Based on the FAO’s latest forecast, world cereal production in 2020 is set at 2 790 million tonnes, which would surpass the record high reached in 2019 by as much as 3 percent (81.3 million tonnes) and which would be 5 percent above the five-year average from 2015–2019. The forecast is based on near-average supply prospects in the new season, which, however, remain uncertain due to possible climatic shocks and the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic impact.

In many parts of the world, local markets are bracing for the looming impacts of COVID-19 amid uncertainties related to demand, logistics and even access to food.

FAO and the Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) GmbH have been providing support to the Western Balkans region to promote progress on gender equality, with a focus on measuring the proportion of countries where the legal framework guarantees women’s equal rights to land ownership and/or control.

Digital agriculture has the potential to contribute to a more economically, environmentally and socially sustainable agriculture and meet the agricultural goals of a country or a region more effectively, and both ICTs and agriculture are important enablers in achieving SDGs. Most stakeholders have long recognized the need for national e-agricultural strategies. Nevertheless, most of the countries have not yet implemented a national strategy for the agricultural sector's use of ICTs.

ITU Offices for Europe and CIS regions in collaboration with FAO Regional Office for Europe and Central Asia developed this report on state of Digital Agriculture and Strategies developed in 18 countries.

The background for conducting country studies on the challenges, needs and constraints of smallholders and family farms in seven countries has been a wish to further strengthen the Regional Initiative and develop the initiative towards a stronger programmatic approach at both the regional and country levels. To provide support to smallholders and family farms, there has been a need to develop a better understanding and knowledge platform of the main challenges, needs and constraints of smallholders and family farms in the specific country context. Even though many of the challenges are the same throughout the region, there are still significant variations among the countries...

The Proceedings of the Conference aims to compile the data collected during the Conference and archive it for the future. It is composed of six chapters. The chapter on keynote speeches includes presentations of Hafiz Muminjanov, Agricultural Officer at FAO, introducing Conservation Agriculture: a win-win option for food security, land management and livelihoods, and of Amir Kassam, moderator of the FAO Global Platform for CA Community on a worldwide revolution of conservation agriculture.

According to the FAO Global Information and Early Warning System (GIEWS), cereal production in 2019 and the estimated closing stock in 2019/20 are both near record highs and supplies in Europe and Central Asia (ECA) and around the world are estimated to be sufficient. As a result, global cereal markets are expected to remain balanced and comfortable despite worries over the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic.

However, localized disruptions, largely due to logistical issues, have caused some snarls in food distribution systems and food supply chains in some domestic markets. Though the anticipated duration and magnitude of these disruptions are unlikely to significantly affect global food markets, the regional and national food markets need to be monitored closely.