together academics, researchers, policymakers, representatives from civil society and the private sector, parliamentarians and government agencies. More... 10-06-2019
	More scientific research is needed to ensure policies that enable access to healthy diets for all. FAO Director-General Graziano da Silva stressed the key role played by academic and research institutions in assisting governments to introduce policy reforms aimed at ensuring that all people have access to healthy diets and can make informed choices on nutritious food. More... 10-06-2019
	Food prices rise amid weak production outlook for maize. The FAO Food Price Index, which tracks monthly changes in the international prices of commonly traded food commodities, averaged 172.4 points in May, up 1.2 percent from the previous month while still 1.9 percent below its level in May 2018. More... 06-06-2019
	Food safety is everyone’s business. The first ever celebration of the United Nations World Food Safety Day, to be marked globally on 7 June, aims to strengthen efforts to ensure that the food we eat is safe. World Food Safety Day 2019's theme is that food safety is everyone's business. Food safety contributes to food security, human health, economic prosperity, agriculture, market access, tourism and sustainable development. More... 06-06-2019
	FAO chief hails international treaty combating illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing. The first ever celebration of the United Nations World Food Safety Day, to be marked globally on 7 June, aims to strengthen efforts to ensure that the food we eat is safe. World Food Safety Day 2019's theme is that food safety is everyone's business. Food safety contributes to food security, human health, economic prosperity, agriculture, market access, tourism and sustainable development. More... 04-06-2019
	Launch of the UN’s Decade of Family Farming to unleash family farmers’ full potential. The Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) and the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) today launched the United Nations' Decade of Family Farming and a Global Action Plan to boost support for family farmers, particularly those in developing countries. The two UN agencies lead the implementation of the Decade of Family Farming declared by the United Nations at the end of 2017. More... 29-05-2019
	FAO widens its treaty work on pesticide trade information exchange. The FAO signed a Memorandum of Understanding to renew its participation in the UN Rotterdam Convention, an international treaty governing trade in hazardous pesticides. The agreement, with United Nations Environment (UNEP) and the Conference of the Parties (COP) to the convention, covers what is known as the Prior Informed Consent Procedure for Certain Hazardous Chemicals and Pesticides in International Trade. More... 29-05-2019
	Celebrating family farmers’ contribution to Zero Hunger and healthier diets. Family farmers, who are on the frontline of global efforts to fight undernourishment and other forms of malnutrition and to promote healthy eating, require stronger support amid rising hunger and obesity around the world, the President of the UN General Assembly, Maria Fernanda Espinosa, said in Rome today. More... 26-05-2019
	FAO’s goal: Healthy food for all, based on sustainable agricultural development. Focusing only on producing more food is not enough, it is also crucial to produce food, that is healthy and nutritious in a way that preserves the environment, FAO Director-General Graziano da Silva said today at the Caritas Internationalis' General Assembly in Rome. "Nourishing people must go hand in hand with nurturing the planet," he stressed. More... 24-05-2019
	Nobel Peace Laureate Muhammad Yunus calls for a new approach to address hunger and conflict. Nobel Peace Laureate Muhammad Yunus today called for a complete change in the ways to address the often-related issues of hunger and conflict. He made the appeal at an event at FAO headquarters in Rome highlighting progress made by the FAO-Nobel Peace Laureates Alliance for Food Security and Peace. More... 21-05-2019
	Stronger policy support needed to reap the benefits of growing trees near crops. "Agroforestry isn't a ‘no man's land' between forestry and agriculture and should receive specific policy support," FAO Deputy Director-General, Climate and Natural Resources, Maria Helena Semedo said today. "Agroforestry can help diversify and sustain (food) production and provide vital social, economic and environmental benefits for land users at all scales," she said in opening remarks at the 4th World Agroforestry Congress in Montpellier, France. More... 20-05-2019
	Declining bee populations pose threat to global food security and nutrition. The global decline in bee populations poses a serious threat to a wide variety of plants critical to human well-being and livelihoods, and countries should do more to safeguard our key allies in the fight against hunger and malnutrition, FAO stressed today as it marked UN World Bee Day. More... 20-05-2019
