FAO at the World Urban Forum 12 (WUF12)

Cairo (Egypt), 04/11/2024 - 08/11/2024

Urbanization in the Near East and North Africa (NENA) region is rapidly accelerating, with projections showing that by 2050, 73% of the population will live in cities. This urban expansion brings immense challenges, including environmental degradation, resource scarcity, and increased vulnerability to climate change.

Considering this, FAO is actively participating in the upcoming Worl...

UN Decade on Ecosystem Restoration Regional Meeting - Investing in Ecosystem Restoration

Virtual Event, 13/11/2024

The UN Decade on Ecosystem Restoration (2021-2030) calls for the protection and revitalization of global ecosystems to benefit both people and the environment. Ecosystem restoration involves both rehabilitating degraded ecosystems and conserving intact ecosystems. Co-led by the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) and the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), the initiative aims to ra...

FAO at the World Urban Forum - Urban agrifood systems transformation in Near East and North Africa: towards reconnecting cities with nature and mitigating the impact of climate change on urban communities.

08/11/2024

Location: ONE UN Room B at Egypt International Exhibition Center

As cities in the Near East and North Africa (NENA) region rapidly expand, urban populations are expected to reach 73 percent by 2050, totaling over 450 million people. This growth places substantial strain on infrastructure, natural resources, and food systems, leading to environmental degradation an...

Regional Dialogue for Cooperative Development in the NENA Region

28/10/2024

Background

Agricultural cooperatives, Producer and Professional Organizations (PPOs), and Water Users Associations (WUAs) in the North Africa and Near East (NENA) region play a crucial role in supporting small-scale family farming, which is vital for the regional economy. Recognized as a strategic sector, agriculture benefits significantly from the contributions of coo...

The Wrap-up Meeting of the FAO Regional Programme on Red Palm Weevil Eradication in the Near East and North Africa (NENA) Region

Jeddah (Saudi Arabia), Hybrid Event, 28/10/2024 - 29/10/2024

Red Palm Weevil (RPW) is a significant transboundary pest of date, coconut, and ornamental palms that originates from South Asia and is rapidly spreading throughout the world. In the Near East, RPW is causing widespread damage to date palms, which impacts production, farmer livelihoods, and the environment. Weak quarantine measures and difficulties in the early detection of RPW-infested plan...

The International Day of Awareness of Food Loss and Waste - 2024

Cairo (Egypt), Hybrid Event, 20/10/2024

Food loss and waste (FLW) is a significant issue impacting global food systems, with 14% of food lost post-harvest and 17% wasted at the retail and consumption stages. In the Near East and North Africa (NENA) region, FLW contributes to hunger, environmental degradation, and economic strain, with 15% of food lost before retail and 32% wasted at the consumer level.  

Launch of the Mapping Report on Affordable and Transferrable Climate-Smart Technologies for Smallholder Farmers

Virtual Event, 07/10/2024

10:00- 12:00 Cairo Time (GMT+3)

Background:

In response to the pressing need for innovative solutions to address food security challenges, a Tripartite Cooperation Agreement between the Islamic Development Bank (IsDB), the FAO Regional Office for the Near East and North Africa region, and the International Fund for Agricult...

40th Anniversary of Arab Bread Day

Amman (Jordan), Hybrid Event, 07/10/2024 - 08/10/2024

The Arab Bread Day, celebrated annually by the Arab Federation for Food Industries (AFFI), marks the anniversary of the first Arab conference for the grain industry held in Jordan in 1984. This year, we celebrate the 40th Anniversary of Arab Bread Day, a significant milestone where FAO joins hands with AFFI to commemorate this occasion. The symposium will explore the challenges and opportuni...

2024 IPPC REGIONAL WORKSHOP FOR THE NEAR EAST AND NORTH AFRICA (NENA) REGION

Rabat (Morocco), Hybrid Event, 05/08/2024 - 08/08/2024

The annual IPPC regional workshop for the Near East and North Africa (NENA) region will be held from 5-8 August 2024 in Rabat, Morocco. The workshop will be organized in a hybrid...

