In a virtual knowledge exchange session held by the Regional Office for Europe and Central Asia of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) regional management and technical experts heard from Member Nations’ representatives of Albania, Azerbaijan, Armenia, Georgia, Kazakhstan, the Kyrgyz Republic, Montenegro, Moldova, North Macedonia, Serbia, Tajikistan, Türkiye and Uzbekistan on the current situation in their countries, their governments’ response to the COVID-19 pandemic, the war in Ukraine, climate change, and support needed from FAO.

In the Republic of Tajikistan, one in four families has at least one family member working abroad. Representing about 10 percent of the total population, labour migrants from Tajikistan are predominantly men and mainly from rural areas. Families of labour migrants struggle to manage the farming work previously done by those who are away, they face inequities and are considered a vulnerable and marginalized group with poor economic resilience.

FAO, in cooperation with the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry of the Republic of Türkiye, has been granted financial support of about USD 45 million from the Global Environment Facility (GEF) for three new projects between 2022 and 2025. The projects will focus on biodiversity conservation, sustainable forest management, ecosystem management, water conservation, and climate change mitigation.

Rich in heritage and full of potential, millets are a sustainable, nutritious and under-valued food source

A partnership between the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) and the Government of Japan is sustaining agricultural production and safeguarding food and nutrition security for highly vulnerable households in the Republic of Moldova, which is affected by the ongoing war in Ukraine and recent, extreme weather conditions.

Small-scale family farmers can be instrumental in elevating human rights in the food and agriculture sector and in ensuring sustainable agrifood systems. To help create a supportive environment for peasants in which their inherent dignity and worth is recognized, Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, (FAO) has organized a training workshop on the implementation of the UN Declaration on the Rights of Peasants and Other People Working in Rural Areas (UNDROP) and to promote agroecology.

A regional workshop dedicated to the FAO–Türkiye Partnership Programmes (FTPP) took place on 24 January in Baku, Republic of Azerbaijan, to discuss the results and successes of recent projects. The workshop participants consisted of high-level representatives of relevant institutions in the countries of the subregion involved in the projects. The workshop was held as part of the  “Enhancing the visibility of the FAO–Türkiye Partnership Programmes" project.

FAO hosts a panel discussion at the 2023 edition of the Global Forum for Food and Agriculture in Berlin

World Food Day inspired Mihaela Stojmenovikj, a 17-year-old student from North Macedonia to portray the important work of family farmers, who are ensuring that our agrifood systems provide us with a variety of nutritious foods. Separated by more than 700 kilometers but sharing an appreciation for nature, Dilara Karabacak, a 10-year-old student from Türkiye, successfully conveyed the respect and care we owe the Earth for the gifts of the soil given to farmers and to us all that nourish us.

FAO and the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development help update food safety measures for smallholders’ traditional culinary products

Rural households, smallholder farmers and small-scale agricultural enterprises will benefit from a $15.5 million project funded by the European Union (EU) and implemented by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) to support the functioning, reinforcement and strengthening of value chains in agriculture, fisheries and forestry, and their adaptation to the wartime conditions.

World Food Day is celebrated each year on 16 October to raise awareness and action for those who suffer from hunger and for the need to ensure healthy diets for all, leaving no one behind. It’s an occasion to work together and create a better, more sustainable future. Each year, World Food Day is marked by hundreds of events and outreach activities all over the globe. One of the activities launched for countries of Europe and Central Asia was a photo contest.

Timely information on food prices and markets is important for agricultural development, especially for smallholders and food producers. In this regard, the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) and Westminster International University in Tashkent have launched today an instrument for monitoring and analysing food prices in Uzbekistan – a web-based tool to facilitate the dissemination and analysis of food price data from the country.

By incorporating the vision of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) on digital innovation to prevent and control avian influenza, the FAO Virtual Learning Center for Europe and Central Asia has trained over 240 veterinarians through an online, Russian language course for preparedness against an outbreak of the detrimental disease.

Recent global events have thrown a spotlight on the urgency for more sustainable, resilient, and inclusive agrifood systems and have also shown us possible holistic and inter-linked approaches to a greener and more food secure future for all. Greening agriculture provides a pathway to come closer to this goal.

After nine months of war in Ukraine, rural households are increasingly affected by the conflict with many forced to scale down or abandon agricultural activities, according to a new survey released by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO). 

Healthy soils are the prerequisite for healthy plants and crops, and consequently for healthy food. World Soil Day, celebrated on 5 December every year, is an occasion to focus on the crucial role of soils in our food systems, and to assess the state of soil resources.

Two back-to-back events addressing antimicrobial resistance (AMR) in the food and agriculture sectors of Europe and Central Asia concluded today in Moscow. Countries at the consultation meeting on 5-6 December agreed to set up an antimicrobial resistance laboratory network, with the active participation of the main animal health and food safety laboratories involved in the detection of AMR in the six countries of the Republic of Armenia, the Republic of Belarus, the Republic of Kazakhstan, the Kyrgyz Republic, the Russian Federation and the Republic of Tajikistan.

Cattle are the most common and widespread species of large ruminant livestock and are raised primarily for their milk, meat, and skin. To help increase efficiency, productivity, and sustainability of cattle production, the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) organized a knowledge-exchange workshop for smallholders on 1-2 December in Budapest, Hungary. The objective of the event was to gather experts and sector representatives to share knowledge, skills, and successful initiatives, with a particular emphasis on cattle production.