	Healthy diets vital for progress in Lao PDR, say UN food agencies. The heads of the FAO and the World Food Programme (WFP) today concluded a joint visit to the Lao People's Democratic Republic with a call for greater investment in nutrition. FAO Director-General Graziano da Silva and WFP Executive Director David Beasley made the three-day visit, together with the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD)'s Sub-regional Director Thomas Rath, to raise awareness about the importance of integrated food systems to improve food and nutrition security, and to see first-hand the impacts of the three agencies' collaborative programmes. More... 16-05-2019
	Save Our Soils: Finding ways to stop erosion. Wind, rain and industrial farming techniques accelerates soil erosion and can be mitigated before the world faces calamitous losses in terms of agricultural yields and critical ecosystem functions. "The negative impacts of soil erosion are ever more evident and the need to work jointly ever more urgent," FAO Deputy Director-General, Climate and Natural Resources, Maria Helena Semedo, said today while opening a three-day symposium focusing on enhancing how the world measures and manages soil erosion as well as its economic costs. More... 15-05-2019
	Strengthened global partnerships needed to end hunger and malnutrition. Eradicating hunger and malnutrition and achieving sustainable development requires strengthened global partnerships and sustainable investments to drive economic growth, FAO Deputy Director-General for Programmes, Daniel Gustafson, said today. “Countries need to attract additional public and private finance through sustainable investments to drive economic growth as a basis for poverty reduction,” Gustafson stressed. More... 15-05-2019
	FAO raises alarm over disastrous drought in Somalia where over 2 million people face severe hunger. A disastrous drought in Somalia could leave some 2.2 million people - nearly 18 percent of the population - faced with severe hunger during the July-September period, FAO warned. The UN agency issued a special alert on Somalia, indicating that the number of hungry people in the country this year is expected to be 40 percent higher than estimates made at the beginning of 2019. More... 15-05-2019
	FAO and the Republic of Korea to bolster Zero Hunger efforts in Asia-Pacific. The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) and the Republic of Korea (South Korea) have joined forces to bolster Zero Hunger efforts in the Asia-Pacific region, and strengthen their collaboration in South Korea where the UN agency opened today its first office. More... 13-05-2019
	Reducing disaster risks in agriculture is a win-win for small-scale farmers. Poor farmers can obtain significant economic gains and other benefits by implementing modified farming practices aimed at boosting their ability to cope with disasters and natural shocks, according to a new FAO study released today. FAO's study is intended to guide farmers in making choices to manage risk as well as to inform policy-makers. More... 13-05-2019
	FAO chief warns of the ‘globalization of obesity’, urges G20 to ensure healthy diets through regulation. To address the interconnected problems of hunger, obesity, and climate change, the international community needs to introduce regulations and standards that transform food systems so that they provide, in sustainable ways, healthy and nutritious food for everyone, FAO Director-General Graziano da Silva today. He made the appeal during a meeting by Ministers of Agriculture of the G20 in Niigata, Japan, to discuss investment priorities for sustainable agricultural development. More... 11-05-2019
	Global food import bill set to decline amid abundant supplies. The global food import bill is likely to decline in 2019, but the poorest and most vulnerable countries will not be the prime beneficiaries, according to a new UN report. FAO's latest Food Outlook projects worldwide food imports to drop 2.5 percent in 2019 to US$ 1.472 trillion. More... 09-05-2019
	World food prices rise in April. The FAO Food Price Index, which tracks monthly changes in the international prices of commonly traded food commodities, averaged 170 points in April, up 1.5 percent from March while still 2.3 percent below its year-ago level. The increase spanned all the covered food commodities except cereals, where large export availabilities spurred a fourth consecutive monthly decline. More... 09-05-2019
	UN food agencies step up joint efforts to tackle rural gender inequalities. Three United Nations agencies today launched a new European Union-supported global initiative to address the root causes of rural gender inequalities and thus strengthen efforts to end hunger, achieve food security and improved nutrition and promote sustainable agriculture. More... 08-05-2019
	Hunger continues to rise in the Near East and North Africa. Conflicts and protracted crises have spread and worsened since 2011, threatening the region’s efforts to achieve the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, including Zero Hunger. The Regional Overview of Food Security and Nutrition in the Near East and North Africa, published by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), indicates that 52 million people in the region are suffering from chronic undernourishment. More... 08-05-2019
	From blockchain in coffee supply chains to Blue Fashion, showcasing innovative solutions for Zero Hunger at the Seeds&Chips Summit. Agricultural innovation can have a pivotal role in creating a world free of hunger. This was the message FAO delivered today to participants of Seeds and Chips Global Food Innovation Summit where the UN agency also showcased some of its innovative solutions for sustainable agriculture. More... 06-05-2019
