The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) and the Government of Germany, through the Federal Ministry of Food, Agriculture and Regional Identity, have launched a new project to support rural communities in Dnipropetrovska oblast. The initiative will be implemented in one of the regions most affected by the war, where rural households continue to experience disruptions to their livelihoods, reduced production capacity and limited access to essential resources, making targeted agricultural support critical.

Nurcan Tekneci had a successful corporate career and used to live a hectic city life. After the pandemic, she decided to move to the countryside and take up beekeeping, a big decision that not everyone approved of. She also joined FAO training courses, which gave her tools that she immediately put into practice. 

The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) recognizes the challenges rural women face and works to break down the structural barriers confining them. In Bosnia and Herzegovina, FAO completed at the end of November 2025 the implementation of the project, Women Driving Resilience in Agriculture and Rural Areas, marking an important step towards gender-responsive, climate-resilient rural development across Bosnia and Herzegovina. The project was completed in partnership with key national institutions and UN Women and funded by the Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency (SIDA).

The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) and the Government of Norway have launched a new project to support rural communities in frontline areas of Ukraine. The initiative will be implemented in Chernihivska, Dnipropetrovska and Mykolaivska oblasts, where rural households and small-scale farmers continue to face the impacts of the war, including damaged infrastructure, disrupted agricultural production, reduced access to productive resources and, in some areas, contamination of agricultural land.

A multi-country initiative supporting smallholder farmers in adopting sustainable, productive and climate resilient practices has successfully concluded. Implemented by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) in Kyrgyzstan and Uzbekistan, the project harnessed the power of education and innovation to address interconnected challenges in agricultural production, food and nutrition security, and environmental sustainability.

Sopo, a 31-year-old from Tsalka, is taking her first steps towards building a small cheese business with her mother.
“I’m planning to start a small cheese making business,” she says. “Step by step, my mother and I are laying the foundations for a family-run business focused on quality. Supporting other women farmers really matters to me because I know how difficult it can be to access information. I try to help as best I can by sharing details about projects, training, exhibitions or anything else that might help their businesses grow.”

The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) has published its  Emergency and Early Recovery Response Plan for Ukraine for 2026–2028, outlining priority actions to protect agricultural livelihoods, restore productive capacity and support Ukraine’s agrifood sector.

People coming together to plant trees in Yerevan. A group of Kyrgyz mountain climbers reaching one of Central Asia’s highest summits – the 7 134-metre-high Lenin Peak – to place an FAO flag at the top. Schoolchildren in Serbia learning about healthy diets and nutrition to establish good eating habits at a young age. World Food Day 2025 united people and communities to act together to promote a sustainable, safer and climate-resilient future, where everyone has a full plate. 

Protecting Türkiye’s Bursa black figs and peaches, from tree to table.

By signing a new agreement, the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) and Uzbekistan have pledged to provide more targeted and country-specific support to rural communities. By 2030, the agreement foresees the improvement of territorial development strategies, food safety and nutrition, One Health surveillance, natural resources management, and the handling of environmental risks and hazards in agriculture.