20 July 2026 |  12.15 - 13.30 CEST |  green room

Webcast link

This side event will present the FAO–United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification Guidance Living Soils, Productive Lands, Resilient Landscapes and its digital companion, developed in response to UNCCD Decision 19/COP.16 on avoiding, reducing and reversing land and soil degradation of agricultural lands. The event will introduce the Guidance's objectives, key messages and practical application, highlighting how it can provide a foundation for country action through rights-based, inclusive and integrated approaches that promote sustainable land use, responsible governance, secure tenure, integrated land use planning, sustainable land, soil and water management, diversified and resilient production systems, and enabling environments that foster policy coherence, institutional capacity, science, innovation and investment. Bringing together Members, partners and technical experts, the event will provide an opportunity to exchange perspectives on implementation needs and promote awareness, ownership and application of the Guidance ahead of UNCCD COP17, in Mongolia, where it will be launched and contribute to discussions on advancing action to address degradation of agricultural lands (including cropland and pastureland).

Agenda

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Monday 20 July | 12:15 -13:30 | Sheikh Zayed Centre

The side event aims at providing a platform for dialogue and exchange of experiences among FAO Members and relevant stakeholders on policy approaches and best practices that can enable the safe, effective and scalable use of bioinputs in agrifood systems.

The discussion will highlight national and regional experiences in promoting the use of bioinputs, with a focus on how different governance frameworks seek to balance innovation, safety, environmental sustainability, and market development.

The event will also explore how supportive policy environments promote the practical adoption of bioinputs across diverse agricultural systems and production contexts.

In addition, the discussion will contribute to identifying knowledge gaps and analytical needs related to the global development of bioinputs. In this regard, the event may help inform future work aimed at improving understanding of bioinput technologies, their use across countries and the diversity of policy approaches that support their responsible integration into agrifood systems. 

 

 

20 July 2026 |  19.30 - 20.00 CEST |  FAO Museum (MuNe)

The FAO Museum (MuNe) presents a new immersive experience dedicated to Globally Important Agricultural Heritage Systems (GIAHS). Officially inaugurated during the 30th Session of the Committee on Agriculture (COAG), the experience invites visitors to discover remarkable agricultural landscapes where biodiversity, traditional knowledge and resilient communities come together. It will remain open to COAG delegates and FAO colleagues until September.

Programme

• Welcome remarks
• Opening remarks by the FAO Director-General
• Official opening of the GIAHS Immersive Experience
• Guided immersive experience

TUESDAY, 21 JULY 2026 | 12.0013.30 (CEST) | Red room

Webcast link

UN Web TV
                                    

The 2026 edition of The State of Food Security and Nutrition in the World report will examine the challenges presented by the high cost of a healthy diet to end hunger, food insecurity and all forms of malnutrition by 2030. The report will also clarify the methodology used to calculate the cost of a healthy diet and analyse the factors influencing it, as well as the differences in cost between certain regions and geographic areas, and links between specific economic variables and . It will also recommend policies and investments aimed at reducing the cost of a healthy diet.

Healthy diets are essential for achieving the Sustainable Development Goals, particularly SDG Targets 2.1 and 2.2 on ending hunger and malnutrition, while also supporting health, development and livelihoods. Recognizing their importance, the 2020 edition of The State of Food Security and Nutrition in the World introduced two indicators to measure the cost and affordability of a healthy diet.

Building on this work, The State of Food Security and Nutrition in the World 2025 highlighted the impact of global food price inflation on food security and diet quality, revealing that 2.6 billion people worldwide remain unable to afford a healthy diet. Complementing these findings, The State of Food and Agriculture (SOFA) 2024 estimated that unhealthy diets linked to obesity and non-communicable diseases result in productivity losses equivalent to around 8 percent of global gross domestic product. In 2024, the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) and the World Health Organization (WHO) also advanced a common definition of a healthy diet based on four core principles to support policy development and assessment.

The present analysis examines the methodology used to calculate the cost of a healthy diet, explores the factors driving higher costs across regions and countries, and assesses their relationship with economic conditions and agrifood value chain characteristics. Based on these findings, the report proposes policy and investment recommendations to improve access to healthy diets.