FAO- NEPPO Regional Meeting on “Strategies for prevention, early detection and control of Red Plam Weevil”

Hammamet (Tunisia), 24/06/2024 - 25/06/2024

Red Palm Weevil (RPW, Rhynchophorus ferrugineus) is a key transboundary pest of date, coconut, and ornamental palms that originates from South Asia and is rapidly spreading throughout the world. In the Near East, RPW is causing widespread damage to date palms, which impacts production, farmer livelihoods, and the environment. 

Extending social security for agricultural workers in the MENA region: A MENA Policy Incubator

Amman (Jordan), Hybrid Event, 24/06/2024 - 26/06/2024

Workers in the agriculture sector tend to be excluded from social insurance (SI) schemes and benefits such as old-age pensions, work injury benefits, maternity benefits and health insurance. In the MENA, several barriers prevent AW from registering for and accessing SI schemes, including exclusion from legal frameworks, financial barriers, administrative and institutional barriers, and particip...

First Annual Meeting of The Arab Forum for Rural Advisory Services (AFRAS)

Virtual Event, 29/07/2024 - 31/07/2024

The Arab Forum for Rural Advisory Services (AFRAS), the first of its kind community of experts, champions, policy makers and practitioners from different sectors committed to advancing extension and Rural Advisory Services (RAS) across the Near East and North Africa (NENA) region, was officially launched on 8 Februa...

World Food Safety Day 2024

Cairo (Egypt), Hybrid Event, 10/06/2024 - 10/05/2024

Access to sufficient amounts of safe food is a key to sustaining life and promoting good health. Food safety has a critical role in assuring that food stays safe at every stage of the food chain - from production to harvest, processing, storage, distribution, all the way to preparation and consumption.

Regional Training of Trainers (ToT) Workshop on the Susa-Hamra App: a digital system for monitoring and early warning for Red Palm Weevil (RPW)

Muscat (Oman), 03/06/2024 - 06/06/2024

Red Palm Weevil (RPW, Rhynchophorus ferrugineus) is a key transboundary pest of date, coconut, and ornamental palms that originates from South Asia and is rapidl...

Regional Training of Trainers (ToT) Workshop on the Susa-Hamra App: a digital system for monitoring and early warning for Red Palm Weevil (RPW)

Amman (Jordan), 28/05/2024 - 30/05/2024

Red Palm Weevil (RPW, Rhynchophorus ferrugineus) is a key transboundary pest of date, coconut, and ornamental palms that originates from South Asia and is rapidl...

FAO Regional Conference for the Near East (NERC) - Ministerial Session

Amman (Jordan), Hybrid Event, 04/03/2024 - 05/03/2024

The working languages of the Regional Conference are Arabic, English and French.

Official Launch of the Arab Forum for Rural Advisory Services (AFRAS)

Virtual Event, 08/02/2024

Rural Advisory Services (RAS) play a key role in empowering small-scale farmers with the skills and practices they need to address their productivity and profitability challenges and improve their livelihoods, he...

Dialogue with Private Sector: "Engaging the Private Sector in Accelerating Agrifood Systems Transformation in the Near East and North Africa”

Virtual Event, 30/01/2024

The role of the private sector is pivotal in driving the transformation of agrifood systems, particularly in regions like NENA. Private enterprises, ranging from small businesses to large firms, play a crucial role in introducing innovation, technology, and efficient practices throughout the entire agrifood value chain fostering the creation of value-added products. By leveraging their resource...

Multi-stakeholder Workshop: Monitoring and Reporting of SDG 6.4 Target in the Near East and North Africa Region

Cairo (Egypt), 13/12/2023 - 14/12/2023

Freshwater scarcity remains a significant challenge in the NENA region, aggravated by factors such as population growth, climate change, urbanization, and conflict. Achieving SDG 6, which focuses on clean water and sanitation, is crucial for the economic and social development of the region. Specifically, monitoring SDG target 6.4 is imperative, addressing water use and scarcity through two key...

Technical meeting to strengthen national capacities for surveillance and management of cactus and cochineal in the Mediterranean

Marrakesh (Morocco), 12/12/2023 - 14/12/2023

Since its introduction to the Mediterranean regions, the cactus pear (Opuntia spp.) has grown to be one of the most significant species of landscape as a natural or cultivated crop. The cactus pear has gradually become an important food and feed crop for smallholder farmers, improving rural livelihoods. In Southern Europe, it is mainly cultivated for fruit production, whereas in the Near Eas...