The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) today opened the first Global Pollinator Conference, calling for stronger international action to protect pollinators and the essential role they play in food production, biodiversity and rural livelihoods.

At the UN Biodiversity Conference in Yerevan, FAO supported countries with new initiatives, data and tools to turn global commitments into action.

Biocultural Community Protocols – and their role in helping Indigenous Peoples determine the conditions under which their genetic resources and associated knowledge are accessed and used – was the focus of a session during the 4th expert meeting of the Global-Hub on Indigenous Peoples’ Food and Knowledge Systems, held at FAO headquarters.

At the UN Biodiversity Conference in Yerevan, FAO will bring evidence, technical expertise and practical solutions to support faster and scaled‑up implementation of the global biodiversity framework.

FAO joined leaders from around the world at the Leaders’ Summit on Biodiversity, a high‑level event hosted by the Armenian Presidency of the UN Biodiversity Conference (COP17). Held under the motto “Leaders for Nature”, the Summit brought together Heads of State and Government, leaders of international organizations, Indigenous Peoples and Local Communities, and other key stakeholders to provide strategic direction and demonstrate renewed political commitment to biodiversity ahead of COP17. 

In anticipation of COP17, FAO released a new resource guide designed as a practical tool to help countries and their partners translate biodiversity commitments into concrete national actions across agrifood systems. The guide provides a comprehensive overview of planning, implementation, and monitoring considerations that align with Target 10 of the Kunming‑Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework (KMGBF).

FAO has released Agrifood Systems in National Biodiversity Strategies and Action Plans: Global Analysis, alongside a new online platform that opens up the underlying data. The analysis covers 78 National Biodiversity Strategies and Action Plans (NBSAPs) revised or updated to align with the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework (KMGBF), examining almost 13 000 individual actions planned by countries.

Under the theme “Innovate today. Nourish tomorrow”, World Food Day 2026 highlights the importance of bringing together science, technology, traditional knowledge, investment and partne...

When Parties meet for CBD COP17, 19–30 October 2026, they will consider adding new indicators to the monitoring framework of the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework (KMGBF), including five related to aquatic and forest genetic resources which were developed in consultation with, and agreed by, Members of the Commission.

The Hub now offers 640 resources. New resources include:

• the second edition of the Status of the World's Soil Resources, highlighting soil biodiversity loss as a key threat; 
• new joint FAO–UNCCD guidance on land degradation neutrality; and
• country and subregional examples and resources on diversified systems: integrated rice–fish farming, agrosilvopastoral systems and crop diversity. 

Forest and landscape restoration is a cost-effective response to food security, biodiversity, climate, and other development challenges, according to a new report by FAO, which warns that scaling up action will require greater investment, inclusive governance and sustained political commitment.

International scientists and government representatives gathered for an expert workshop on advances in genetic technologies and their application for the conservation and sustainable production of aquatic species, at FAO headquarters on 8 July 2026.

Biodiversity for food and agriculture is the foundation of resilient agrifood systems. It underpins food security, nutrition and rural livelihoods at a time when climate change, biodiversity loss and growing food demand are converging into unprecedented challenges. Against this backdrop, the S...

Representatives from more than 50 FAO Member Countries, international organizations and technical partners gathered at FAO headquarters from 8 to 10 July 2026 for the Thirteenth Session of the Intergovernmental Technical Working Group on Plant Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture.

This month's highlights include: the 2026 edition of The State of World Fisheries and Aquaculture; an 18-year analysis of the implementation of the Multilateral System of Access and Benefit-Sharing under the International Treaty on Plant Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture; and new guidanc...

The Second Session of the Ad Hoc Expert Team on Biodiversity for Food and Agriculture, convened from 30 June to 2 July 2026, made significant progress in advancing technical work to support the Commission in its efforts to conserve and sustainably use biodiversity for food and agriculture, and ensure the fair and equitable sharing of benefits derived from its use.

Roughly three-quarters of the world’s leading food crops depend, at least in part, on animal pollination. Without pollinators, the foods at the center of a healthy diet, such as fruits, vegetables, nuts and seeds, would become less abundant, less reliable and more expensive.

Participants at the Workshop on Climate Change and Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture, convened at FAO headquarters, 25–26 May 2026, underscored the critical role that genetic resources play in strengthening the resilience of agrifood systems in the face of climate change.

FAO has conducted a new analysis of National Biodiversity Strategies and Action Plans (NBSAPs), assessing how agrifood systems contribute to global biodiversity targets. A Policy Brief presents highlights from the forthcoming global analysis.