 

 

22 July 2026 | 12:15–13:30 |  Acceleration Zone 

The side event is a 75-minute session to explore how AI and digital innovation can support operationalizing the “Fostering Innovation in Food Security” theme. The session will consider innovation scenarios related to Digital Agriculture and AI Innovation Roadmap. This side event will engage the audience in how AI innovations can accelerate translations from concept to practice in agrifood systems transformation. Participants will experience a mini dialogue with short and engaging interventions.

Three priority dialogue topics will be introduced, namely:

(1) Use case development Blueprint;

(2) Scaling AI Innovations: from incubating to scaling and

(3) AI Innovation in the pre-competitive space. 

 

22 JULY 2026 |  12.15 - 13.30 CEST | GREEN ROOM

At a moment of converging global crises, policies on secure and equitable land, fisheries, and forest tenure, as well as on sustainable soil and water management and water tenure, are fundamental for sustainable, inclusive, and resilient food systems. When small-scale producers have tenure rights, they can produce local food, ensure food security, protect ecosystems, and generate decent rural employment.

The Second International Conference on Agrarian Reform and Rural Development (ICARRD+20), provided an opportunity to discuss and renew international commitments on land tenure, allowing for an assessment of progress and the recognition of persistent challenges. It also offered a platform to share experiences and information related to sustainable land management, the restoration of degraded agricultural lands and soils, and ongoing dialogues on water tenure at the national, regional, and global levels.

This side event is an opportunity for countries from different regions and FAO to showcase global advances in policies on land, fisheries, and forest tenure, as well as in sustainable land, soil, and water management and water tenure as tools for: inclusive and resilient transformation of food systems; advancing climate resilience, the sustainable use and conservation of biodiversity, and sustainable land and water management; and; promoting the empowerment of women, youth, family farmers, and smallholders.

 

Welcome remarks

H.E. Jhenifer María Mojica Flórez, Permanent Representative of Colombia to FAO

 

• Lifeng Li, Director Land and Water Division, “Tenure Security for Sustainable Land and Water Management”
• Ward Anseeuw Rural Transformation and Gender Equality Division (ESP), “The Status of Land Tenure and Governance (SLTG) report”

• H.E. Junimart Girsang, Ambassador of the Republic of Indonesia
• H.E Laura Elena Carrillo Cubillas, Ambassador, Permanent Representative of México
• Luisa Roelke, Deputy Permanent Representative of Germany
• Clinton Heiman, Deputy Director General, Department of Land Reform and Rural Development, South Africa

22 July 2026 | 12:15 - 13:30 | Sheikh Zayed Centre

At the 30^th Session of the FAO Committee on Agriculture (COAG), and in context of United Nations International Year of Woman Famer, the Government of Brazil will convene a High-Level Side-Event entitled “Inclusive Finance for Rural Women: unlocking innovative instruments and approaches to support women-led agrifood systems transformation”.

This technical event will provide an opportunity to foster dialogue among countries, international organizations, international financial institutions and other relevant stakeholders, to exchange experiences on key instruments and policies that enhance access to and effectiveness of financial services for rural women and allow them to achieve economic autonomy.

The session seeks to place rural women at the center of discussions on finance, productive inclusion and sustainable development. Rural women are essential actors in food production, family farming, natural resource stewardship and community resilience. Yet, they continue to face disproportionate barriers in access to land, credit, technical assistance, markets, as well as the lack of adequate legal and regulatory frameworks, and participation in decision-making spaces.

Conversely, when rural women are provided with enabling financial and non-financial conditions, their opportunities for income generation and their capacity to leverage investments to boost agricultural productivity are strengthened, contributing significantly to food security and nutrition.

Over the past decades, significant innovations in financial inclusion have expanded the range of tools available to rural populations. However, formal financial institutions must continue to update their understanding of rural and agricultural realities so that financial services can become more accessible in rural areas and more effectively tailored to the specific needs and circumstances of rural populations, especially women.