	After worst harvest in ten years, 10 million people in North Korea face imminent food shortages. A United Nations food security assessment in the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (also known as North Korea) has found that following the worst harvest in 10 years, due to dry spells, heatwaves and flooding, about 10.1 million people suffer from severe food shortages, meaning they do not have enough food until the next harvest. More... 03-05-2019
	New report calls for urgent action to avert antimicrobial resistance crisis. UN, international agencies and experts today released a groundbreaking report demanding immediate, coordinated and ambitious action to avert a potentially disastrous drug-resistance crisis. If no action is taken - warns the UN Ad hoc Interagency Coordinating Group on Antimicrobial Resistance who released the report - drug-resistant diseases could cause 10 million deaths each year by 2050 and damage to the economy as catastrophic as the 2008-2009 global financial crisis. More... 29-04-2019
	Erratic weather patterns in the Central American Dry Corridor leave 1.4 million people in urgent need of food assistance. The United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) and the World Food Programme (WFP) today warned that prolonged droughts and heavy rain have destroyed more than half of the maize and bean crops of the subsistence farmers along the Central American Dry Corridor, leaving them without food reserves and affecting their food security. More... 25-04-2019
	Boosting pastoralists’ resilience, key to achieving peace in the Sahel. The Sahel remains affected by conflict, food insecurity, malnutrition, population displacement, natural disasters and epidemics and unless we address these crises from their roots, millions of people will continue requiring urgent assistance each year, FAO Director-General Graziano Da Silva, said today. More... 25-04-2019
	New guidelines to enhance food insecurity and malnutrition analysis including in areas with no humanitarian access. New global guidelines published today by the Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC) initiative will further hone food security and nutrition analysis processes for better and more actionable information during humanitarian crises. After thorough consultations, food security and nutrition experts from 15 organizations have released a third version of the IPC Technical Manual. In addition to the IPC's Acute Food Insecurity scale, it incorporates two new scales, measuring chronic food insecurity and acute malnutrition. More... 25-04-2019
	FAO chief says trade has a key role to play in providing good quality, safe and healthy food. International trade is a very important tool for tackling hunger but countries must also guarantee that globally traded food is of good quality, safe and healthy, FAO Director-General Jose Graziano da Silva said today at the International Forum on Food Safety and Trade that is held at the World Trade Organization (WTO) in Geneva (23-24 April). More... 23-04-2019
	$35-million Green Climate Fund grant to FAO will help address climate change impact on farming in El Salvador. The Green Climate Fund (GCS), the main global fund to finance actions to fight climate change, will allocate $35.8 million to a FAO-designed project in El Salvador's Dry Corridor aimed at building climate-change resilience in farming systems. The funding agreement was signed today at FAO headquarters in Rome. More... 18-04-2019
	FAO starts distribution of much-needed seeds and tools in cyclone-ravaged Mozambique. Farmers in areas left devastated by Tropical Cyclone Idai in Mozambique have started to receive much-needed agricultural inputs thanks to a joint effort by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) and Mozambique's Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security to assist hard-hit rural families to get a head-start on the impending secondary growing season. More... 18-04-2019
	The Green Climate Fund allocates $25 million to support FAO climate resilience project in Paraguay. The Green Climate Fund (GCF), the main global fund to finance actions to address climate change, will allocate more than $25 million to a FAO-designed project in Paraguay aimed at combating deforestation, hunger and poverty, and building the climate-change resilience of local populations. More... 12-04-2019
	New project to strengthen sustainable forest management and address transboundary threats. The Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency (Sida), the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) and the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) have joined forces to protect West Africa's forests and help safeguard the livelihoods of millions of people who depend on them. More... 09-04-2019
	Combatting all forms of malnutrition and promoting innovation in agriculture top FAO priorities over next two years. FAO Director-General Josó Graziano da Silva in an opening address today to the organization's executive, the Council, has stressed that FAO will focus over the next two years on promoting nutrition-sensitive food systems and innovation in agriculture."While hunger is circumscribed to specific areas, obesity is everywhere. In fact, we are witnessing the globalization of obesity," added Graziano da Silva. More... 09-04-2019
