Partnering for a sustainable future: FAO, Parliament members forge stronger ties

Parliament members from across the globe gathered 10–11 November at the headquarters of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) in Rome to exchange views and ideas on the use of legislative tools to boost progress in food security and nutrition. The Europe and Central Asia region was represented by Austria, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Georgia and Greece, with each country reaffirming its commitment to transforming the region’s food and agricultural sectors to be more efficient, inclusive and grounded in shared values.

With the wider aim of strengthening knowledge and facilitating political dialogue on the role of parliamentarians in driving food security, nutrition and sustainable agrifood systems, the meeting represented a crucial opportunity to identify priority topics and ensure political commitment. It served as a preparation for the Third Global Parliamentary Summit against Hunger and Malnutrition, scheduled to take place in 2026 in South Africa.

As it was shared with participants on behalf of the countries in Europe and Central Asia, long-lasting and sustainable results in the region will require targeted and collective actions towards common goals.

These recommendations, developed through a series of online consultations, should serve as the basis for FAO and for parliaments of the region to overcome the persistent challenges and issues that hamper improvement in the food security and nutrition realm.

Specifically, FAO and the parliamentarians of the region call for:

• An enabling policy environment, ensuring that national legislation supports the transition to sustainable production and consumption patterns.
• Investments in innovation, digitalization research, rural infrastructure and water management, enabling farmers and agri-entrepreneurs to adapt to climate challenges and seize new opportunities.
• Equitable partnerships that bridge government, the private sector, academia and civil society and place women, youth and vulnerable communities at the heart of decision-making.
• Regional and global cooperation to address food system issues – from supply chain disruptions to climate- and conflict-induced migration – that know no borders.
• Capacity development and education for all actors involved in sustainable agrifood system transformation.
• An inclusive system that considers the needs of rural women, youth, Indigenous Peoples and people with disabilities, leaving no one behind.

Improving collaboration step by step

In Europe and Central Asia, the collaboration between FAO and parliamentarians became stronger in October 2024 in Tirana through the Regional meeting of national parliament representatives on agrifood systems. Several online consultations followed in 2025 to ensure a continuous dialogue on the main issues and priorities related to the food and agriculture agenda.

During these meetings, parliamentarians agreed that the transformation of our agrifood systems is not merely a policy priority but also an ethical, legal, economic and environmental imperative. Parliamentarians pointed out that recent challenges (including climate change, conflicts, economic shocks, demographic shifts and biodiversity loss) underpin that food security is inseparable from peace, stability and sustainable development, requiring efforts from all sectors to achieve lasting impact.

In Europe and Central Asia, significant progress has been made in terms of the legislative framework for sustainable agriculture and rural development. In the regional intervention at the pre-summit meeting, a few examples were mentioned: strengthening land governance and promoting climate-smart agriculture, supporting innovation and digitalization, and ensuring the inclusion of smallholder farmers. Additionally, good examples were mentioned of how parliaments in the region are helping address challenges and adapt regional and international standards, practices and frameworks to local contexts.

“The joint work does not stop here, as parliaments represent key allies in improving lives and livelihoods in rural areas and ensuring more resilient food and agricultural sectors that can withstand all kinds of shocks,” said Darya Alekseeva, FAO Partnership Officer for Europe and Central Asia, expressing hope that more and more parliamentarians will join the fight against hunger and malnutrition.