FAO Knowledge Repository BETA

The FAO Knowledge Repository is FAO's official open repository, providing access to all of its publications. Through its open access policy, FAO seeks to increase the dissemination of its knowledge and to contribute to the scientific and technical impact of the Organization. 

 

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Featured publications

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Action Plan for the implementation of the FAO Strategy on Mainstreaming Biodiversity Across Agricultural Sectors 2024–2027
The Action Plan for the implementation of the FAO Strategy on Mainstreaming Biodiversity across Agricultural Sectors 2024–2027 reflects experiences gained from the implementation of the 2021–2023 Action Plan. It takes into account the Framework for Action on Biodiversity for Food and Agriculture, endorsed by the Commission on Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture (CGRFA) and by the Council in 2021. It is aligned with the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework (GBF), adopted by the 15th meeting of the Conference of the Parties to the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) in December 2022.In alignment with the FAO Strategy on Mainstreaming Biodiversity across Agricultural Sectors, FAO implements the Action Plan based on the principles of effective governance, partnerships, a knowledge-based approach, inclusiveness, and gender equality and women’s empowerment.
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FAO publications catalogue 2023
This catalogue aims to improve the dissemination and outreach of FAO’s knowledge products and overall publishing programme. By providing information on its key publications in every area of FAO’s work, and catering to a range of audiences, it thereby contributes to all organizational outcomes. From statistical analysis to specialized manuals to children’s books, FAO publications cater to a diverse range of audiences. This catalogue presents a selection of FAO’s main publications, produced in 2023 or earlier, ranging from its global reports and general interest publications to numerous specialized titles. In addition to the major themes of agriculture, forestry and fisheries, it also includes thematic sections on climate change, economic and social development, and food safety and nutrition.
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The Impact of Disasters on Agriculture and Food Security 2023
Disasters are resulting in unprecedented levels of destruction across the world. These shocks and disruptions affect the functioning and sustainability of agricultural production and threaten the livelihoods of millions of people reliant on agrifood systems.Reducing the impact of disasters in agriculture requires a better understanding of the extent to which these events produce negative impacts in agriculture and necessitates an investigation into the underlying risks that make agriculture vulnerable to the effects of disasters.The FAO flagship report on ‘The Impact of Disasters on Agriculture and Food Security’ provides a timely and comprehensive overview of how disasters are affecting agriculture and food security around the world.Building on previous work of the FAO on this topic, the report estimates losses caused by disasters on agricultural production over the past three decades and delves into the diverse threats and impacts affecting the crops, livestock, forestry, and fisheries and aquaculture subsectors. It analyzes the complex interplay of underlying risks, such as climate change, pandemics, epidemics and armed conflicts, and how they drive disaster risk in agriculture and agrifood systems at large.The report provides examples of actions and strategies for investing in resilience and proactively addressing risks in agriculture. It demonstrates ways to mainstream disaster risk into agricultural practices and policies and calls for a deeper understanding of the context in which these solutions are implemented.
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Agrifood solutions to climate change
Amid a worsening climate crisis and slow progress in cutting greenhouse gases, sustainable agrifood systems practices can help countries and communities to adapt, build resilience and mitigate emissions, ensuring food security and nutrition for a growing global population. FAO is working with countries and partners from government to community level to simultaneously address the challenges of food security, climate change and biodiversity loss.But none of this will ultimately succeed unless the world commits to a significant increase in the quality and quantity of climate finance.

Trending publications

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    Book (series)
    Respecting free, prior and informed consent
    Practical guidance for governments, companies, NGOs, indigenous peoples and local communities in relation to land acquisition
    2014
    Improving governance of tenure is the objective of the Voluntary Guidelines on the Responsible Governance of Tenure of Land, Fisheries and Forests in the Context of National Food Security (Guidelines), which serve as a reference and set out principles and internationally accepted standards for responsible practices. The Guidelines state that responsible investments should do no harm, safeguard against dispossession of legitimate tenure right holders and environmental damage, and should respect human rights. This technical guide on Respecting free, prior and informed consent (FPIC) sets out practical actions for government agencies to respect and protect FPIC and for civil society organizations, land users and private investors globally to comply with their responsibilities in relation to FPIC, as endorsed by the Guidelines.
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    Book (series)
    Compulsory acquisition of land and compensation 2008
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    Compulsory acquisition is the power of government to acquire private rights in land without the willing consent of the owner or occupant in order to benefit society and is often necessary for social and economic development and the protection of the natural environment. The exercise of these powers is frequently contentious and problematic. The guide explains what compulsory acquisition and compensation are, and what constitutes good practice in this area, examining the consequences of poor legi slation, procedures and implementation. It is likely to be of most use in countries that are seeking to understand good practice in this area and to improve their own legislation, procedures and implementation in compulsory purchase and compensation in the interests of society as a whole.
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    Book (stand-alone)
    Free Prior and Informed Consent: An indigenous peoples’ right and a good practice for local communities 2016

