Being a veterinarian isn’t always easy and definitely comes with unique challenges, but the rewards...
Regional Initiatives
As economic reforms in the 1990s shifted land ownership into the hands of private smallholders, family farmers became the predominant source of agricultural production in the region. To address the absence of well-developed institutional support, FAO is implementing a Regional Initiative on Empowering Smallholders and Family Farms for Improved Rural Livelihoods and Poverty Reduction.
While international trade policy is usually implemented at the border, adherence to food safety and quality standards concerns national food safety systems as well as food safety and quality control at the enterprise level. This means that a supportive policy environment for modern agrifood trade encompasses not only border policies, but also policies and institutions at the national and enterprise level.
The impact of climate change can already be felt on food production systems in the region, posing considerable challenges for agricultural production and food security. FAO is helping countries to manage their natural resources sustainably, while also coping with climate change and reducing the risk of disasters affecting agriculture, forestry and fisheries.
Stories from the field
Viticulture is one of Armenia’s most recognizable and valuable national assets. The history of wine growing in Armenia dates back over 6 000 years. For the past five years, FAO projects have been addressing plant pest (phylloxera) issues and laying the groundwork for sustainable grape production in Armenia.
Currently, the sector is at a critical phase of its development.
It takes a lot to build a good habit, but very little to ruin it. Healthy eating habits are not an exception; they not only take months or even years of a healthy diet routine and enabling food environment, but also are influenced by taste preferences and consumer behaviors formed during childhood, the most fertile years of our lives.
FAO, in cooperation with the Albanian Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, launched a collaboration to develop the milk value chain in Albania in partnership with the food producing and packaging company Tetra Laval and catering company AgorAl & Global Services (AGS).