Nevertheless, improved access to finance alone is unlikely to be sufficient in the absence of an enabling environment and policies. Ensuring inclusive rural development and expanding economic opportunities for women require more than isolated financial instruments. Sustainable results depend on combining multiple sources of capital — public, private, philanthropic and concessional — with integrated public policies, technical assistance, guarantees, market access and gender-responsive approaches. Combined, they improve the chance of using financial resources more effectively. In this context, blending and bundling finance emerges as a strategic pathway to unlock investment, reduce risks, and ensure that financial resources translate into productive inclusion and lasting social impact.

The High-Level Event will explore innovative financing arrangements for family farming and rural livelihoods, with particular attention to experiences from the Global South. Initially, the discussion will address how international financial institutions and organizations can expand access to finance and strengthen rural economies. Special emphasis will be given to blended finance, such as guarantee funds and de-risking mechanisms that can leverage additional resources and reach underserved populations, especially rural women.

The second part of the event will analyze country learnings and approaches on successful policies and instruments that have addressed these constraints and practical national experiences that hold potential for scaling up or replication across regions. Successful initiatives often depend on complementary non-financial measures such as training, rural extension services, cooperativism, childcare support, land tenure security, digital inclusion and public procurement.

The session aims to generate practical lessons and partnerships for scaling integrated solutions that combine finance and non-finance instruments, policy innovation and inclusion for rural transformation, while recognizing rural women as leaders of change in agrifood systems.

Proposed Structure (75 min total)

Moderator

• Clara Park (ESP/FAO)

Opening Segment – welcome remarks (10 min)

• Fernanda MACHIAVELI, Minister, Ministry of Rural Development and Family Farming, Brazil
• Beth BECHDOL, Deputy Director-General, FAO

Perspectives from international organizations and IFIs on potential pathways to leverage finance for women (24 min)

• Rania DAGASH-KAMARA, Assistant Executive Director for Partnerships and Innovation, WFP
• Lauren PHILLIPS, Director, Partnerships and UN Collaboration Division, FAO
• Pieternel BOOGAARD, Managing Director of the Office of Technical Delivery, IFAD

National Experiences: Credit for Rural Women and Integrated Public Policies (24 min)

• Vani RAO, Ambassador, Permanent Representative of India to FAO, IFAD and WFP
• Manuel ROBLES, National Secretary of the Technical Secretariat of Food and Nutrition Security and Sovereignty under the Presidency Office, Dominican Republic
• Fernanda MACHIAVELI, Minister, Ministry of Rural Development and Family Farming, Brazil

Q&A from the audience (12 min)

Closing Remarks and Summary of recommendations (5 min)

• Carla BARROSO CARNEIRO, Permanent Representative of Brazil to FAO, IFAD and WFP

 

 

23 July 2026 | 12.15 - 13.30 CEST | Sheikh Zayed Centre

Webcast link

Plant health, the overall well-being of individual plants and communities, both in natural and cultivated ecosystems, is evidently an essential component of the One Health concept, i.e.,  the integrated, unifying approach to sustainably balance and optimize the health of people, animals and ecosystems. Nonetheless, this foundational relationship is usually overlooked outside of the immediate communities of practice.

This side event provides a forum for informed exchange of ideas to aid the continuing elucidation of how plant health underpins the One Health approach to a wider stakeholder base. Through the exploration of relevant interrelated themes, including biosecurity, integrated pest management, anti-microbial use, pesticide risk reduction and transboundary threats, the interlocutors will demonstrate the multifaceted construct of the One Health approach. Examples of replicable initiatives for the intentional integration of plant health in One Health approaches and a recently conceived global framework will be used to buttress the arguments.

 

Moderator: Fazil Dusunceli, Agriculture Officer, Plant Production and Protection Division (NSP), FAO

Video viewing: Plant health and One Health

Welcoming remarks:

• H.E. Ambassador Ashton-Griffiths, Permanent Representation of the United Kingdom  
• H.E. Ambassador Elif Çomoğlu Ülgen, Permanent Representation of Türkiye

Technical session: 

• Mr. Cem Erdogan, Başkent University, Ankara, Türkiye
  Integrating plant health in One Health in Türkiye
  
• Mr. Enrico Perotti, IPPC Secretary, NSP, FAO)
  Biosecurity in trade: preventing pest and disease spread for One Health
  
• Ms. KimAnh Tempelman, Project Officer, NSP, FAO
  Integrating One Health approaches in addressing plant health challenges
  