    This Free, Prior and Informed Consent (FPIC) Manual is designed as a tool for project practitioners of a broad range of projects and programmes of any development organization, by providing information about the right to FPIC and how it can be implemented in six steps.

    In an FPIC process, the “how”, “when” and “with and by whom”, are as important as “what” is being proposed. For an FPIC process to be effective and result in consent or lack of it, the way in which the process is conducted is paramount. The time allocated for the discussions among the indigenous peoples, the cultural appropriateness of the way the information is conveyed, and the involvement of the whole community, including key groups like women, the elderly and the youth in the process, are all essential. A thorough and well carried FPIC process helps guarantee everyone’s right to self-determination, allowing them to participate in decisions that affect their lives.

    This FPIC Manual will ena ble field practitioners to incorporate FPIC into project and programmes’ design and implementation, ensuring that indigenous peoples’ rights are duly respected. FPIC can be considered the “gold standard” because it allows for the highest form of participation of local stakeholders in development projects.

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    Book (series)
    The State of World Fisheries and Aquaculture 2022
    Towards Blue Transformation
    2022
    The 2022 edition of The State of World Fisheries and Aquaculture coincides with the launch of the Decade of Action to deliver the Global Goals, the United Nations Decade of Ocean Science for Sustainable Development and the United Nations Decade on Ecosystem Restoration. It presents how these and other equally important United Nations events, such as the International Year of Artisanal Fisheries and Aquaculture (IYAFA 2022), are being integrated and supported through Blue Transformation, a priority area of FAO’s new Strategic Framework 2022–2031 designed to accelerate achievement of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development in food and agriculture. The concept of Blue Transformation emerged from the Thirty-fourth Session of the FAO Committee on Fisheries in February 2021, and in particular the Declaration for Sustainable Fisheries and Aquaculture, which was negotiated and endorsed by all FAO Members. The Declaration calls for support for “an evolving and positive vision for fisheries and aquaculture in the twenty first century, where the sector is fully recognized for its contribution to fighting poverty, hunger and malnutrition.” In this context, Part 1 of this edition of The State of World Fisheries and Aquaculture reviews the world status of fisheries and aquaculture, while Parts 2 and 3 are devoted to Blue Transformation and its pillars on intensifying and expanding aquaculture, improving fisheries management and innovating fisheries and aquaculture value chains. Blue Transformation emphasizes the need for forward-looking and bold actions to be launched or accelerated in coming years to achieve the objectives of the Declaration and in support of the 2030 Agenda. Part 4 covers current and high-impact emerging issues – COVID-19, climate change and gender equality – that require thorough consideration for transformative steps and preparedness to secure sustainable, efficient and equitable fisheries and aquaculture.

