FAO Regional Office for Europe and Central Asia

FAO Regional Priority Programme

As a result of land reforms in the 1990s, Europe and Central Asia is largely a region of smallholders. In some countries, large commercial farms exist side-by-side with many economically unprofitable smallholders. Yet small farms can achieve high levels of productivity and income – through improved organization, intensified and sustainable production, and integration into agrifood chains. With appropriate support, family farms can be a model for achieving sustainable growth, ensuring food security and mitigating rural poverty.
Using the power of youth to revive rural areas
11/06/2025

To identify and discuss obstacles and opportunities of rural youth in Europe and Central Asia, the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations...

LANDNET workshop to discuss good practices on land consolidation success in Europe and around the world
28/05/2025

In many countries of the Europe and Central Asia region, the majority of smallholder farmers own fragmented land parcels that are difficult to farm...

New digital technologies boost beekeeping for smallholder farmers and family beekeepers
20/05/2025

Today on World Bee Day, we all have an opportunity – whether we work for governments, organizations or civil society or are concerned private citizens...

Sowing the seeds of change: Montenegro modernizes smallholder feed production one experiment at a time
19/05/2025

The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), through a Technical Cooperation Programme (TCP), is ready to provide Montenegro with...

North Macedonia steps up efforts to digitalize agriculture
06/05/2025

The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), in collaboration with the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Water Economy of...

Securing land rights with just a few clicks
28/04/2025

Just a few years ago, registering of land or changes in property rights, such as an inheritance or a purchase, was a time-consuming and often costly...

FAO support to Tajikistan’s cooperatives and rural development improves agricultural productivity
17/04/2025

Within its ongoing efforts to strengthen Tajikistan's agricultural sector, the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), has successfully...

From farmers to government officials — everyone benefits from a digital land cadastre
15/04/2025

In 2022, the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) began supporting the Ministry of Agriculture of Turkmenistan and its Land...

Innovative farming in Tajikistan
03/04/2025

In the Khatlon region of Tajikistan, farming of cotton, wheat and other crops has long been the backbone of rural livelihoods. Safarmad Gadoev, a farmer...

Twinning for digital agriculture
21/03/2025

As part of the Digital Villages Initiative (DVI), the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) has facilitated a twinning study...

Moldovan farmers receive critical support amid drought, economic crisis
03/03/2025

Over the past two years, Moldovan farmers have faced a devastating drought, economic hardship and the ripple effects of the war in Ukraine, jeopardizing...

FAO, Republic of Moldova join forces to better train and support farmers
28/02/2025

The agriculture sector in the Republic of Moldova, a cornerstone of the national economy, faces many diverse challenges. The Food and Agriculture...

Gender inequality in rural Georgia: challenges and pathways for parity in agrifood systems
19/02/2025

Rural women in Georgia make important contributions across the spectrum of activities in agrifood systems, working in food production, processing...

FAO and the European Union provide grants of up to USD150 000 to support aggregation models in berry and vegetable production
17/02/2025

On 17 February 2025, the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), with the support of the European Union (EU) and in close collaboration...

The skills that saved one Georgian woman’s life
12/02/2025

Nino Kavtaradze’s skills and experience processing fruits and making cheeses provided her with income for vital cancer treatment and equipped her to...

State-of-the-art grapevine pruning online video courses are now available in Georgian
31/01/2025

Georgian viticulturalists can now gain in-depth knowledge on winter and green pruning in vineyards by accessing online technical video courses. The...

FAO surveys digitalization of agriculture in Tajikistan
28/01/2025

From September to December 2024, the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), in partnership with the Centre for Sociological...

Turkmenistan embraces advanced remote sensing technology for enhanced crop monitoring
14/01/2025

Although agriculture in Turkmenistan has a modest share of the gross domestic product (GDP), the sector holds strategic importance, as a significant...

FAO helps local communities help themselves to a more sustainable future
23/12/2024

In Bosnia and Herzegovina, the lives and livelihoods of people living in rural areas could transform to be more sustainable through combining priorities...

FAO project scaled up rural women’s empowerment
11/12/2024

Women living in rural areas of Tajikistan, Türkiye and Uzbekistan are a large portion of the population and play vital roles in both farming and non-farming...

This Regional Priority Programme uses a complex, multidisciplinary and area-based development approach, tailored to the Europe and Central Asia region. It takes into consideration the region’s heterogeneity and the special challenges it faces.

The overall goal is to address the key problems of rural people by empowering smallholders and family farms to improve their livelihoods. Elimination of rural poverty, improving the resilience of rural populations (with a focus on smallholders) and inclusive growth for rural economies based on sustainable use of natural resources are the basic principles of the Priority Programme.

The work focuses equally on technical issues (animal health, production, phytosanitary and so forth) and social, economic and environmental aspects. Inclusiveness – with respect to gender and vulnerable groups, for example – is also a key principle.

The Priority Programme tackles two main areas: (1) policy, institutions and governance, and (2) farms and communities. Priority actions include strengthening governance and policies, building capacities, enhancing participatory approaches, supporting small holders in sustainable production technologies, supporting land consolidation processes, income diversification, and improving smallholder access to markets, rural finance and value chains.

The Priority Programme aims to achieve the following results:

  • Increased participation of farmers and rural communities in national development;
  • Enhanced sustainable and inclusive growth of rural economies;
  • Improved sustainable management of natural resources.

Activities are in the following areas:

  • sustainable management of agricultural land and water resources;
  • intensification of smallholders’ production in a sustainable manner;
  • strengthening the organizations of small producers and family farms;
  • enhancing rural services – such as advisory services and micro-loans.

Results are foreseen mainly in:

  • increased participation of farmers and rural communities in national development;
  • enhanced sustainable and inclusive growth of rural economies; 
  • improved sustainable management of natural resources;
  • dissemination of sustainable agricultural best practices;
  • strengthened governance to support producers and resource managers;
  • enhanced and equitable access by smallholders to productive resources, services, organizations and markets;
  • development of inclusive and efficient agribusinesses and agrifood chains.

Related news and events

Events

24/6

2022

Hybrid Event, 24/06/2022

9:00 – 13:00 CEST In the framework of the 2nd Regional Workshop on integrated community development, FAO is organizing a regional dialogue on the United Nations Decade of Family Farming in Europe and Central Asia in a hybrid modality. The aim of the eve

14/9

2022

Hybrid Event, 14/09/2022

FAO and the International Federation of Surveyors (FIG) are organizing a joint sessions during the 2022 FIG Congress with a special focus on the potential for multi-purpose land consolidation in countries of Eastern Europe.   The objective of the session