This summer, FAO, in collaboration with Vojvodinasume and the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD), has already held nine training events for hunters on African swine fever (ASF) at various locations in Serbia, with today being the tent

FAO is leading a two-day simulation exercise on African swine fever starting today in Podgorica, Montenegro. The exercise is part of a wider FAO effort helping Balkan countries bolster their capacities for responding to a possible outbreak of African swin

As part of preparations for the landmark UN Food Systems Summit in New York this September, a virtual independent dialogue saw today eight countries come together to discuss how they will transform national food systems and drive progress towards the Sust

Lately, there has been increasing discussion over one part of the jigsaw known as the ‘agrifood system’: food loss and waste. Without addressing it, we cannot ensure inclusiveness, food security and sustainability in how our food is produced, processed, t

Finalists in seven categories of the ‘Digital Excellence in Agriculture in Europe and Central Asia’ award of the International Telecommunication Union (ITU) and FAO have been announced. The initiative, launched in November 2020,aims to identify, showcase,

Yesterday, FAO concluded a virtual meeting to address pertinent food and agriculture issues of Europe and Central Asia, against a background of the new FAO Strategic Framework, and the impact of the COVID-19 crisis. The 39 FAO Member Nations were joined b

Countries of the vast and diverse Europe and Central Asia region receive guidance on an eco-friendly transformation of their agrifood systems. Current agricultural systems of the region are extremely polarized with large-scale intensive agriculture and s

In collaboration with the Ministry of Agriculture of Kazakhstan, the office of Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) in Kazakhstan has launched a “Call for good practices on digital agriculture in Kazakhstan”. This call will enable to identify, showcase

Locust infestations are severely threatening Tajikistan’s agriculture, so a wide-ranging effort led by FAO has now delivered tyres for various vehicles used in locust operations, as well electronic gadgets, to support locust management in the country. Us

Creating healthy soil, and keeping soil healthy, is one of the greatest challenges of our times, with pollution being a significant stumbling block. Starting today, a Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) project is helping Serbia

The city of Përmet is known as the city of flowers, wine, jams, and a compote called gliko. Local products such as these are important drivers of sustainable development and agrotourism, in how they enhance potential and opportunity for farming families.

The most recent numbers show that a considerable amount of the food being wasted is generated in households. In Turkey alone, around 19 million tonnes of food gets lost or wasted every year. This highlights consumer behaviour as one of the underlying driv

Plant trade has come a long way in recent decades, but it still poses certain challenges and risks. Countries in Europe and Central Asia learned about a cutting-edge tool today, the ePhyto Solution – an electronic system for phytosanitary certification th

With Turkey hosting more than 3.6 million Syrians, that makes it home to the world’s largest refugee population. Many of those refugees, who have been granted “temporary protection” in Turkey, work in the agri-food and livestock sectors, which offer the m

Armenia, which is highly vulnerable to climate change, has signed up to increase its forest cover and carbon removal from forests by reducing fuelwood demand and by introducing sustainable and climate-adaptive forest management techniques. This is envisa

In March of 2021, a Montenegrin cow became the first known exemplar of the species – indeed, the first farm asset of any kind – to be bought with a virtual currency in the western Balkans. Comically but appropriately enough, she was named Bitkoinka.

FAO is supporting the Government of Albania define and implement its Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) under the Paris Agreement, particularly in the agriculture, forestry and other land use sector. FAO has already started to visit schools, farms

Uzbekistan’s Ministry of Agriculture, together with the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), organised a national dialogue to prepare for the UN Food Systems Summit, a major glo

The enormous complexity of food production, trade, and consumption poses several challenges that require attention all along the food chain. Yet, when it comes to the consumer, all that matters is that the food we eat is safe and nutritious. To that end,

A regional virtual workshop marked the launch of an FAO project that aims to increase the effectiveness of small ruminant production and reduce greenhouse gas emission intensity. Funded by Turkey, the project is designed to increase knowledge on efficient