The Resources, Partnerships – Impact 2020 shows how FAO worked in collaboration with
multiple stakeholders in 2019, maximising partnerships for greater results on the
ground.
Through a closer look at the challenges and strategies that guided our activities at
the regional and global levels over the past year, the report highlights FAO’s
efforts to create and elevate success stories for the most vulnerable populations
around the world.
FAO maintained its reach and support to over 130 countries in 2019 as it strived to scale up
and deliver greater impact through speedy, decisive, coordinated and innovative action from
all, for all.
Thanks to new investments worth USD 1.3 billion from its generous partners in 2019, FAO will
continue to accelerate global efforts to improve and transform food systems and achieve the
Sustainable Development Goals.
Over the past year, FAO made great progress towards building stronger partnerships for food
security and nutrition, and protecting the lives and livelihoods of the most vulnerable
worldwide.
With its strategic framework aligned to the SDGs, FAO worked through more than 2 740 major
projects and initiatives at global, regional and national levels, including 1 150 catalytic
projects through the Technical Cooperation Programme.
Despite ongoing support and multilateral efforts to combat hunger in Africa, the
continent remains far from meeting SDG 2 (Zero Hunger) by 2030.
In 2019, FAO worked in Africa to advance food security for all and ensure that people
have regular and adequate access to high-quality, nutritious and safe food, allowing
them to lead active and healthy lives. By bringing together partnerships and
investments, FAO helped strengthen the resilience of food systems and vulnerable rural
communities, while putting forward coordinated interventions in support of regional and
country strategies to advance food security and nutrition.
Asia and the Pacific is a very dynamic region with inspiring development and success
stories over the past decades. However, nearly half a billion people in the region are
undernourished today.
In 2019, FAO activities in Asia and the Pacific supported the development of sustainable,
nutrition-sensitive and climate-smart food systems, and helped countries address complex
and interconnected health threats and increase their productivity through enhanced
natural resource management.
In recent years, Europe and Central Asia has seen how structural changes in many
countries with accelerated economic growth have elevated the most vulnerable populations
out of poverty and significantly reduced hunger. Nonetheless, challenges such as
malnutrition, inequality and low productivity in agriculture remain major threats to
food and nutrition security.
In 2019, FAO’s work in the region assisted countries in their transition towards stronger
market economies, in revitalizing their rural sectors, and in improving food and
nutrition security through the development of inclusive and sustainable food systems.
* References to Kosovo shall be understood to be in the context of UN Security Council resolution 1244 (1999)
Eliminating food insecurity and malnutrition are persistent challenges in the Near East
and North Africa. They are exacerbated by high rates of population growth, increasing
urbanization, low growth in food production and declining productivity, and water
scarcity.
In 2019, FAO worked with countries in the region to reduce food insecurity, eradicate
hunger, increase the efficiency and productivity of water use in agriculture, and
improve the resilience and ability of vulnerable communities to cope and recover from
shocks and crises. FAO also worked to promote decent rural employment and inclusive
economic growth that benefits vulnerable groups, especially women and youth.
The Latin America and the Caribbean region has made great progress in reducing hunger in
the past 20 years, with the number of undernourished people decreasing by 20 million
since 2000. Despite this, 6.5% of its population suffered from hunger in 2018 and 188
million experience moderate or severe food insecurity today.
In 2019, FAO increased its support to major food security arrangements and policy
processes in the region to ensure the right to food for all. FAO promoted the productive
development and social wellbeing of farmers and their adequate participation in food
systems, and fostered the transition towards the inclusive and sustainable development
of agriculture, fisheries and forests.