	FAO guide outlines how to protect forests from invasive insects. Insect pests damage around 35 million hectares of forest each year, with particularly catastrophic impacts recorded when non-native species arrive in ecosystems where they have no natural enemies. The scale of impact is increasing with growing international trade and the effects of climate change. FAO's new Guide to the classical biological control of insect pests in planted and natural forests distills information in a clear and concise way to assist forest managers in developing countries develop effective pest-control programmes. More... 04-04-2019
	New global cereal forecasts incorporate large upward revisions from China. The FAO Food Price Index held broadly stable in March, as a jump in dairy prices was offset by drops in cereal, vegetable oil and sugar price quotations, according to a benchmark UN report released today. The index, which tracks monthly changes in international prices of a basket of food commodities, averaged 167 points, down two points from February and some 3.6 percent below its level in March 2018. More... 04-04-2019
	FAO chief calls for innovative approaches and investments to ensure enough water for everyone in the Near East and North Africa. Water scarcity can exacerbate food insecurity, migration and malnutrition in the region. Scaling up innovation, policies and investments in the water sector in the Near East and North Africa (NENA) region is fundamental "to prevent water scarcity from setting us back in our ambitious vision of eradicating all forms of malnutrition, sustaining peace and leaving no one behind", FAO Director-General Jose Graziano da Silva said today. More... 04-04-2019
	New standards to curb the global spread of plant pests and diseases. The International Plant Protection Convention adopts standards on fumigation and six pests, including Xylella fastidiosa and the oriental fruit fly. The standards, including protocols to block highly invasive pests such as Xylella fastidiosa and the oriental fruit fly, were approved during the Commission on Phytosanitary Measures' (CPM) annual meeting this week. More... 03-04-2019
	Joint work aims to increase African diaspora engagement including in agribusiness and resource mobilization. The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) and the Africa-Europe Diaspora Development Platform (ADEPT) today joined efforts to enhance the positive contribution of migration to the areas of agricultural and rural development. The agreement marks the beginning of a formal collaboration in the areas of migration and rural development, with a focus on diaspora-related issues and agribusiness. More... 03-04-2019
	Global Report on Food Crises: acute hunger still affecting over 100 million people worldwide. A report presented today jointly by the European Union, the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), and the UN World Food Programme (WFP) finds that around 113 million people in 53 countries experienced acute food insecurity in 2018, compared to 124 million in 2017. More... 02-04-2019
	In a letter to Pope Francis, FAO's chief stresses how access to water is critical to fight hunger and poverty. Graziano da Silva thanks the pontiff for his World Water Day message of support. Writing to Pope Francis, FAO's Director-General has pointed to the need to safeguard the world's water resources so that they can benefit every person in every country. "Access to clean water and sanitation is essential for life, and it is the basis for maintaining a healthy life and helping millions of people out of poverty and hunger," Graziano da Silva wrote in a letter to the pontiff on 1 April. More... 02-04-2019
	Cyclone Idai: Immediate help for Mozambique's livestock and fisheries sectors. FAO prepares to assist rural communities revive agriculture following disastrous flooding. The lives and livelihoods of farmers and fishers in the three Southern African countries hit by Tropical Cyclone Idai are under severe threat, with communities in Mozambique bearing a particularly heavy burden. For a country where 80 percent of the population depends on agriculture, keeping animals alive, rehabilitating damaged land and rebooting food production will be critical as the waters recede, FAO said today. More... 29-03-2019
	Joint Media Advisory: Launch of Global Report on Food Crises 2019 and High-Level Event on Preventing Future Crises. The latest numbers on how many people are facing acute hunger worldwide will be revealed on Tuesday, 2 April 2019, in Brussels at the high-level launch of this year's edition of the Global Report on Food Crises. The report launch takes place during the opening session of the two-day High-level Event ‘Food and agriculture in times of crisis' hosted by the European Commission on behalf of the Global Network Against Food Crises. Participants will discuss a range of approaches and solutions for preventing and addressing food crises. It will chart out a road map for joint action by Network partners for years to come. More... 26-03-2019
