Highlights
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Events
29/9
2025
1/10
2025
The 27th session of the Near East Forestry and Range Commission - 29 September to 1 October
Jeddah (Saudi Arabia), Hybrid Event, 29/09/2025 - 01/10/2025
The Near East Forestry and Range Commission (NEFRC) is a statutory body of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), established to advise member countries in the Near East and North Africa region on forestry, rangeland management, and land restoration.
Established in 1954, the NEFRC proudly celebrates its 70th anniversary in 2025, coinciding with FAO’s 80th an...
8/9
2025
11/9
2025
FAO-IPPC regional workshop 2025 for the Near East and North Africa (NENA) region
Salalah (Oman), 08/09/2025 - 11/09/2025
Background
The 2025 Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) - International Plant Protection Convention (IPPC) regional workshop annu...
5/10
2025
30/10
2025
E-learning course on agriculture in trade agreements
05/10/2025 - 30/10/2025
The Regional Office for the Near East and North Africa (RNE) and Markets and Trade Division (EST), in partnership with United Nations Institute for Training and Research (UNITAR) are launching the first edition of their joint online course titled "Agriculture in Trade Agreements" from October 5 - 30, 2025. Conducted exclusively in Arabic, the course aims to enhance the capacity of stakeholde...
9/9
2025
10/9
2025
Hack4safeFood: Tackling food safety challenges
09/09/2025 - 10/09/2025
Led by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), the Research Network and Food Safety Innovation Hub (RNFSI...
Regional Priorities
Action Areas
Red Palm Weevil Eradication Programme
The Red Palm Weevil (RPW) Eradication Programme facilitates the coordination of regional efforts to ensure an integrated and sustainable approach to controlling the RPW and reducing its devastating effects on date palm production, the food and income security of rural communities, and the ecology of affected areas.
Youth empowerment
Young men and women have a key role to play in fostering sustainability, equity and resilience of agrifood systems in the Near East and North Africa (NENA) region. FAO works with youth across the region to improve their access to high quality education and training, decent employment, rural institutions and critical assets and services, in agrifood value chains.
Sustainable and Inclusive Agrifood Value Chains
Sustainable and inclusive agrifood value chains development is a market-oriented and systems-based approach for assessing, understanding and improving the performance of agrifood value chains, to ensure their economic, social, and environmental and climate sustainability.
The UN Decade of Family Farming
The UN Decade of Family Farming 2019-2028 (UNDFF) aims to shed new light on what it means to be a family farmer in a rapidly changing world and highlights more than ever before the important role family farmers play in eradicating hunger and shaping the future of our agri-food systems.
Addressing climate change in agrifood systems
FAO’s climate change activities aim to strengthen capacities of member countries to build resilient agrifood systems, and to plan, implement and report on climate change adaptation and mitigation actions in the agriculture sectors.
Rural advisory services for inclusive transformation in the Near East and North Africa
Rural advisory services (RAS) have a central role in equipping farmers with the knowledge and skills to cope with challenges and empower them to make informed decisions, link to markets and act collectively to improve their livelihoods and claim their agency in inclusive rural transformation.
The Regional Initiative on Water Scarcity for the Near East and North Africa
In order to help NENA countries address the food and water security challenges, the FAO’s Regional Office in the Near East and North Africa and its partners established the Water Scarcity Initiative.
Gender equality and women’s empowerment for inclusive food systems transformation
The Regional Office has a stand-alone programme of work on gender equality and women’s empowerment that addresses gender as a cross-cutting theme in all its regional priorities and initiatives.
One Country One Priority Product: Global Action on Green Development of Special Agricultural Products
The Global Action on Green Development of Special Agricultural Products (SAPs): One Country One Priority Product (OCOP) was launched by the FAO Director General in 2021. The initiative will aim to support countries in transforming their agrifood systems to be more sustainable, efficient, resilient and inclusive.
