The FAO Commission on Phytosanitary Measures (CPM), a key body aimed at curbing the risks posed by plant pests and diseases that threaten agriculture and livelihoods and damage our ecosystems, convened today to discuss further measures to stop their spread.

In a vibrant culmination of the International Year of Millets, experts, policymakers, farmers, and enthusiasts from around the world gathered in Rome to exchange experiences, knowledge, and visions for the future of millets. The Closing Event, held amidst an atmosphere of enthusiasm, showcased the significance of millets around the world, especially in the drylands. 

Key stakeholders, including government officials, non-governmental organizations and civil society representatives, project task force members, leading technical experts OCOP Focal Points and FAO staff from 11 project countries convened virtually to launch a new project aimed at expanding the ...

The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) marked the official closure of the International Year of Millets 2023 with a ceremony that celebrated the Year’s achievements and committed to continuing the momentum. Over 200 people attended the hybrid event which was held at FAO ‘s headquarters in Rome and on Zoom.

Millets were a vital means of survival for chef Fatmata Binta and her family during Sierra Leone’s civil war. As the International Year of Millets 2023 drew to a close, Binta shared her personal story during a panel discussion held by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) to discuss the impact of the Year.

The project is designed to provide specialized training to approximately 100 women involved in fonio cultivation, enhancing their skills and boosting their productivity and income. Funded by FAO under a Technical Cooperation Project, the training will include hands-on sessions on fonio product...

Advances in plant breeding technologies and value chains have enormous potential to boost sustainable millet production and consumer demand but must be backed by investment and policy support.

That was one of the key messages from researchers and other experts at the roundtable discussio...

The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations has called for ‘’robust coordination’’ between countries and regions in efforts to prevent and combat the scourge of desert locusts. “Desert locusts – as migratory pests – cannot be controlled by one single country or one single entity,” FAO Deputy Director-General Beth Bechdol told participants at a high-level webinar today.

The potato, an important crop that is consumed by over one billion people around the world, will be celebrated on 30 May 2024, the first-ever International Day of Potato. The theme will be: ‘Harvesting diversity, feeding hope’. A newly published ‘get involved guide’ has more on the theme and also features key messages. There are suggestions for government bodies, food business operators, NGOs, educators and parents who wish to organize events and activities to engage their local and regional communities.

FAO recognizes women’s need to access agricultural mechanization in plant production to conduct their farming practices profitably and efficiently. Sustainable agricultural mechanization covers all levels of farming and processing technologies, from simple and basic hand tools to more sophisticated and motorized equipment.