	New European Union funding targets resilience-building efforts in Yemen. The European Union (EU) has contributed new funding totalling $40.8 million to boost United Nations (UN) resilience-building work in Yemen. Interventions will target the most vulnerable community groups, including women, the unemployed, youth, marginalized minority groups, internally displaced persons (IDPs) and stressed host communities.The funding agreement will support the second phase of the UN Enhanced Rural Resilience in Yemen Programme, which covers a 36-month period and aims to reduce communities' vulnerability to shocks and crises in the conflict-ridden country, which is facing the world's largest humanitarian crisis. More... 25-03-2019
	Chefs are key ingredient in promoting sustainable food systems for healthy and culturally diversified diets. Chefs are agents of change in the fight against hunger and malnutrition, and play an important role in inspiring people around the world to support sustainable food production, adopt healthy diets and avoid food waste. That was the central message of an international symposium today hosted by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), and the Government of France, during "Gout de France" week currently being held in Paris. More... 22-03-2019
	Access to safe water for all is key to sustainable development. With climate change and population growth putting increasing pressure on finite water resources, FAO is urging countries to step up efforts to increase water efficiency and provide access to safe water for all. Ensuring global water security is fundamental to achieve Zero Hunger and the Sustainable Development Goals, the UN agency said on the occasion of World Water Day. More... 22-03-2019
	On International Day of Forests, FAO announces new forestry education initiatives. FAO marked the International Day of Forests today by announcing two new forestry education initiatives aimed at raising awareness among children and young people on the sustainable use and conservation of forests. The two projects, funded by Germany with over $2 million, will address major challenges in forestry education and will help increase understanding of forests among the general public. More... 21-03-2019
	New Iceland-FAO partnership focuses on fisheries and Blue Growth. The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) and the Government of Iceland today agreed to work closely together to facilitate the design and implementation of programmes supporting the long-term conservation of living marine ecosystems and to unlock the potential of the world's marine and freshwater ecosystems. More... 21-03-2019
	Sorrow at the loss of a colleague and the other victims of the airplane crash in Ethiopia. FAO is sharing this painful moment with all those who lost loved ones, including other members of the UN family. FAO is in mourning at the loss of one of our team when an Ethiopian Airlines passenger jet bound for Nairobi crashed near Addis Ababa, Ethiopia on Sunday morning. More... 11-03-2019
	Securing sustainability in date palm production. In Abu Dhabi, FAO's Director-General calls for renewed efforts in research and agricultural innovation. "The impacts of climate change are making water increasingly scarce, provoking droughts that are more severe and prolonged, and also contributing to the outbreak and spread of pests and diseases, such as the Red Palm Weevil," Jose Graziano da Silva said at the 11th Session of the Khalifa International Award for Date Palm and Agricultural Innovation (KIADPAI). More... 10-03-2019
	The Red Palm Weevil threatens food security and livelihoods, but it can be contained and also eradicated. Graziano da Silva pledges FAO's continued support to Near East and North African countries combating the invasive pest. Addressing the Red Palm Weevil Donor Meeting in Abu Dhabi, Graziano da Silva thanked the United Arab Emirates (UAE) including Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyan, UAE Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Presidential Affairs, and Sheikh Nahayan Mabarak Al Nahayan, Minister for Tolerance, for hosting the event. More... 09-03-2019
	Building smart solutions to advance equal opportunities for women and girls. FAO, WFP and IFAD mark International Women’s Day. A group of prominent women joined the three Rome-based United Nations agencies today, to mark International Women's Day at an event recognising women's contributions to building smart solutions for those who are excluded from decision making and influencing development in all sectors. More... 08-03-2019
	FAO and Global Alliance for Improved Nutrition to scale up joint efforts targeting healthy diets. New partnership focuses on engaging with small and medium enterprises, making urban food systems more nutrition-sensitive. FAO and the Global Alliance for Improved Nutrition (GAIN) have agreed to join forces to increase the availability and affordability of nutritious food for all in developing countries. More... 08-03-2019
	The FAO Food Price Index rises mostly on higher dairy prices. Wheat output set to rebound in 2019. Global food prices rose in February, with the FAO Food Price Index averaging 167.5 points, up 1.7 percent from January, in part driven up by sharp increases in dairy prices. The Index is currently at its highest level since August 2018, but still nearly 2.3 percent below its value at the same month last year. More... 07-03-2019