Recently added

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    Book (stand-alone)
    Environmental outcomes in agriculture: the effects of environment-related provisions in regional trade agreements 2024
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    The agriculture sector is both a contributor to global greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and is affected by trade policies. As more and more regional trade agreements (RTAs) include environment-related provisions (ERPs), this technical note explores whether agriculture-related ERPs in RTAs are associated with reduced GHG emissions from agriculture. The research applies a novel dataset on ERPs related to the agriculture, forestry and fishery sectors (Ag-ERPs) to analyse this relationship in a panel of 195 countries and territories in RTAs notified to the World Trade Organization from 1995 to 2019. The findings show that there is indeed a significant reduction in agriculture-related GHG emissions in countries that enter into RTAs with more Ag-ERPs with their relevant trading partners in agricultural products. A mediation analysis reveals that this association is partly driven by stricter domestic environmental regulation, and partly by a reduction in agricultural land use. However, a large part of the overall association between RTAs with more Ag-ERPs and the reduction in agriculture-related emissions is still unexplained by these two channels. This suggests that lower GHG emission production methods are implemented at given levels of domestic environmental regulation and agricultural land use in countries with more Ag-ERPs in their relevant RTAs.
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    Book (stand-alone)
    Opportunities and challenges for agrifood trade between Central American Integration System and Caribbean Community countries 2024
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    This study responds to the proposal made by the Secretariat of the Central American Agricultural Council (SECAC) and the Secretariat for Central American Economic Integration (SIECA) on the need to promote spaces for integration in the area of agrifood trade between Central America and the Caribbean. It is a joint work between the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) and the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) in the search for possible trade solutions to the food security crisis, the need to generate greater employment opportunities, economic recovery and, in general, achieve better living conditions for the Central American and Caribbean population.The document is organized into six sections: introduction; an abbreviated analysis of agrifood trade trends at the global level and between the two subregions; market access conditions between the two regions; a section defining the coverage and methodology used for the research; identification of products with trade potential; the major limitations and challenges in taking advantage of these opportunities; and, finally, the conclusions and public policy recommendations to help overcome the challenges and contribute to the goal of greater and better food security.
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    Book (stand-alone)
    Assessment of the impact of a project on beneficiaries’ livelihoods and the local labour market 2024
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    This comprehensive report delves into the multifaceted impact of a socioeconomic integration project designed to empower vulnerable Syrians under temporary protection (SuTPs), International Protection Applicants and Status Holders (IPASH), and Turkish host community households in selected provinces of Türkiye.The study explores the tangible outcomes of vocational training initiatives, shedding light on the project's success in addressing the shortage of qualified agricultural workers. It meticulously examines the employment landscape, emphasizing the challenges faced by beneficiaries and the contributions made by the project, from skills development to fostering self-employment and the establishment of women's cooperatives. The report's insights into the lived experiences of beneficiaries, including the nuances of gender-specific challenges, add depth to our understanding of the complex socioeconomic dynamics at play. Readers will gain insights into the project's major successes, challenges encountered, and the ongoing efforts required for sustainable impact.The recommendations provide a roadmap for future initiatives, advocating for extended support for vocational training, increased grants, and a continued focus on empowering women in the workforce. Overall, this report serves as a resource for those interested in understanding the intricacies of socioeconomic interventions in vulnerable communities, offering a nuanced perspective on the successes, weaknesses, and potential avenues for improvement in similar projects.
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    Book (series)
    Aplicación del plan de acción internacional para prevenir, desalentar y eliminar la pesca ilegal, no declarada y no reglamentada - 1. Metodologías e indicadores para estimar la magnitud y las repercusiones de la pesca ilegal, no declarada y no reglamentada. 1.1 Principios y enfoques 2024
    La Organización de las Naciones Unidas para la Alimentación y la Agricultura (FAO) puede desempeñar un papel importante en el fomento de prácticas coherentes y sólidas para estimar las actividades de pesca ilegal, no declarada y no reglamentada (INDNR) en todo el mundo. Este primer volumen de una serie de documentos de orientación sobre este tema esboza principios rectores y enfoques aplicables a una amplia gama de hipótesis de estimación de la pesca INDNR. Comienza definiendo qué componentes de la pesca INDNR deben estimarse en función de los objetivos específicos del ejercicio. A continuación, ayuda a establecer los límites del ejercicio de estimación en función de la pesquería, la especie, la zona y el marco temporal de que se trate. Se presentan enfoques metodológicos descendentes y ascendentes, con ejemplos, como formas de dividir un volumen global de pesca INDNR en actividades componentes, o de compilar estimaciones de pesca INDNR a escala granular para formar una cifra global compuesta, respectivamente. También se proponen ideas para presentar los resultados de forma que las partes interesadas y los responsables de la toma de decisiones los aprovechen al máximo.
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    Book (stand-alone)
    Seasonal mapping of crop types and water use in Northern Gaza Strip: insights from remote sensing and field surveys (2021–2023) 2024
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    This study focuses on assessing crop productivity and water use efficiency in the northern region of Gaza through remote sensing and field measurements. It aims to accurately map and identify crop types in the study areas using remote sensing data, including satellite imagery and in situ measurements. The objective of this study is to conduct crop type mapping and water consumption mapping based on evapotranspiration (ET). Calculating evapotranspiration alone does not give definitive indicators, because it does not calculate leaching requirements of crops, nor does it calculate the efficiency of irrigation systems using remote sensing techniques. The study covers the period from 2021 to 2023 and focuses on the summer and winter seasons in East Gaza city (Al-Shujaia), Beit Hanoun and East Jabalia North Gaza.