We are pleased to invite you to participate into a moderated electronic stakeholders' consultation on “Sustainability Assessment of the Food Chain” from 21 February to 25 March 2011. The aim is to seek views and share knowledge on a sustainability framework that includes core sustainability issues and a common set of performance indicators, based on the food chain sector practices. The outcome of this exercise will consist of voluntary international guidelines for food producers and retailers. To participate, just visit our website, log-on and join us in the discussions.

Two new versions of AquaCrop, the FAO crop-model to simulate yield response to water of several herbaceous crops, are now availiable for download and installation. The new and improved standalone version of AquaCrop (Version 3.1+) and the new AquaCrop 3.1+ plug-in program which can be used in applications, such as GIS environments, where iterative runs are required.

Preparations are underway for 2012’s event marking twenty years since the Rio de Janeiro-hosted United Nations Conference on Environment and Development, commonly known as the Earth Summit. The newly launched FAO@Rio+20 web site will be updated throughout 2011 as preparations are underway with FAO’s detailed programme of work, studies and various initiatives related to the event.

As cities grow, so does their demand for water, both for drinking and for use in urban economic activities, including horticulture. Over the past 20 years, access to water has improved and demand increased in many cities and slums. As a result, water resources have become increasingly scarce in the urban environment. This information note and fact sheet highlight some of the challenges fruit and vegetable growers face in urban areas and proposes possible solutions, including wastewater reuse and the harvesting of rainwater.