“Everyone in my family is involved in agriculture. It is the main pillar of our lives. We could do without many things, but not without food and water.” With these words, 19-year-old Đorđe Mićević describes both his upbringing and his future. A former student of the Dr. Đorđe Radić Agricultural and Chemical School in Kraljevo, Đorđe is part of a new generation of young people in Serbia who are learning how to adapt agriculture to climate change.

Sonya Kirgizova is well known in the mountain villages of Tojikobod in central-eastern Tajikistan. Her neighbours admire her greenhouse, her jars filled with pickled Anzur onions and cucumbers, and the buzzing hives behind her home. More than anything, though, they trust her. This trust is what made her a central figure in bringing women farmers into a project that is helping to protect Tajikistan’s rich agrobiodiversity.

The booklet Seeds of heritage: The journey of GIAHS in Europe and Central Asia, published by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, explores how traditional agricultural landscapes across the region are being recognized as Globally Important Agricultural Heritage Systems (GIAHS) – and why they hold vital lessons for building more sustainable and resilient agrifood systems.

Locust species that produce large swarms and travel long distances can damage agricultural production if outbreaks are not contained through timely, well-coordinated action. As locust infestations continue to threaten crops, rangelands and rural livelihoods across the Caucasus and Central Asia, countries are strengthening their cooperation to improve early warning and support efficient and environmentally responsible control measures.

Albania has launched the Agrifood Systems Dialogue Platform to guide policy reform and investment in the country’s agrifood sector through evidence-based dialogue and multistakeholder collaboration. Developed with technical support from the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), the platform aims to support more coordinated, transparent and strategic decision-making as Albania advances its agrifood system transformation and European Union integration process.

Access to adequate food is a fundamental human right recognized under international law. In Europe and Central Asia, realizing the right to food is increasingly critical – not only to addressing hunger but also to ensuring access to adequate, nutritious and diversified diets while responding to growing diet-related health challenges and supporting sustainable food systems. 

Until now, most fish farms in Georgia have relied on paper notebooks to record data on feedings, health treatments and production. This resource-intensive approach limits disease prevention, slows decision-making and makes traceability difficult. That, however, is about to change. Georgia is preparing to integrate its aquacultural sector into the National Animal Identification and Traceability System (NAITS) and the linked Farm Management System (FMS), a move aimed at modernizing fish health management, strengthening food safety and supporting access to international markets.

Senior leaders of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) concluded a high-level visit to the Joint FAO/IAEA Centre of Nuclear Techniques in Food and Agriculture on 12 February 2026, emphasizing a shared commitment to scaling up science-based and innovative solutions to address food insecurity, malnutrition and sustainability challenges across regions. FAO and the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) work together to assist Members in using nuclear and related technologies safely and appropriately.

After five years of coordinated work, the agricultural sector in Serbia is better prepared to face future climate risks. Through the project Strengthening Disaster Resilience in Agriculture, funded by the European Union and implemented from March 2021 to January 2026, climate resilience has been systematically embedded across agricultural policies, institutions and farming practices, strengthening the sector from national strategy to the field.

The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) operates in six official languages, enabling the dissemination of technical knowledge and guidance to diverse audiences worldwide. This multilingual approach supports capacity development, facilitates effective communication and strengthens partnerships among stakeholders. In Europe and Central Asia, Russian remains a key working language for many veterinary professionals, paraprofessionals and livestock producers. Ensuring access to technical training in the Russian language is therefore essential to strengthening animal health systems throughout the region.