A pig disease originating from Southeast Africa, never before seen in Europe and Central Asia, hit the news in 2007 when it was first detected in Georgia. Since then, African swine fever has spread throughout Eastern Europe, entering the European Union in

Rich in karst fields and scenic views, rural life in Canton 10 of Bosnia and Herzegovina has its opportunities and challenges. Although the canton’s geography does not allow for intensive farming, it provides a good basis for livestock production and rura

In response to the growing challenges of rising hunger and malnutrition due to continuous conflicts and the effects of climate change, considerable efforts are required to strengthen partnerships in food security and nutrition among developed, transition

North Macedonia has reached an important milestone in the sustainable management of its forests. With a sound forest monitoring system designed, the country is now able to take further steps in improving policies and decision-making to increase Macedonian

Until now, there has been little information available to the international community regarding the state of forests in the Caucasus and Central Asia. Today, however, the UNECE/FAO Forestry and Timber Section has released the first regional overview of t

Prevention is better than cure – and more effective, too. Especially if one can start laying the foundations of a healthy diet at a young age. Last week, experts from several United Nations agencies, along with government representatives from eight count

Turkey is home to a great variety of biodiversity and ecosystems. The country’s diverse geographic features range from the Black Sea Mountains to the Mediterranean plains, from eastern highlands to Aegean coastline, with three biogeographical regions. For

It is estimated that about half of the world’s obsolete pesticides can be found in the former Soviet Union, with many of them stored throughout Central Asia. As an important centre for agriculture, particularly cotton production, the subregion was a heavy

In Kyrgyzstan, a FAO pilot programme is enabling local farmers to supply food for schoolchildren’s meals

In Tajikistan, irrigation water is the bottleneck of crop production. And with water scarcity on the rise due to climate change-induced weather extremes, the situation is getting even worse, particularly in rural areas. At this time of year, with the lon

Climate change has become an issue of national security and survival for many countries, as it further exacerbates the fragility of natural resources through the increased frequency and severity of extreme weather events. Climate change also affects food

Farmers are facing growing pressure to provide an increasing amount of healthy and nutritious food at low environmental cost. Combining traditional farming methods with modern systems is on-trend as well. Agroecology can contribute greatly to both while

Thirty Syrian workers start new jobs today at the Dağcıoğlu Baharat red pepper production factory in Kahramanmaraş, Turkey. They were hired by the factory’s owner, Mehmet Dağcı, at the conclusion of a job fair in Kilis in mid-March.The job fair was part o

In our interconnected, globalized world, trade can provide consumers a wide variety of safe and quality food products while giving farmers and food producers a stable and growing source of income. For this reason, promotion of those food products with com

Installing solar panels on foresters’ houses and educating children and youth on sustainability and environmental protection – these are two recent ways in which Kyrgyzstan, together with FAO, has set about upscaling its sustainable forest management. So

Farmers from conflict-affected areas of eastern Ukraine visited Lviv oblast on the western border past week as part of a study tour organized by FAO to promote the exchange of experience among agricultural entrepreneurs. The 17 participants were represent

Forests are life in its essence. Through education and training we can help safeguard these important and highly diverse ecosystems, providing clean air and water, while supplying food, wood and shelter. Today, the global community celebrates the Interna

The United Nations proclaimed 21 March the International Day of Forests in 2012 to celebrate the importance of forests of all types. Each year, events scattered around the world celebrate the contribution of trees to our lives. Under the motto “Learn to L

Seeds have been the symbol of life and renewal, and with good reason: As the foundation of agriculture, seeds (and plants) provide food and livelihood for many across the globe. Protecting plants’ genetic resources is protecting our future. At a conferen

Despite that North Macedonia is a net importer of poultry meat, the country has a long tradition of broiler production. Given the country’s growing demand for high-quality, fresh poultry, North Macedonia could – with the right public–private collaboratio