Social inclusion
In NENA countries, poverty is predominantly rural. With small scale producers – including fishers and pastoralists – and landless rural workers facing growing marginalization, rural communities are left increasingly vulnerable to economic, political and environmental shocks. This and the high prevalence of gender disparities, youth unemployment, child labour and other forms of exclusion constitute a significant barrier to more equitable agrifood systems in the region.
Stories
Blogs
Opinions
Miracle on the Edge of the Desert: Saudi Arabia's Mangrove Forests
25/08/2025
Mangrove forests stand as one of the world's most vital ecological assets, offering a multi-faceted defense system for both humanity and the environment. They are essential for preserving biodiversity and serve as critical sanctuaries for over 4.1 million small-scale fishers globally.
Greening agriculture, water scarcity and climate action
From sand and dust storms to sustainability: How pastoral communities are reviving rangelands
12/07/2025
Every year on 12 July, we commemorate the International Day of Combating Sand and Dust Storms (SDS), a day that calls for awareness and action against one of the world’s most pervasive yet underrecognized natural phenomena. In the Near East and North Africa (NENA) region, the challenge is more pressing than ever.
Technical Expertise
Turning the Tide: Investing in Youth to Transform Agrifood Systems in the Near East and North Africa
01/07/2025
Across the Near East and North Africa (NENA) region, a stark paradox is unfolding; while food insecurity and rural poverty are rising, so too is the untapped potential of a young and talented population. With over 60 percent of the population under the age of 25, our region stands at a crossroads, where deep-rooted challenges meet a powerful opportunity for renewal.
Publications
Reimagining sustainable returns on investment for planet and people A Near East and North Africa regional approach to ecosystem restoration and development solutions - White paper
2025
This white paper presents a strategic response to the environmental, social, and economic "poly-crisis" affecting the Near East and North Africa (NENA) region. As one of the most land- and water-scarce regions globally, NENA faces mounting challenges from land degradation, climate change, food insecurity, and fragile ecosystems.
Support economic growth through optimized agricultural value chains in the West Bank
2025
From 2016 to 2025, FAO supported 22 000 small-scale farming families in the West Bank—35 percent women—through a USD 19.9 million project aimed at boosting agricultural value chains. The initiative improved land and water access, introduced sustainable farming practices,
Dunum by Dunum With support from Canada, FAO has developed a model for optimizing agricultural value chains and transforming the West Bank agrifood sector
2025
We are summarizing the achievements of the Canada 406 project after nine years of operation. Now that the project has come to an end, we have designed this publication to highlight its key outcomes and impact.
.tmb-th600x400.png?Culture=en&sfvrsn=88e9f5ea_2 "Association of Agricultural Research Institutions in the Near East and North Africa (AARINENA)")
.tmb-th600x400.png?Culture=en&sfvrsn=a8ad9034_1 "The Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD)")
.tmb-th600x400.png?Culture=en&sfvrsn=dfbaa9f2_1 "Inter-Islamic Network on Water Resources Development and Management (INWRDAM)")
.tmb-th600x400.png?Culture=en&sfvrsn=4eb83e5b_1 "Centre for Environment and Development for the Arab Region and Europe (CEDARE)")
.tmb-th600x400.png?Culture=en&sfvrsn=b68ea809_2 "Economic Cooperation Organisation (ECO)")
.tmb-th600x400.png?Culture=en&sfvrsn=26bd6c6b_1 "Arab Gulf Programme for Development (AGFUND)")
.tmb-th600x400.png?Culture=en&sfvrsn=2b881a9b_1 "The Arab Maghreb Union (AMU)")
.tmb-th600x400.png?Culture=en&sfvrsn=ae3a73a3_1 "Regional Centre on Agrarian Reform & Rural Development for the Near East(CARDNE)")
.tmb-th600x400.png?Culture=en&sfvrsn=5fad0e0e_1 "Organization of the Islamic Conference (OIC)")
.tmb-th600x400.png?Culture=en&sfvrsn=adacc503_1 "Organization of Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD)")
.tmb-th600x400.png?Culture=en&sfvrsn=8bd62a66_1 "Cooperation Council for the Arab States of the Gulf (GCC)")