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Rome - The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) today unveiled a prototype rooftop farm at its Rome headquarters, an initiative that highlights how innovative technology contributes to making agri-food systems more sustainable and to increasing access to healthy diets.The farm will help explore the potential of urban agriculture to alleviate food shortages in areas where agricultural land and soil is limited, such as mountains and cities.Sponsored by the Italian retailer NaturaSì and designed by the Italian urban garden design company Ecobubble, the installation is housed entirely in mobile, triangle-shaped modules made of corrosion-retarding steel. The farm...

Rome -   Africa’s Great Green Wall (GGW) programme to combat desertification in the Sahel region  is not only crucial to the battle against climate change but also makes commercial sense for investors, a new study led by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) and published in Nature Sustainability shows.  For every US dollar put into the massive effort to halt land degradation across the African continent from Senegal in the west to Djibouti in the east, investors can expect an average return of USD 1.2, with outcomes ranging between USD 1.1  and USD 4.4, the analysis finds. “We need...

Codex Alimentarius food standards boost consumer confidence and open markets to farmers and producers Christopher Columbus was actually on a quest for the exotic spices of the East, when he stumbled upon the Americas. The renowned explorer’s geographically misguided mission more than five centuries ago was just one example of how the hunger for spices has left its mark, often violently, on the history of large parts of the world.   Nowadays, whether we pound them with a pestle and mortar, simmer them in stews or bake them into cookies, the spices we use are as much a part of our cultural identities...

Tuna and tuna-like fishes, most notably the yellowfin and Atlantic sailfish make up about 70 percent of the reported catches in Grenada. With an estimated 2 550 tonnes of fish caught annually, fisheries play an important role in the Grenadian economy, providing employment and income, food and food security, while also being a major source of foreign exchange. As a mainstay of the economy, fish is a key feature of local cuisine and diet. The fishing sector is predominantly small-scale commercial, supplying local markets and consumers with fresh fish. Furthermore, catch from the fishing vessels contributes to the export market.

In spring of 2020, as the world shut down in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, HELP Logistics continued to support its partners with logistics expertise. Together with FAO, the company undertook supply chain management (SCM) assessments in several countries with particularly challenging operational contexts, including Central African Republic, Democratic Republic of the Congo, South Sudan and Yemen - countries where even prior to the pandemic, food insecurity was widespread, and access issues were especially complicated due to infrastructure constraints and conflict.  In places where there is an elevated risk to food security and livelihoods, having a smooth supply chain is...