• Ms. Lina Awada, Project Coordinator, Animal Production and Health Division, FAO
  Building intersectoral synergies in One Health through communities of practice
  
• Mr. Chikelu Mba, Deputy Director of Plant Production and Protection Division, (FAO)
  Global Programme on Plant Health for One Health

 

23  July 2026 | 12.15 - 13.30 CEST | Green room

The side event will showcase scalable innovations in policy design and implementation that strengthen collaboration across food security, biodiversity, climate resilience, One Health, and livestock transformation, supporting implementation of the CAADP Kampala Declaration. As agrifood systems face increasingly interconnected challenges, traditional sectoral approaches are no longer sufficient. The session will demonstrate how systems-based policymaking can help countries unlock synergies across sectors through evidence-based, coordinated interventions.

Bringing together national policymakers, practitioners, and leading academics, it will feature practical examples of how countries are aligning priorities, mobilizing investments, and strengthening governance mechanisms to operationalize the Kampala Declaration and accelerate agrifood systems transformation. Participants will gain insights into practical tools and methods for designing integrated policies that deliver multiple benefits across sectors. The event will also mark the launch of a new handbook for policymakers, Tools and Methods to Support the Design and Implementation of Policies for Agrifood Systems Transformation, providing practical guidance for policy design and implementation.

 

Time	Sections	Description
3’	Session overview and objectives	Moderator: Corinna Hawkes, Director, Agrifood Systems and Food Safety division, FAO (TBC)
3'	Opening remarks	Ambassador (Permanent representative) of Ireland to the UN
Buffer
7’	Opening presentation- Facilitators handbook launch	Siobhan Kelly, Policy Officer, Agrifood Systems and Food Safety Division, FAO
30’	Panel discussion’  (each response 2 mins)	Moderator: Siobhan Kelly, Policy Officer, Agrifood Systems and Food Safety Division, FAO  Panelists:  Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine (DAFM), Ireland   Dr Manyewu Mutamba, Head of Agriculture, African Union Development Agency (AUDA-NEPAD) (confirmed)  Nkumbu NALWIMBA, First Secretary, Alternate Permanent Representative from Zambia to FAO,  Rome (confirmed)  Dr Chantal Ingabire, Rwanda’s Ministry of Agriculture and Animal resources (confirmed)  European Union (TBC)
Buffer
15'	Audience questions	Managed by moderator
6'	Joint closing remarks	UN Food Systems Coordination Hub (TBC)  Corinna Hawkes, Director, Agrifood Systems and Food Safety division, FAO

 

 

 

 

24 July 2026 | 12.15 - 13.30 (CEST) |  Sheikh Zayed Centre

The economic and environmental case for a global fertiliser transition is clear. 

Inefficient nutrient use reduces productivity, food security, soil health and environmental quality while slowing climate progress. In many regions, under-use limits yields, weakens soil fertility, increases farmers’ climate vulnerability and reduces resilience.

Building on the COP30 Belém Declaration on Fertilizers, this event will consider how international collaboration (from standards, innovation and demand creation), can deliver productivity, resilience and environmental outcomes. 

The session will explore pathways for countries to reduce exposure to fertiliser supply shocks, highlighting country-led transitions that improve nutrient use efficiency, diversify supply, restore soil health and sustain productivity, strengthening long-term food security. Panellists from the United Kingdom, Türkiye and Brazil will showcase domestic and international actions advancing sustainable fertiliser production and use.

Agenda:

Time	Agenda Item
12:15 – 12:20	Opening Remarks: UK Ambassador, H.E. Ms Evelyn Ashton-Griffiths
12:20 – 13:05               13:05 - 13:20	Panel: Country Experiences & Experts (Moderated by the UK Ambassador) Deputy Director, International Fertilizer Association, Mr Patrick Heffer Secretary General, World Farmers Organisation, Mr Andrea Porro  FAO Chief Scientist, Mr Charles Spillane Fertiliser expert, Türkiye’s Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry, Mr Yasar Orhan Fertiliser expert, UK Department of Agriculture and Environment, Mr Henry Webber Vice Minister, Brazilian Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock, Mr Cleber Oliveira Soares Q&A  (Moderated by the UK Ambassador)
13:25 – 13:30	Closing Remarks Deputy Director of Plant Production and Protection Division, FAO, Mr Chikelu Mba
13:30	Proceed to Atrium:  Refreshments & interactive tabletop exercise

