Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) has launched an initiative to strengthen welding education in Armenia. This is a component of the “Forest resilience of Armenia, enhancing adaptation and rural green growth via mitigation” project. It is implemented by FAO and the Environmental Project Implementation Unit of the Ministry of Environment of the Republic of Armenia. The project is funded by the Green Climate Fund and co-funded by FAO, the Austrian Development Agency, the World Wildlife Fund and the Autonomous Province of Bolzano-Italy with significant financial support provided by the Government of Armenia.

On 20 February an agreement for the project “Enhancing the resilience of Serbian forests to ensure energy security of the most vulnerable while contributing to their livelihoods and carbon sequestration (FOREST Invest)’’ was signed between the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), in its capacity as an Accredited Entity of the Green Climate Fund (GCF), the Government of the Republic of Serbia, represented by the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Water Management, as well as two public enterprises “Srbijašume” and “Vojvodinašume”.

By helping communities avoid or lessen the impact of disasters, efforts to reduce and manage disaster risk can save lives and protect livelihoods. The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) supports countries in developing disaster risk reduction and management systems for their agriculture sectors, not only to respond to disaster impacts but also to increase the resilience of at-risk populations by combining prevention, mitigation and preparedness.

On 21 November 2024 in Syunik Marz, Armenia, high school students in Goris received training in tree planting and forest management. The activity was carried out by the local Forestry branch of Hayantar SNCO, the state organization for forest management in Armenia, together with the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) in Armenia. The community awareness raising event was organized within the framework of the project “Sustainable Forest Management in Armenia,” implemented by the Ministry of Environment and FAO. The project is co-funded by a grant from the Green Climate Fund, FAO, the Austrian Development Agency, the World Wildlife Fund and the Autonomous Province of Bolzano-Italy. A significant amount of funding is provided by the Government of Armenia.

In Central Asia, proper pesticide lifecycle management has been overlooked in past years due to gaps in the legal frameworks and a lack of experience and skill among the institutions and stakeholders responsible for managing pesticides. As a legacy of the former Soviet Union, it is estimated that around half of the global stocks of obsolete pesticides are in this region. The first week of December calls attention to proper pesticide use and soil health, with the International No Pesticide Use Day (3 December) and World Soil Day (5 December). 

The growing recognition of sustainable agrifood systems in addressing climate change is reflected in international negotiations at the recent Conferences of the Parties (COP) of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC). The day dedicated to Food, Agriculture and Water on 19 November 2024 at COP29 highlights this intensified focus. The day opened with the launch of the Baku Harmoniya Climate Initiative for Farmers (Harmoniya Initiative), a collaboration between the COP29 Presidency and the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO). 

In the village of Koram, around 150 kilometers east of Almaty in Kazakhstan, Aishagul's life has been marked by her husband’s debilitating injury and the severe illnesses of her elderly parents-in-law.A turning point came when Aishagul's sister-in-law, aware of her dire situation, introduced her to a greenhouse harvesting training programme. This initiative was part of the broader Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) project, known as CACILM-2, and funded by the Global Environmental Facility (GEF).

New approaches and strengthened collaboration on restoration are needed to ensure that the Mediterranean’s forest ecosystems thrive, experts from the region will hear this week as they gather for the 8th Mediterranean Forest Week (8MFW) in Barcelona, Spain. 

The week, entitled “Working together for sustainable and resilient Mediterranean forests – Towards a collaborative roadmap”, is organized by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), the European Forest Institute Mediterranean Facility (EFIMED) and the Joint Organizing Committee.

For more than a year, FAO has been facilitating and supporting the accession process in Tajikistan under an ongoing pesticide management and disposal project from the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) and the Global Environment Facility (GEF) in Central Asia and Türkiye. These efforts have paid off, with the Republic of Tajikistan officially ratifying the Rotterdam Convention on 1 October 2024.

Solving global food and agriculture challenges can start with an act as simple as looking to nature. Imitating nature’s processes and ecosystems can help solve global challenges via local approaches that minimize environmental impact. “Frugal innovation” is the development of sustainable and affordable solutions that maximize value while preserving natural resources, biodiversity and ecosystems. The concept was front and centre during a 3 October hybrid event that aimed to advance sustainable, inclusive and resilient agrifood systems in Europe and Central Asia. It is crucial for empowering smallholders, women, youth and rural communities to create locally relevant solutions that strengthen the resilience and inclusivity of agrifood systems.