	Urgent action in urban areas, key to achieving Zero Hunger and healthy diets for all. New FAO publication aims at improving integration of food into urban planning. "We need to engage with cities because it is in cities where more and more people live, eat and work, and where we need to locally implement global commitments," Graziano da Silva said at the launch of FAO’s Framework for the Urban Food Agenda: A holistic approach to ensuring sustainable development. More... 07-03-2019
	Italian President Mattarella receives leaders of the three Rome-based United Nations agencies. Italian President Sergio Mattarella today received the leaders of the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) and the World Food Programme (WFP) for a meeting that served to highlight the close interrelationship between their work in development, emergencies and funding. More... 05-03-2019
	Candidates for the post of FAO Director-General announced. FAO member countries to choose successor to Jose Graziano da Silva in June. Five candidates have been presented by FAO Member Countries for the post of FAO Director-General to be elected in June 2019, the agency announced today. Election for the agency’s top leadership post with a four-year term of office starting on August 2019 will take place at the 41st Session of FAO’s Conference (Rome, 22-29 June 2019), the highest governing body of the Organization. More... 04-03-2019
	Shining the spotlight on "life below water". FCITES, UNDP and FAO bring global representatives together at UN headquarters to celebrate World Wildlife Day. High-level representatives from UN member states and international organizations gathered today at the United Nations Headquarters to celebrate the UN World Wildlife Day under the theme 'Life below water: for people and planet. More... 01-03-2019
	New UN Decade on Ecosystem Restoration offers unparalleled opportunity for job creation, food security and addressing climate change. The United Nations General Assembly declared 2021–2030 the UN Decade on Ecosystem Restoration. The UN Decade on Ecosystem Restoration, declared today by the UN General Assembly, aims to massively scale up the restoration of degraded and destroyed ecosystems as a proven measure to fight the climate crisis and enhance food security, water supply and biodiversity. More... 01-03-2019
	The biodiversity that is crucial for our food and agriculture is disappearing by the day. The first-ever report of its kind presents mounting and worrying evidence that the biodiversity that underpins our food systems is disappearing – putting the future of our food, livelihoods, health and environment under severe threat. Once lost, warns FAO’s State of the World’s Biodiversity for Food and Agriculture report, launched today, biodiversity for food and agriculture – i.e. all the species that support our food systems and sustain the people who grow and/or provide our food – cannot be recovered. More... 22-02-2019
	Increasing number of people face severe food shortages in South Sudan. Nearly 7 million people in South Sudan could face acute food insecurity at the height of this lean season (May-July), three United Nations agencies warned today, urging for scaled-up humanitarian assistance and better access to humanitarian relief. The Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC) report released today in Juba by the Government of South Sudan in collaboration with the FAO, the UNICEF and the World Food Programme (WFP) shows that the number of people who are acutely food insecure has already increased by 13 per cent since January last year. More... 22-02-2019
	Tackling food insecurity at the urban level - turning global commitments into local realities. At high-level UN meeting with mayors and urban food policy representatives, FAO Director-General calls for transforming food systems to offer healthy and nutritious food for everyone. "To implement the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, the political commitment of global leaders is not enough. We also need the full engagement of local authorities," he said. "After all, it is at the local level where people live, where people eat, use water or dispose their garbage." More... 19-02-2019
	FAO sounds alarm on Desert Locust outbreak in northeast Africa and Saudi Arabia triggered by heavy rains. Heavy rains and cyclones have triggered a recent surge in Desert Locust populations, causing an outbreak to develop in Sudan and Eritrea that is rapidly spreading along both sides of the Red Sea to Saudi Arabia and Egypt, FAO warned today. The UN agency called on all the affected countries to step up vigilance and control measures to contain the destructive infestations and protect crops from the world's most dangerous migratory pest. More... 15-02-2019
	Pope Francis calls for technological innovations to fight poverty and hunger. Pope Francis today called for advances in innovation and entrepreneurship to transform rural communities and eradicate malnutrition, stating that "science with conscience" was needed to help the world's poor and hungry. He made the call at the inaugural ceremony of the 42nd IFAD Governing Council which is being held at the UN Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) headquarters today and tomorrow. More... 14-02-2019