 

24 July 2026 |  09.30 - 12.00 CEST |  Green Room

Webcast link
Event page

This high-level event will present the Global Partnership Programme for Transboundary Animal Diseases (GPP-TAD), FAO’s new country-driven initiative to strengthen prevention, preparedness and progressive control of transboundary animal diseases. It will highlight Member commitment, clarify key programme elements, including governance and implementation, and identify opportunities for engagement, while showcasing FAO’s longstanding work in supporting resilient agrifood systems.

25 July 2026 | 13.30 - 16.00 CEST |  Green Room

Webcast link

Event webpage

Background

The Global Framework on Water Scarcity in Agriculture (WASAG) was launched in 2016 and established as a partnership hosted by FAO in 2017. WASAG’s vision is a world whose food systems are secure and resilient to increasing water scarcity in a changing climate.

The High-Level Rome Water Dialogue on WASAG which took place during the World Food Forum of 2024 adopted the Rome Water Declaration on Water Scarcity in Agriculture; leading to the establishment of a Member-led Steering Committee, and a Technical Advisory Committee (TAC) for respectively, strategic leadership and technical guidance to WASAG. 

The Declaration also provided for a Plenary Assembly to be held every second year in Rome and an International Forum to be held every other second year in the regions.

A WASAG strategy for 2026-2031 has been developed following an extensive consultative process and is expected to be adopted at the First Plenary Assembly. The implementation of the strategy and the work plan for 2026-2027 depends on commitments, with the technical and scientific backstopping provided by the WASAG Working Groups and Task Forces.

 

Expected outputs

The First Plenary Assembly of WASAG will achieve the following outputs:

1. FAO Members and WASAG partners are provided with the opportunity to institutionalize the WASAG partnership
2. Agreement is reached on priorities and adoption of the WASAG Strategy for 2026-2031
3. Members are exposed to the collaborative work of WASAG, by showcasing saline agriculture, led by the Partners from the Netherlands and indigenous drought-resilient opportunity crops
4. Support and commitments are mobilized for the implementation of the WASAG strategy and its workplan for 2026-2027

Target audience

• WASAG Member Nations, including Steering Committee Members
• WASAG Partners (UN agencies, Academia & Research Institutions, NGOs and CSOs, Private Organizations, Social Enterprises and Foundations)
• WASAG Technical Advisory Committee, Working Groups and Task Forces
• International Development Agencies and International Financial Institutions
• Other stakeholders interested in collaborating on solutions for water scarcity in agriculture

 

Proposed programme

A draft programme of the first WASAG Plenary Assembly is proposed below:

 

Time	Item
Time	Item
Moderator: Lifeng Li, Director, NSL
13:30-14:00 (30 min)	1.     Opening session ·       Introduction by Moderator ·       Opening remarks by Mr QU Dongyu, Director-General, FAO ·       Remarks by the Chair/Vice Chair of the WASAG Steering Committee ·       Remarks by H.E. Krisztina Bende, Ambassador and Permanent Representative of Switzerland to the United Nations Organizations in Rome (FAO, WFP, and IFAD) ·       Remarks by H.E. Youssef Balla, Ambassador and Permanent Representative of the Kingdom of Morocco to FAO   ·       WASAG video
Moderator: Chair/Vice-Chair of WASAG
14:00-14:30 (30 min)	2.     The WASAG Strategy for 2026-2031: for adoption ·       Presentation of the WASAG Strategy for 2026-2031 ·       Discussion and adoption of WASAG Strategy for 2026-2031
14:30-15:10 (40 min)	3.     WASAG workplan for 2026-2027: for discussion ·       Presentation of the WASAG workplan for 2026-2027 ·       Discussion on the WASAG workplan for 2026-2027
15:10-15:50 (40 min)	4.     WASAG Implementation Priorities ·       Saline Agriculture ·       Drought-resilient and nutritious opportunity crops
15:50 -16:00 (10 min)	5.     Closing Ms Beth Bechdol, Deputy Director-General, FAO