FAO at the 2025 Regional Forum on Sustainable Development (RFSD)

The 2025 Regional Forum on Sustainable Development (RFSD) is an annual intergovernmental forum aiming to assess progress towards achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), and provide a forum to exchange knowledge, best practices, and policy solutions to support the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, in line with regional priorities. The 2025 RFSD will be convened in Geneva on 2-3 April 2025, under the theme: “Advancing sustainable, inclusive, science- and evidence-based solutions for the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and its SDGs in the ECE region, leaving no one behind.” This forum will serve as a platform for identifying and scaling up solutions to overcome challenges, ensuring that no one is left behind on the path to achieving the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.

In the framework of the RFSD, the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) will organize the following side events

Balancing home and farm: Unlocking opportunities for women in rural areas of Europe and Central Asia

Organized by FAO and the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) this side event will take place online on 1 April 2025 from 13:00 to 14:30. The event will focus on the challenges and opportunities for women in rural areas, particularly in Europe and Central Asia. The discussion will highlight strategies to empower women by addressing their roles both at home and in the agricultural sector, fostering greater economic opportunities and gender equality (SDG 5,8).

Launch of the Europe and Central Asia Regional Overview of Food Security and Nutrition 2024 Report

The Launch of the Europe and Central Asia Regional Overview of Food Security and Nutrition 2024 will occur on 2 April 2025 from 13:15 to14:15 as a hybrid event. This session will present the latest findings from the State of Food Security and Nutrition Report, shedding light on food insecurity and malnutrition trends in the region. The report offers important insights into challenges and provides policy recommendations aimed at improving food security across Europe and Central Asia. The event will be available for in-person attendance and streamed online via UNTV for broader accessibility.

More information here.

Re-imagining the Future of Women in Food Systems: Harnessing Science and Technology, and Partnership to Advance the SDGs

Organized by FAO’s Food Systems Coordination Hub, the Regional UN Issue-Based Coalition on Sustainable Food Systems (IBC-SFS), FAO and UNECE, the side event will be held on 3 April 2025 from 13:15 to14:45 in a hybrid form, it will explore how science, technology, and partnerships can empower women in food systems, advancing gender equality while tackling critical issues such as food security and sustainable food production. The event aims to showcase how these elements contribute to the achievement of the SDGs, particularly those related to gender and food systems transformation.

Additional Event

National Food Systems Convenors Meeting (3-4 April 2025):

In parallel with the RFSD, the Food Systems National Convenors Meeting will take place on 3-4 April 2025, co-organized by the Food Systems Coordination Hub (Hub) and IBC-SFS. This meeting will serve as a regional preparatory meeting for the UN Food Systems Summit +4 (UNFSS+4), to be held in Ethiopia in July 2025. The meeting will focus on the progress of food systems transformation, strengthening accountability, and unlocking investments for transformative action.

From planning to action: Accelerating Voluntary Local Reviews

The Voluntary Local Reviews (VLRs) side event organized by UNECE and UN-Habitat will take place on 3 April 2025 from 13:15 to-14:45 with FAO’s participation. The event will explore the process of turning VLR planning into concrete actions to accelerate SDG progress at the local level.