People coming together to plant trees in Yerevan. A group of Kyrgyz mountain climbers reaching one of Central Asia’s highest summits – the 7 134-metre-high Lenin Peak – to place an FAO flag at the top. Schoolchildren in Serbia learning about healthy diets and nutrition to establish good eating habits at a young age. World Food Day 2025 united people and communities to act together to promote a sustainable, safer and climate-resilient future, where everyone has a full plate. 

Protecting Türkiye’s Bursa black figs and peaches, from tree to table.

Since its emergence in Europe in 2018, peste des petits ruminants (PPR) has continued to spread. Over the past two years, it has reached Albania, Bulgaria, Georgia, Greece, Hungary, Kosovo¹ and Romania, marking the first known incursions of the disease in some of those countries. As notifiable disease listed by the World Organisation for Animal Health (WOAH), one with high mortality rates and trade implications, PPR poses a serious threat to food security, rural livelihoods and national economies. 

A series of trainings recently concluded in Serbia and in Montenegro, helping hunters improve their knowledge of African swine fever (ASF) in wild boar and strengthen hunting biosecurity. Organized by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), the sessions reached more than 200 hunters. 

The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) and the United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO) have announced the successful completion of the design phase of a landmark national strategy aimed at transforming the Republic of Moldova’s table grape sector into a competitive, climate-resilient and inclusive industry.

By signing a new agreement, the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) and Uzbekistan have pledged to provide more targeted and country-specific support to rural communities. By 2030, the agreement foresees the improvement of territorial development strategies, food safety and nutrition, One Health surveillance, natural resources management, and the handling of environmental risks and hazards in agriculture.

The Fourth Multistakeholder Regional Meeting of the Global Agenda for Sustainable Livestock (GASL) came to a close today in Dushanbe, Tajikistan, bringing together livestock sector leaders and experts from across Central Asia, as well as participants from Azerbaijan and Türkiye. The event was jointly organized by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) and the GASL.

Between concrete and traffic, urban forests breathe life into our cities. They are more than just trees; they’re the foundation for greener, healthier and more vibrant cities. They offer an inclusive, accessible and highly impactful way to enhance community well-being, boost biodiversity and make our urban spaces more resilient to climate change. To mark the eightieth anniversary of its establishment, the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) has helped Budapest become a greener and healthier city by planting 80 trees in a protected urban forest area.

Women in Montenegro perform much of the country’s agricultural work yet remain largely excluded from land ownership and decision-making. They make up more than half of the workforce on family farms but just 12.9 percent of those who hold ownership or secure rights to agricultural land. This is according to the new National Gender Profile of Agriculture and Rural Livelihoods, developed by the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) in close partnership with the Government of Montenegro.

Serbia took an important step towards strengthening its health security and fostering collaboration across human, animal, plant and environmental sectors during the two-day workshop “From theory to practice: Implementing the One Health approach holistically”, held in Belgrade on 1–2 December 2025. Organized by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) as the current chair of the Quadripartite (FAO, WHO, WOAH and UNEP), with the support of the other partner agencies, the event brought together over 40 representatives from government institutions, academia and international organizations to support Serbia in making the One Health approach operational.

Islomjon Yusufov’s journey saw him progress from struggling with a rocky and waterless plot of land to running a thriving, innovative family farm. “Yusuf Bobo”, as his farm is called, is a powerful example of personal determination and resilience. His story reflects the potential of agrobiodiversity to provide a pathway to economic empowerment for rural communities in Tajikistan by promoting sustainable farming practices and enhancing local agricultural diversity – even on hard, mountain soil.

Türkiye has taken a significant stride forward in the fight against brucellosis, a disease that affects both animals and people, by hosting a national workshop dedicated to its progressive control. The event took place from 26 to 28 November at the Pendik Veterinary Control Institute in Istanbul. In a One Health spirit, it brought together experts from the animal and public health sectors to jointly assess Türkiye’s brucellosis control capacities.

The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) and Qatar Fund for Development (QFFD) have signed a USD 10 million agreement to support rural communities affected by the potential contamination of agricultural land with mines and explosive remnants of war in Ukraine. 

Every day, small, often-invisible losses accumulate. A crate of tomatoes spoils before delivery. A restaurant prepares more meals than will be served. A household discards food it never used. These ordinary moments carry an extraordinary consequence: They consume water we can’t afford to waste, thus accelerating the climate crisis. Globally, one-third of all food produced is lost or wasted. Every piece of uneaten food represents a waste of water, land, energy and labour.

 

The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) is holding an intensive awareness campaign in the Republic of Moldova to mark World Soil Day, celebrated globally on 5 December. Under the theme Healthy Soils for Healthy Cities, the campaign aims to educate and engage the next generation on the critical importance of soil health and land degradation neutrality.

Although fisheries sustainability in the Mediterranean and the Black Sea remains a source of concern, the percentage of overfished stocks has dropped to its lowest level in a decade, a milestone that coincides with aquaculture’s rapid expansion as a major source of aquatic foods in the region, according to a report released today by FAO’s General Fisheries Commission for the Mediterranean (GFCM).

The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) brought together governments, producer groups, civil society and international experts for the Fifth Regional Consultation on Geographical Indications (GIs). This year’s event was dedicated to advancing the economic, environmental and social sustainability of GI systems in Europe and Central Asia.

In a quiet field outside Madrid, a sheep owner looks up at a drone humming above grazing sheep, scanning for signs of stress, injury or predators. Tens of thousands of kilometres away, a young farmer shifts gears entirely, leaving a job in banking to return to his family farm in a Kyrgyz village. Meanwhile, in Ukraine, an engineer turned dairy farm owner opens her gates, creating a unique, multifunctional space focused on ethical farming, veteran rehabilitation and community well-being.

Parliament members from across the globe gathered 10–11 November at the headquarters of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) in Rome to exchange views and ideas on the use of legislative tools to boost progress in food security and nutrition. The Europe and Central Asia region was represented by Austria, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Georgia and Greece, with each country reaffirming its commitment to transforming the region’s food and agricultural sectors to be more efficient, inclusive and grounded in shared values.

The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) and the Albania Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development are working closely together to scale up efforts to equip the country for the effective implementation of the European Union LEADER measure under the instrument for pre-accession assistance for rural development (IPARD III).