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The aim of this study is to provide readers with an overview of how agricultural insurance and social protection interventions can complement each other, within the frame of disaster risk management for vulnerable agricultural actors. Specifically, it aims to underline the operational nuances, challenges, opportunities and constraints associated with employing agricultural insurance within social protection systems. Furthermore, it presents a number of practical lessons learned and considerations that can be used by relevant public stakeholders (such as local policymakers and development agencies) to introduce aspects of agricultural insurance in programmes and initiatives that seek to strengthen social protection for vulnerable [...]

This progress report details the work carried out by FAO across the Southwest Asia to combat the unprecedented threat to food security and livelihoods posed by the ongoing desert locust invasion. The report outlines the control measures taken so far as well as the longer-term reposnse planned for safeguarding the means of survival of millions of vulnerable people who could be affected by the pest, particularly with the compounding impact of COVID-19 and the restrictions this will likely incur for the Organization's humanitarian assistance.

This strategy specifically targets the different types of the private sector from large national and multinational corporations, to financial institutions, micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs), industry and trade organizations and consortia which represent private sector interests, farmers and farmers’ organizations, producers’ organizations and cooperatives and philanthropic foundations.At the same time, it also targets FAO Membership, as well as the general public who wish to learn more about FAO's strategy and ways of engaging with the private sector.

This book aims to strengthen the skills of professionals who use, manage data for the benefit of farmers and farmers organizations by exposing them to the topics of importance of data in the agriculture value chain and how new and existing technologies, products and services can leverage farm level and global data to improve yield, reduce loss, add value and increase profitability and resilience.

This brief presents the youth-to-youth mentorship experience promoted by the Youth Inspiring Youth in Agriculture (YIYA) Initiative in Uganda in 2017. It presents eight youth-to-youth mentorship models, and provides recommendations on how to harness the full potential of youth-to-youth mentorship in youth agripreneurship development initiatives.

Climate change is leading to a rise in global temperatures, which poses a major threat to agriculture production, and to the welfare of smallholder farmers. Identifying sustainable farming practices to reduce the sensitivity of Ugandan agriculture to rising temperatures is critical for safeguarding the livelihoods of farmers. This brief provides evidence on the positive impacts of organic fertilizer application, coffee-banana intercropping and cereal-legume intercropping on crop production value under conditions of high temperatures, and considers policy options to support their sustained adoption in Uganda and elsewhere. 

In many developing countries the adoption of climate sustainable practices is hindered by resource and risk barriers. This paper assesses the interactions between participation in Malawi’s largest public works programme, the Malawi Social Action Fund (MASAF), and three widely promoted climate-smart agriculture (CSA) practices. The underlying hypotheses to be tested are: (a) that participation in the MASAF programme reduce both the budget and the risk constraints to the adoption of sustainable management practices; and (b) the joint treatment effect of MASAF and CSA increases household farms’ productivity and welfare. Drawing on three waves of national panel household survey data, we [...]

Disasters precipitated by climate change and climate variability are already wreaking havoc in the Caribbean fisheries sector. Examples include hurricanes: Irma 2017 in Barbuda, Maria 2017 in Dominica, Dorian 2019 in The Bahamas. Doing nothing different from current practices will result in increasing damage and critical losses to the fisheries sector. This policy brief highlights the disaster risk management (DRM) cycle for the fisheries sector; summarises ongoing DRM initiatives; presents supporting policy actions for adaptation; and aligns with Sustainable Development Goals, the Small-scale Fisheries Guidelines and the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction.

Progressively more countries are reportedly incorporating school-based food and nutrition education (SFNE) into their education, nutrition and school feeding policies, acknowledging its role in impacting children’s food outlooks and practices, and that of their parents, families and the community. Despite this increasing interest and global recognition, there is no clear picture of SFNE implementation at school level, which makes it challenging to identify gaps, take corrective measures, make reforms or introduce new policy initiatives.Framed under FAO’s school food and nutrition work, the aim of the survey was to determine the current role, approach, scope and linkages of government run SFNE [...]

Gender focal points are part of the Food and Agriculture Organization’s (FAOs) institutional architecture for gender, and play a key role in supporting the delivery of gender-related work.This handbook is intended to support the gender focal points, at FAO headquarters and in the decentralized offices, in addressing gender issues in their work.More specifically, the purpose of the handbook is to serve as a comprehensive and practical reference tool for gender focal points to support their respective divisions and offices in complying with the requirements set by the corporate Policy on Gender Equality. It can also serve as a valuable resource [...]