Antananarivo, August 24, 2023 - A decisive step toward biodiversity protection and sustainable agricultural development was taken today at the conclusion of the national workshop on biodiversity mainstreaming across agricultural sectors, held in Antananarivo.  Organized under the FMM project (Flexible Voluntary Contribution), this milestone is the result of a collaboration between the Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock (MINAE), the Ministry of Environment and Sustainable Development (MEDD), and the Ministry of Fisheries and Blue Economy (MPEB), with technical assistance from the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), funded by Sweden. 

STORY HIGHLIGHTS: From climate change to biodiversity loss, food waste to conflict, these colliding disasters must be tackled together, and sustainable agrifood systems are key with the capacity to put the brakes on or even reverse damage already done. We look to this week’s Seventh Assembly of the GEF, the largest gathering of a family of funds dedicated to confronting biodiversity loss, climate change, pollution, and strains on land and ocean health. Looking forward – to the SDG Summit, to UNFCCC COP 28, and to 2030 – we have to continue investing in and scaling up these approaches.

Read the full article by KAVEH ZAHEDI

Indigenous Peoples have long held a deep connection with nature and have a profound understanding of their surrounding ecosystems. In their rich tapestry of traditional knowledge, Indigenous Peoples have recognized the crucial role played by bees, especially wild and stingless species. These creatures, often overlooked in mainstream discussions, are integral to the delicate balance of ecosystems and hold immense cultural and ecological significance for Indigenous Peoples. This article explores the unique relationship between Indigenous Peoples and wild, stingless bees, highlighting their importance.

The FAO Livestock Environmental Assessment and Performance (LEAP) Partnership and the FAO Subregional Office for Central Asia joined efforts to organize a series of training sessions for experts in Central Asian countries. The primary objective of this training series is to empower participants with the skills to evaluate the impacts of livestock production systems on biodiversity through the practical application of the FAO LEAP guidelines.

The world is making progress towards ending the loss of mangrove forests, according to a new report from the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO). Found on the coastlines of 123 countries worldwide, over 20 percent of mangroves are estimated to have been lost globally over the past 40 years, mainly due to both human activities and natural retraction. The World’s Mangroves, 2000–2020, launched today on the International Day for the Conservation of the Mangrove Ecosystem, reports that the total global area of mangroves in 2020 stood at 14.8 million hectares.

Agriculture has been around for more than 10 000 years. In that time, it has not only given us food, shelter, and livelihoods, but also knowledge, traditions, innovations and ecosystem services. However, with many ecosystems pushed beyond their capacity, agriculture now needs to provide all these benefits – and more – while being more responsive to the environment.

Rome -  Building on growing momentum to tackle environmental problems by addressing the ways in which our food and fiber are produced, the Global Environment Facility has approved 26 projects led by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations. “To achieve the 2030 Agenda we n...

QU Dongyu addresses meetings in Hyderabad on topics including food security and biodiversity.

Existing data suggests that only a small fraction of agricultural plastics is collected and recycled, while most are buried or landfilled, resulting in negative impacts to ecosystems, biodiversity and human health.

Interview with the Director of FAO’s Fisheries and Aquaculture Division, Manuel Barange.
The term aquatic foods refers to the 3000 different species of fish, mollusks, crustaceans and algae that we catch, and over 650 species that we culture. According to the expert, it is a huge biodiversity that offers exceptional long-term food opportunities and renewable solutions, if managed properly. Furthermore, growing many of them has a much lower environmental impact than growing land-based animal production systems.

Biodiversity is the basis of life on Earth. We live biodiversity, we eat biodiversity and we are biodiversity. Without it, our world would be lifeless. The Earth's diverse ecosystems provide us with essential services, from clean air and water to food and medicine. In today's rapidly changing world, one of the most pressing challenges we face is the alarming loss of biodiversity.

The African Union Commission through its Directorate of Sustainable Environment and Blue Economy (SEBE) will organize the Africa, Caribbean and Pacific High Level Conference on the implementation of the Outcomes of the Fifteenth Conference of the Parties (CoP15) to the United Nations Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) and the Nineteenth Conference of the Parties (CoP19) to the Convention on the International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES).

Amidst the vast expanse of Mongolia's high altitude Great Plateau, a remarkable story unfolds - one of endurance, adaptation, and unwavering resilience. The nation's unique livestock breeds are a symbol of pride and a vital backbone of the country's economy. Today, on this International Day for Biological Diversity, we celebrate not only Mongolia’s livestock diversity, but also the herders that have developed and maintained them for thousands of years.

The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations on 22 May opened a two day series of events and immersive experiences, highlighting the key role of its programme of Globally Important Agricultural Heritage Systems (GIAHS) in preserving biodiversity and livelihoods ...

Pollination is one of nature’s most important processes contributing to biodiversity. It helps us to produce a wide variety of plants many of which are also food crops. An estimated 90 percent of the world’s flowering plants depend on pollination for reproduction. And though often overlooked, bee...

Changing the fate of an extraordinary bee species for the benefit of all: FAO, the Moroccan government and local beekeepers are making it their mission to save the Saharan yellow bee whose importance to the region’s ecosystems and biodiversity cannot be understated.

In its 18th Session, the United Nations Forum on Forests (UNFF18) convened from UN headquarters in New York from 8 to 12 May, with the FAO delegation at UNFF18 led by Zhimin Wu, Director of the FAO Forestry Division and Chair of the Collaborative Partnership on Forests (CPF).

Biodiversity includes organisms that can help farmers grow crops successfully, such as bees and birds that pollinate crops,  earthworms that keep soils healthy and microorganisms that are capable of acting as biological control agents. The indiscriminate and inappropriate use of pe...

The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), with support from the European Union (EU), moved a collection of unique genetic samples from Kharkiv in the east of Ukraine to a safe location in the west of the country. At a time when the world is facing an unprecedented loss of agricultural biodiversity in farmers’ fields, it is more important than ever to ensure that crop diversity is safeguarded, including the diversity that is held in genebanks.