New in the FAO Biodiversity Knowledge Hub: February update

The FAO Biodiversity Knowledge Hub centralizes FAO’s key resources and information on biodiversity across agrifood systems. The platform supports countries in strengthening their knowledge and capabilities to implement the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework (KMGBF), advance the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDG), and ensure global food security.

With 19 new additions this month, the Hub now offers 545 resources, searchable using filters such as KMGBF targets.

Highlights include:

• a Roadmap for mainstreaming biodiversity across agriculture and forestry in the Lao People’s Democratic Republic;
• the second edition of the Global Plan of Action for forest genetic resources;
• guidelines for ex situ in vitro gene banking of aquatic genetic resources; and 
• an updated manual on the development and use of chemical pesticides for safer agriculture and environmental protection.

Mainstreaming biodiversity across agrifood systems in Lao PDR 

Following extensive consultations and policy analyses facilitated by FAO, the Government of Lao PDR has approved the Mainstreaming biodiversity across agriculture and forestry in the Lao People’s Democratic Republic: Roadmap 2024–2030. This roadmap serves as a strategic guide to address deforestation, biodiversity loss, and ecosystem degradation, by promoting coordinated, cross-sectoral solutions. It outlines ambitious, measurable actions and milestones for all agricultural sectors and presents a comprehensive strategy for integrating biodiversity conservation and sustainable use into key areas such as land management, poverty reduction, food security and climate resilience. In doing so, it directly supports the implementation of Target 10 of the KMGBF.  

Revised global instrument for conserving and sustainably using forest genetic resources 

Conservation, sustainable use and development of forest genetic resources are vital to managing and utilizing the world’s forests and other wooded lands, including agroforestry systems. These resources – the heritable materials maintained within and among tree and other woody plant species – underpin the resilience, adaptability and productivity of forests and other tree-based systems, and contribute in many ways to sustainable development. At its 20th Regular Session in 2025, the Commission on Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture agreed upon the revised Global Plan of Action for the Conservation, Sustainable Use and Development of Forest Genetic Resources, based on the findings of The Second Report on the State of the World’s Forest Genetic Resources. The FAO Conference adopted the revised Global Plan of Action in July 2025 and invited Members to strengthen their efforts to implement it.  

In real life: combining traditional knowledge, innovation and crop diversity 

The booklet From seed to shelf: Models for integrating agrobiodiversity in food processing activities presents five real and proven collaboration models between food processing companies and stakeholders implementing the International Treaty on Plant Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture (ITPGRFA) by conserving, using and promoting crop diversity. It highlights the types of collaboration, the actors involved, and the benefits and impacts of each model, aiming to inspire new ideas and partnerships. 

The story Family farming is… harnessing traditional knowledge to strengthen biodiversity in the Philippines shows how family farmers are combining traditional knowledge with innovation to conserve biodiversity, adapt to climate change and manage natural resources sustainably. Selected from a Global Call for Stories, it showcases lived experiences that highlight the essential role of family farming in building climate-resilient and sustainable agrifood systems, while reinforcing the value of local knowledge in biodiversity stewardship. 

New guidelines, manuals and tools 

Developed jointly by FAO and World Health Organization (WHO), the third edition of the Manual on the Development and Use of FAO and WHO Specifications for Chemical Pesticides supersedes earlier editions and guidance documents and consolidates and updates globally harmonized standards for pesticide quality. It sets out unified requirements, harmonized definitions and nomenclature, and technical guidelines applicable to pesticides used in agriculture and public health – supporting countries in strengthening pesticide governance and protecting human and environmental health. 

The guideline Aquaculture development: Guidelines for ex situ in vitro gene banking of aquatic genetic resources, provide an overview of current practices for conserving aquatic genetic resources, including methods like cryopreservation, gene bank organization, regulatory considerations, costs, and practical laboratory protocols, with examples from around the world. It emphasizes that advancing ex situ in vitro conservation would greatly improve the management of both wild and domesticated aquatic species. 

The Solutions-tree: halting deforestation through sustainable agrifood systems transformation offers an evidence-based toolkit to address deforestation by tackling its underlying drivers. Moving beyond a focus on proximate drivers such as agricultural expansion, the Solutions-tree organizes a wide range of existing solutions into a coherent and practical framework linking drivers, solutions, and outcomes at the forest–agriculture nexus. 

About the FAO Biodiversity Knowledge Hub 

The FAO Biodiversity Knowledge Hub facilitates access to biodiversity-related resources developed by FAO to strengthen countries’ capacity to mainstream biodiversity in agrifood systems, implement the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework (KMGBF), deliver on the Sustainable Development Goals and achieve food and nutritional security for all.  
 
The hub is organized into five modules:  

• Resources: search and filter through FAO publications, including guidelines, methodologies, reports, standards, indicators, policy guidance, and more – each contributing to one or more targets of the KMGBF
• Data and indicators: information on over 25 indicators under FAO custodianship included in the monitoring framework for the KMGBF, along with access to key databases and information systems
• Country reports: reports prepared by countries for FAO processes on a range of topics related to biodiversity; thematic communities through which users can engage with relevant stakeholders on topics related to biodiversity and agrifood systems
• Communities: thematic communities through which users can engage with relevant stakeholders on topics related to biodiversity and agrifood systems
• Learning: curated library of multilingual self-paced e-learning courses focused on the conservation, restoration and sustainable use of biodiversity for food and agriculture