FAO.org

An adequate nutrition provides us with the necessary energy for the appropriate functioning and care of our body, and is the first defence against diseases. However, many people today still do not have access to food, do not eat enough or do not eat poorly. Nutrition problems (malnutrition, obesity, etc.) encompass inappropriate choices and practices that can be addressed through effective public policies. In this context, parliamentary alliances such as the Parliamentary Front against Hunger in Latin America and the Caribbean, and specialized agencies such as FAO, play a key role in educating consumers and preventing diseases. During an event on [...]

This report reveals that some 486 million people remain undernourished in the region, highlighting that the reduction in the number of hungry and malnourished people – including children – has come to a virtual standstill. It also calls for greater resolve from governments to end hunger.

In many developing and least-developed countries (LDCs), the transformation of the agriculture sector is key for improving domestic food security and nutrition and for promoting economic development. However, efforts to raise agricultural productivity and develop inclusive and competitive agricultural value chains are often hampered by market- and trade-related bottlenecks, while initiatives promoting agricultural commercialisation, diversification and trade are often curbed by bottlenecks at farm or post-harvest levels. In this context, FAO, in collaboration with the Enhanced Integrated Framework (EIF) and European Centre for Development Policy Management (ECDPM), carried out a Multi-partner Programme Support Mechanism (FMM) Project on Trade related capacity development [...]

Global and regional agreements set out the rules for countries trade policies .and define the policy space available within agriculture for reaching food security objectives. Therefore, balancing the achievement of national policy objectives with the obligations under trade agreements is critical. This course informs the treatment of agriculture in several World Trade Organization (WTO) agreements and regional trade agreements (RTAs) and aims to support policy makers to develop and implement appropriate agricultural development and food security strategies. By the end of the course, participants will be better able to: •understand and identify the main provisions of the WTO Agreement on Agriculture (AoA); •understand and [...]

The implementation of the 2030 Sustainable Development Agenda is just at the onset. Pursuing the wide and ambitious Sustainable Development Objectives (SDGs) poses major challenges at all levels, from the sub-national, to the regional and the international level, and calls for a timely decision of effective policy actions in a quickly-evolving world of scarce resources. In this context, the ability to design sound policies and monitor their outcomes is a key requirement. Measuring progress towards international goals and their national and subnational specifications is of paramount importance.  This pocketbook presents, at a glance, selected key indicators on agriculture and food security, [...]

This document summarizes the online consultation Mainstreaming biodiversity in agriculture, fisheries and forestry for improved food security and better nutrition held on the FAO Global Forum on Food Security and Nutrition (FSN Forum) from 7 May to 1 June 2018. The online consultation aimed at gathering experiences and examples from practitioners to define further the objectives and partnerships of the FAO Biodiversity Mainstreaming Platform and to advance the development of its work programme. Technical facilitation was provided by the following FAO staff: Irene Hoffmann, Secretary of the Commission on Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture and Paulo Augusto Lourenço Dias Nunes, Natural Resources Officer in the Climate, [...]

Kyrgyzstan experienced an extremely cold winter in 2012, with heavy snowfall followed by a significant spring run-off. This harsh winter led to considerable livestock mortality and price rises for animal products, with a substantial impact on the welfare of livestock herding households. On average, households affected by the harsh winter experienced a 5 percent reduction in food consumption expenditure in the first year following the shock, and 8 percent reduction four years later with respect to households not exposed to this shock (Figure 1). The significant and persistent impact of the harsh winter is particularly evident for the wealthiest households, [...]

Crop diversification is an important policy objective to promote climate change adaptation, yet the drivers and impacts of crop diversification vary considerably depending on the specific combinations of crops a farmer grows. This paper examines adoption determinants of seven different cropping systems in Malawi, Zambia and Mozambique, and the impact of their adoption on maize productivity and income volatility – using a multinomial endogenous treatment effect model. These cropping systems consist in different combinations of four categories of crops: dominate staple (maize), alternative staples, legumes, and cash-crops. The study finds that relative to maize mono-cropping systems, the vast majority of [...]

This report analyses the impacts of violent conflicts on food security, including on coping and consumption patterns, long-term consequences of early-life exposure to conflict, and the linkages between food insecurity and anti-social behaviours.  

This document summarizes the online discussion Youth employment in agriculture as a solid solution to ending hunger and poverty in Africa, which was held on the FAO Global Forum on Food Security and Nutrition (FSN Forum) from 16 July to 10 August 2018. The discussion was organized to gather views in advance of the 20-21 August regional conference “Youth Employment in Agriculture as a Solid Solution to Ending Hunger and Poverty in Africa: Engaging through Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs) and Entrepreneurship” in Kigali, Rwanda. The major thematic areas of the conference focused on youth and entrepreneurship, digital innovation, and [...]