The European Forestry Commission (EFC) will meet in Istanbul, Türkiye, from 22 to 25 October to review and coordinate regional strategies on forests and the forest industry, with a specific focus on innovation. The session, coordinated by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), will bring together government officials and representatives of international organizations, civil society and the private sector to discuss a wide range of issues.

Aggressive and invasive plant species continue to undermine biodiversity, ecosystem safety and sustainable land management in Europe and Central Asia. Both forest ecosystems and urban green spaces face ecological imbalance, loss of native species, increased fire risk and human health risk due to allergies, not to mention the emerging costs of mitigating these effects. To this end, forest and urban landscape managers, policymakers, scientists and civil society representatives came together from 13 to 16 October 2025 at the Forest Invasive Species Network for Europe and Central Asia (REUFIS) technical workshop and annual meeting to address the escalating threat posed by invasive plant species across the region.

What if a disease caused by a fungus could be a good thing? It might seem unlikely, but it is, in fact, possible, if the target of the disease is a highly invasive forest tree species. An essential component of integrated pest management (IPM), biological control involves the use of natural enemies against pests and invasive species. In a broad sense, natural enemies are organisms that cause the death or impairment of other organisms, such as pests or invasive species. FAO promotes biological control for forest ecosystem preservation.

Today, the European Commission on Agriculture opens in Budapest, Hungary, as a key biennial discussion forum for the countries of Europe and Central Asia on topics related to food and agriculture. The Forty-fourth Session centres on the challenge of producing more with less, with key topics covering inclusive food and agriculture policies, digital solutions, and resilient investments, as well as the region’s response to multiple crisis.

Climate shocks, biodiversity loss and rising food insecurity continue to challenge communities worldwide. Innovative and sustainable solutions are needed more than ever to turn the tide on these negative trends. It was to this end that the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) convened the first Global Forum on Green Agriculture and the Second Regional Science and Innovation Week for Europe and Central Asia from 9 to 11 September 2025 in Budapest, Hungary.

Global environmental crises, including climate change, biodiversity loss and ecosystem degradation, are threatening livelihoods and agrifood systems. With resources limited and the need for action more urgent than ever, a fundamental and sustainable transformation of our agrifood systems is required to build a resilient and sustainable future. To address this challenge head-on, the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) brought together government officials and experts for a pivotal Regional Planning Meeting on Climate and Environmental Finance.

On 16 October 2025, the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) celebrates 80 years of commitment to ending hunger, transforming agrifood systems and promoting inclusive and sustainable rural development. In Kyrgyzstan, this milestone also serves as a tribute to decades of joint effort to achieve better production, better nutrition, a better environment and a better life, leaving no one behind.

A 2025 report by FAO reveals how countries across Eastern Europe and Central Asia are turning to bioeconomy strategies to transform their agrifood systems, enhance sustainability and revitalize rural economies. The publication, Promoting bioeconomy through agriculture practice in Eastern Europe and Central Asia, offers a comprehensive regional analysis, pinpointing key agricultural practices that align with bioeconomy principles. It delves into production trends and regional agricultural systems and examines how bioeconomy strategies can be integrated across diverse subregions from the Western Balkans to Central Asia.

Recognizing the important role of agrobiodiversity in rural diets, livelihoods and traditional knowledge, the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), with support from the Global Environment Facility (GEF), is working with local communities to promote biodiversity and the sustainable use of local plants through training and awareness raising of its value for food, health and income.

Commercial aquaculture in Turkmenistan dates to the early 1970s, with the introduction of pond-based fish farming. However, production levels declined sharply after the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991. Reviving freshwater aquaculture – particularly through smallholder farming approaches – has the potential to diversify farmers’ livelihoods, contribute to resilient agrifood systems and help mitigate the impacts of climate change. Accelerating this process in Turkmenistan, the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), within the framework of a Technical Cooperation Programme project, concluded two workshops on 16 and 17 July on aquatic animal health management and aquaculture systems design and operation.