	New UN report reveals that hunger in Africa continues to rise. Hunger in Africa continues to rise after many years of decline, threatening the continent's hunger eradication efforts to meet the Malabo Goals 2025 and the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, particularly the Sustainable Development Goal 2 (SDG2). New data presented in the joint UN report, the Africa Regional Overview of Food Security and Nutrition, released today, indicates that 237 million people in sub-Saharan Africa are suffering from chronic undernutrition, derailing the gains made in the past years. More... 13-02-2019
	FAO and Saudi Arabia renew fruitful cooperation. FAO and Saudi Arabia today agreed to renew their long-standing technical cooperation and to redouble joint efforts to implement the country’s Sustainable Rural Agricultural Development Programme (2019-2025). A new $93 million agreement aims at boosting production, processing and marketing of Arabic coffee, bee keeping, fruit, fish, livestock, and cultivation of rain-fed crops in the country. More... 13-02-2019
	International push to improve food safety. Greater international cooperation is needed to prevent unsafe food from causing ill health and hampering progress towards sustainable development, world leaders said at today’s opening session of the First International Food Safety Conference, in Addis Ababa, organized by the African Union (AU), the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), the World Health Organization (WHO) and the World Trade Organization (WTO). More... 12-02-2019
	African Union honours FAO’s Director-General for contribution to Zero Hunger vision in Africa. The African Union (AU) today awarded FAO Director-General Jose Graziano da Silva with a special certificate of recognition for his contribution towards the eradication of hunger in Africa and the sustainable development of the continent’s agriculture sectors. "His (Graziano da Silva’s) passion for the Zero Hunger vision and relentless leadership is an inspiration for Africa," the AU Commissioner for Rural Economy and Agriculture, Josefa Sacko, said at the award ceremony. More... 11-02-2019
	In 2019, FAO aims to provide 32 million people with livelihoods support to keep them on their feet. As global hunger numbers have continued to rise driven by the proliferation of conflicts and climate-related shocks, FAO is seeking $940 million to save the lives and livelihoods of some of the world's most food-insecure populations. In 2019, FAO is hoping to reach over 32 million people who rely on agriculture for their survival and livelihoods through a range of interventions aimed at boosting local food production and enhancing nutrition while strengthening the communities' resilience to crises. More... 11-02-2019
	FAO Food Price Index rises in January. Global food prices began the year on a buoyant note, as the FAO Food Price Index averaged 164.8 points in January 2019, up 1.8 percent from the previous month. A sharp rebound in dairy price quotations and firmer prices of palm and soy oils drove the increase, the United Nations agency said today. The Food Price Index, an indicator of the monthly changes in international prices of a basket of food commodities, was still 2.2 percent below its January 2018 level. More... 11-02-2019
	Working together for the sustainable mechanization of farming in Africa. The FAO and the African Conservation Tillage (ACT) Network today signed a Memorandum of Understanding to encourage greater access for small-scale farmers to sustainable farm mechanization, such as two-wheeled tractors and other labour-saving machines. The partnership also seeks to link the use of farming machinery to Conservation Agriculture which is a farming system that promotes minimum soil disturbance and the planting of complementary plant species to enhance biodiversity and natural biological processes. More... 07-02-2019
	FAO and Italy's Unitelma University join forces to promote innovation, international cooperation and capacity development. The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) and Italy's Unitelma University have agreed to work together to develop academic programmes in the areas of innovation and international cooperation to support the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals and the 2030 Agenda. More... 07-02-2019
	Achieving sustainable agriculture requires an integrated approach. FAO launches comprehensive publication that points the way to how we can improve our food systems. "We have reached the limit of the paradigm of the green revolution," FAO Director-General Jose Graziano da Silva said today. He spoke at the launch of a new publication, Sustainable Food and Agriculture: An Integrated Approach, that aims to present state-of-the-art evidence on how sustainable agriculture can be continuously improved at different scales. More... 05-02-2019
	EU provides ˆ5.9 million for FAO-led efforts to strengthen Yemen's capacity to monitor drivers of food insecurity and hunger. As the fragile peace in Yemen holds and with serious food insecurity concerns persisting, the European Union (EU) and FAO have announced new EU funding of ˆ5.9 million ($6.7 million) to support the UN agency's work to build the country's capacity to monitor threats to food security and collect key data on hunger and malnutrition. More... 04-02-2019
