The 23 April event marked an important step towards strengthening climate resilience in the agricultural sector and supporting rural livelihoods, particularly among women farmers. It was framed by the project Promoting Rural Women’s Empowerment in Kosovo, funded by the Austrian Development Agency (ADA) and jointly implemented by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) and UN Women. Among other topics, discussions centred on a joint assessment report being developed to provide an in-depth analysis of current and projected climate risks affecting agriculture.

On 30 April, Aram Meymaryan, Deputy Minister of Environment of the Republic of Armenia, and Raimund Jehle, Representative of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) in Armenia, signed the project “Support the establishment of a National Forest Monitoring and Assessment System in Armenia”. The project is financed by the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC). 

On 30 Aprils, Gevorg Papoyan, Minister of Economy of the Republic of Armenia, and Raimund Jehle, Representative of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) in Armenia, signed the new FAO–Armenia Country Programming Framework (CPF) for 2026–2030. The five-year plan sets out FAO’s strategic engagement in the country.

Fish farmers in Georgia have enhanced their knowledge and practical skills in food safety and aquatic animal health management through a five-day training. The educational opportunity was organized and delivered by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) under the ENPARD IV programme, with support from the European Union and Sweden. The training brought together more than 40 aquaculture producers, Food Business Operators and sector stakeholders. It aimed at adopting good aquaculture practices aligned with international standards.

The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), together with the European Dairy Association, held a private-sector dialogue today in Brussels, gathering European Union-based companies, industry associations, financial institutions and small and medium enterprises (SMEs) to shape private-sector inputs for FAO’s upcoming Thirty-fifth Session of the Regional Conference for Europe.

Academia and research institutions play a vital role in generating knowledge, innovation, and evidence-based solutions for agrifood systems. On 15 April 2026, 38 representatives from across Europe and Central Asia gathered virtually for the first-ever consultation of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) with academia and research institutions in the region. The event provided a space to exchange perspectives and develop recommendations ahead of the 35th Session of the FAO Regional Conference for Europe (ERC35).

Food loss and waste rarely announce themselves. They accumulate, quietly, across decisions: when to harvest, how to store, what to discard, what cannot be sold. By the time food reaches a consumer – if it does – it has already passed through a series of choices. A new course from the Virtual Learning Center of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) focuses on these choices. “Tackling Food Loss and Waste across the Agrifood Systems,” now available in an open-access format, examines how food loss and waste occur and what can be done to prevent and reduce it.

 

A highly contagious transboundary disease affecting sheep and goats, PPR poses serious risks to food security, trade, and rural livelihoods. Building on the success of the Global Rinderpest Eradication Programme, the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) and its partners are accelerating efforts toward global eradication of PPR.

Young people are at the heart of agrifood systems across Europe and Central Asia, playing an increasingly active role in the sector. In the region, approximately one quarter of working youth are employed in agrifood — a higher share than among adults — making it a key entry point into the labour market. On 30 March 2026, more than 170 young people from across the region gathered virtually for a regional  Consultative dialogue of youth. The event provided a space to share perspectives and lived experiences ahead of the  35th Session of the FAO Regional Conference for Europe (ERC35).

The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) and the Government of Flanders have launched a new initiative to support rural communities in Mykolaivska oblast of Ukraine. The project will help restore agricultural production, rehabilitate land damaged by warfare and strengthen the resilience of rural households and small-scale farmers whose livelihoods have been disrupted by the ongoing war.