Dairy and meat businesses in Central Asia, especially smaller ones, are being hit by multiple shocks – from the war in Ukraine, to droughts, to the lingering effects of COVID-19. 

To raise awareness of the importance of work to strengthen urban agrifood systems in the region of Europe and Central Asia, the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) organized a webinar in early June focusing on the challenges and opportunities in urban food agrifood systems faced by countries in the region. 

An FAO project taking place in Türkiye and four Central Asian countries has made enormous strides in reducing the use of dangerous pesticides and promoting more natural methods of pest control in the region.

The European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) and the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) are working to unite Georgia's unique food heritage, traditions and landscapes, by strengthening the links between agriculture and tourism. 

Food safety saves lives. It is not only a crucial component of food security, but it also plays a vital role in reducing foodborne diseases that are estimated to affect every year 23 million people in Europe and Central Asia only. 

On 6 June 2023, a group of experts from the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) conducted an inception workshop in Ashgabat, Turkmenistan, for a new digital cadastre project, “Support for the establishment of a digital land cadastre.”

The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) and the World Food Programme (WFP) have launched a joint programme in collaboration with mine action partner Fondation Suisse de Déminage (FSD) to support smallholder farmers and rural families most affected by the war. 

According to estimates, in Europe and Central Asia, 42 percent of monitored terrestrial animal and plant species have declined in population in the past decade. It is now more important than ever before to conserve and use biodiversity sustainably, and to reduce the pressure on natural resources and ecosystems.

Several transboundary animal diseases are controlled with a “stamping out” policy, which consists of depopulation of the diseased animals, disposal of the infected carcasses and materials, followed by cleaning and disinfection of the affected farm. 

Ahead of Sustainable Gastronomy Day (18 June), the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) and the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) have issued a new publication for hotels, restaurants and catering enterprises (HoReCa) on how best to source food from local suppliers.