	FAO and Italy’s FICO Foundation step up efforts to tackle malnutrition and food waste. FICO Foundation and FAO are joining forces to help raise public awareness, particularly among young people, on good nutrition practices, healthy diets and the need to curb food waste. The aim is to highlight efforts to tackle all forms of malnutrition, as well as the necessary actions to achieve progress towards the Sustainable Development Goals. More... 04-02-2019
	Japan donates $8 million to boost food and nutrition security in conflict–ridden Yemen. Japan has contributed over $8 million (JPY 891,000,000) to back FAO's work on enhancing food and nutrition security for the most vulnerable households in conflict-ridden Yemen, which is facing the world's largest humanitarian crisis. More... 31-01-2019
	FAO and France Medias Monde strengthen their partnership. AO and France Medias Monde (FMM) have further strengthened their close working relationship. FMM's three channels (RFI, France 24, Monte Carlo Doualiya), that regularly produce features and reports on themes related to food and agriculture and global health challenges, have recently broadcast, via their digital and TV platforms, FAO video spots featuring Zero Hunger champions like the astronaut Thomas Pesquet and actor Lambert Wilson. More... 30-01-2019
	Africa Center for Climate and Sustainable Development inaugurated in Rome. Initiated by Italy with FAO and UNDP support, the center has a special focus on Climate Smart Agriculture, access to water, rural women and youth. A major focus on boosting the agricultural sectors and promoting rural development in Africa is needed to ensure a better future for the continent's youth who, if given the chance, can be the drivers of development, FAO Director-General Jose Graziano da Silva said today at the inauguration of the Africa Centre for Climate and Sustainable Development. More... 28-01-2019
	Conflict-driven hunger worsens. The situation in the eight places in the world with the highest number of people in need of emergency food support shows that the link between conflict and hunger remains all too persistent and deadly, according to a new report released today by the United Nations' Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) and the World Food Programme (WFP). The report was prepared for the UN Security Council which in May adopted a landmark resolution on preventing hunger in conflict zones. More... 28-01-2019
	FAO calls for policies and investments targeting sustainable water use in the Middle East and North Africa. It is imperative to scale up policies and investments in the Middle East and North Africa to make water use in agriculture more sustainable and efficient and to ensure that all the people in the region have access to healthy diets, FAO Director-General Jose Graziano da Silva said today. "Here in the Middle East and North Africa region, water scarcity is certainly one of the main challenges for agriculture production and development," he told agriculture ministers and private sector representatives at the Agriculture, Fisheries and Food Investment Forum in Oman. More... 23-01-2019
	FAO chief emphasizes need for inclusive digital innovation. Director-General, addressing agriculture ministers from around the world, emphasizes need for digital revolution to promote access to new technologies by to work in favor of smallholders. It's time to accelerate innovation in agriculture and to do so in a way that aspires to make a difference to hundreds of millions of people who produce the bulk of the world's food on family farms, FAO Director-General Jose Graziano da Silva said today. More... 19-01-2019
	In Africa, investing in rural development and agriculture will offer rural youth an alternative to migration. Investing in rural areas and agriculture is crucial to achieve prosperity in Africa and to guarantee the continent's young people an alternative to migration, FAO Director-General Jose Graziano da Silva said today. He made the remarks at the high level EU-African Alliance in Agriculture event which is part of this week's Global Forum for Food and Agriculture in Berlin. More... 18-01-2019
	Deep shift in food systems needed to ensure healthy diets. Hunger, obesity and other forms of malnutrition will continue to increase if there is no deep change in food systems, said FAO Director General Jose Graziano da Silva. He took part in Congreso Futuro, the most important scientific dissemination event in Latin America, together with international experts dedicated to promoting healthy and sustainable food systems. More... 15-01-2019
	International food commodity prices hold steady in December. Global food prices held broadly stable in December, with rising international cereal prices offsetting declining sugar and dairy quotations, the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) said today. The FAO Food Price Index averaged 161.7 points in December, compared to a revised level of 161.6 points in the previous month. More... 10-01-2019
	FAO and University of Chile will promote sustainable development in the agri-food sector. The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) and the University of Chile will join efforts in the areas of research, training, and technology transfer. The agreement was signed today by FAO's Director-General, Jose Graziano da Silva, and the University of Chile's Rector, Ennio Vivaldi. More... 08-01-2019

European System of Cooperative Research Networks in Agriculture (ESCORENA)