Results

In an era marked by climate change, resource constraints, and population growth challenge global food systems, the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) is working closely with Pinduoduo, China’s largest agricultural e-commerce marketplace, to accelerate digital innovation in agriculture. This collaborative engagement is reshaping agri-food systems to become more sustainable, inclusive, and resilient. Collaborative engagements are at the heart of the FAO Strategy for Private Sector Engagement (2026-2030). These structured, yet not binding, interactions between FAO and private sector actors are aimed at advancing shared objectives through mutual learning, co-creation, and trust-building.  Digital Transformation and Sustainable Development of Agrifood...

FAO convened the first meeting of the Private Sector Advisory Group (PSAG) in 2026, bringing together its diverse members to discuss the transition towards implementing the FAO’s Strategy for Private Sector Engagement 2026–2030 and to explore how best to advance its delivery.  Opening the session, Carlos Watson, Chief of the Private Sector Unit (PSUS), emphasized the vital role of PSAG members in ensuring that implementation of the Strategy remains anchored in real-world dynamics and informed by practical private sector experience.  Lauren Phillips, Director of the Partnerships and UN Collaboration Division (PSU), outlined the next steps under the Strategy and guided discussions around two central questions:  1. Which elements of the updated Strategy are the most groundbreaking? 2. At what level - global, regional or national, can collaboration with FAO achieve the greatest impact? A strategy shaped by...

The Eighth Japan–FAO Annual Strategic Consultation convened in hybrid format, bringing together participants to reflect on progress in Japan–FAO cooperation and chart shared priorities towards building more sustainable and resilient agrifood systems.   A session on private sector collaboration underscored the growing contribution of Japanese private sector companies and innovators to agrifood systems transformation. Participants explored how stronger, more strategic partnerships can help accelerate global efforts to enhance food security and achieve agrifood systems transformation.   Lauren Phillips, Director of FAO’s Partnerships and UN Collaboration Division (PSU), highlighted the FAO Strategy for Private Sector Engagement 2026-2030, emphasizing its role as a renewed framework for...

The FAO Strategy for Private Sector Engagement (2026-2030) was endorsed by the174th Session of the FAO Council. With its endorsement, the Council has marked a significant milestone in positioning FAO with a refreshed and constructive engagement model. This decision reflects FAO’s commitment to building stronger, more transparent, and action-oriented partnerships with the private sector in support of the FAO Four Betters.  A stronger vision for partnershipsBuilding on more than a decade of progress in private sector collaboration, the updated Strategy introduces renewed modalities to enhance efficiency, agility and accountability in private sector engagement. It emphasizes decentralization, ensuring regional and country-level priorities are fully integrated. Key updates include: Enhanced transparency and reporting through the expanded FAO CONNECT Portal and Customer Relationship Management (CRM) Salesforce system. Greater agility, accountability, and synergies to ensure private sector engagement contributes meaningfully to FAO’s field activities. Improved efficiencies through a streamlined FAO’s Due Diligence Framework for Risk Assessment and Management...

Representatives of the private sector from Latin America and the Caribbean participated in the Private Sector Regional Consultation, an online dialogue space held as part of the preparatory process for the 39th Session of the FAO Regional Conference for Latin America and the Caribbean (LARC 39).  During the opening of the event, Pablo Rabczuk, Senior Programme Officer and Secretary of the Regional Conference, highlighted the central role of the private sector in agrifood systems, and also noted that, in recent years, FAO has strengthened its engagement with the private sector through formal agreements and the implementation of its Private Sector Engagement Strategy.   In this context, the regional consultation enabled the collection of...