As a country with a significant agricultural sector dominated by smallholders, Albania has a strong interest in understanding their situation. A new FAO study on Albanian smallholders is a crucial step towards evidence-based decision-making for the benefi

To ensure preparedness, early detection, and response against the incursion of any transboundary animal disease, it is paramount to train the first responders – the veterinarians, and as many as possible. With this in mind, FAO offers an electronic traini

Vulnerable groups have been hit hard by the current COVID-19 pandemic and its economic consequences, affecting people’s health, food security and nutrition, income, and employment status – particularly rural households, informal workers, smallholders, and

The Green Climate Fund (GCF), the main global fund financing actions to fight climate change, approved its second project for North Macedonia under the readiness and preparatory support programme to help the country become more prepared for the impacts of

Beekeeping is a prominent activity not only as an important source of income but also for the bees’ key role to preserve biodiversity and the natural balance of ecosystems. To this end, FAO provided 400 beehives and equipment to beekeepers in the villages

Adnan Quereshi has been appointed as FAO Representative in Kyrgyzstan, effective from 1 July. The British national will switch to the Central Asian country from the Organization’s Rome headquarters, where he served as senior programme officer since 2018.

A new FAO project catalyzing the efficiency and sustainability of Azerbaijan’s hazelnut sector "HAZER" was virtually launched in June, under the FAO-Azerbaijan Partnership Programme. Azerbaijan is among the world’s top five hazelnut producer countries, p

In two neighbouring countries, water sharing leads to modern technologies, cross-border cooperation, and increased women involvement.

Food systems in Europe and Central Asia are under pressure by COVID-19. Food outlets and people’s mobility have been temporarily suspended, trade has been disrupted, unemployment is on the rise. Their impacts are yet to be quantified, notably in relation

The fisheries and aquaculture sector have significantly expanded in the past decades, with global fish production estimated to have reached about 179 million tonnes in 2018, along with increasing trade and consumption. Not only has the sector been key in

Geographical Indications help celebrate countries’ rich food heritage

How supporting local agri-entrepreneurs has enhanced migrants’ resilience to the COVID-19 crisis

Women in Georgia’s rural areas learn good practices from FAO and the EU for better farming

Across the globe, the pandemic revealed the extreme vulnerability of the agricultural sector. It has left governments confronted with multiple challenges to protect human lives, and livelihoods, as well as ensuring sufficient food supplies and basic servi

COVID-19 has affected the way our food is supplied, traded, and purchased, which gives rise to new or different risks that need to be considered to ensure our food is safe at all times. Mary Kenny is FAO’s food safety and consumer protection officer for

Uzbekistan is looking for ways to transform the management of its highly degraded landscapes, where globally important biodiversity coexists with production systems, under threat from overexploitation and agriculture intensification. Wheat is one of the

Today, the world is celebrating the International Day for the Fight against Illegal, Unreported and Unregulated Fishing. There is even more to celebrate, as the 58th Council of the Global Environment Facility (GEF) has now endorsed financial support to tw

Climate change is one of the biggest global challenge of our times. Thousands of rural farmers and families are already suffering from consequences that may continue to enlarge, increasing the risk of poverty, food insecurity, and forced migration. Some

Getting fruit and vegetables from the fields to the table is extra challenging amid COVID-19 – from restrictions on movement to high transport costs and closed markets. The sector is also facing big changes in demand and prices. While the prices of some

As countries ease lockdown measures, a new set of challenges emerges for food production, processing, and logistics of supply chains. Some of these can provide opportunity for growth, given that policymakers and value chain actors play their part. To miti