The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) brought national stakeholders together in Tbilisi this week for a workshop on animal genetic resources. The initial meeting was followed by field visits to the mountainous regions of Georgia, where the team collected data to help protect the country’s native cattle breeds as part of a broader effort that includes a new AI-powered breed identification tool.

Serbia has taken an important step towards building more climate-resilient forests with its first national training of trainers on climate-adaptive silviculture. The three-day programme, held from 15 to 17 July 2026, united experts from research institutions, government and public forest enterprises who will play a leading role in introducing climate-adaptive forestry practices across Serbia.

Belarus took an important step towards the international recognition of its agricultural heritage at an event in the Vitebsk region this week. Flax cultivation in the region is closely connected with agricultural knowledge, local practices, rural livelihoods and the surrounding natural landscapes. Developed and passed down over generations, these practices form part of a wider cultural and agricultural heritage that reflects the region’s strong relationship with agriculture and nature.

Orchards need pollinators, and bees need flowering trees – and a late frost damages both at once. Today, national institutions, local public authorities, producer associations, research institutions, development partners and farmers met at a working apiary in Hulboaca village, Grătiești, to discuss how fruit growers and beekeepers in the Republic of Moldova can prepare for that risk together. The workshop was convened by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) as part of an ongoing project funded by Japan.

Kazakhstan and the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) have launched three new projects under the FAO–Kazakhstan Partnership Programme. Raimund Jehle, FAO Deputy Regional Representative, and Yermek Kenzhekhanuly, Vice-Minister of Agriculture of Kazakhstan, exchanged signed official documents at a ceremony on 22 July.

Sustainable forest management not only helps reduce forest degradation but also supports poverty reduction and improves livelihoods. Achieving these outcomes requires the meaningful participation of all groups that depend on and contribute to forest resources, including women, who play important roles in forestry and agroforestry systems. For this reason, the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) calls for greater recognition of women’s contributions to forestry and agroforestry systems across Europe and Central Asia. 

As Montenegro works to realize its climate ambitions and build greater resilience, strengthening institutional capacity to access international climate finance is becoming increasingly important. Building a common understanding of climate finance mechanisms across institutions is a key step in translating national priorities into high-quality investment projects. To support this process, the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), in partnership with the Ministry of Ecology, Sustainable Development and Northern Region Development, implemented the Month of climate finance learning, a unique six-week awareness-raising initiative under the Readiness Project of the Green Climate Fund (GCF).

Brucellosis remains one of the world's most significant bacterial diseases transmissible from animals to humans, threatening livestock production, rural livelihoods, food safety and public health. As most human infections originate from direct contact with infected animals or the consumption of contaminated dairy products, controlling the disease depends on well-trained veterinarians who can apply science-based approaches to surveillance, vaccination, diagnosis and outbreak response while working closely with partners across sectors. To strengthen veterinary capacity, the FAO Virtual Learning Center (VLC) for Europe and Central Asia has launched the pilot edition of its online tutored course, Management of brucellosis in domestic ruminants. 

In Kyrgyzstan, rangelands are under increasing pressure from climate change, land degradation and growing livestock production. Yet healthy pastures are essential not only for feeding livestock and supporting rural livelihoods, but also for protecting biodiversity, conserving water resources and storing carbon. Their sustainable management is therefore vital for both people and the environment. As part of the International Year of Rangelands and Pastoralists 2026, the Inter-Regional Summer School of Young Pastoralists took place in Kyrgyzstan. 

In Georgia, farming remains at the heart of rural life. At the same time, limited local employment opportunities, financial insecurity, and unequal access to education, finance, and essential services continue to shape the choices of young people in rural areas, often contributing to migration. These constraints have widened the gap between the realities of rural life and the aspirations of a younger generation seeking professional growth, decent livelihoods, and, where opportunities exist, a greater role in local development. 
World Youth Skills Day, observed annually on 15 July, is an opportunity to reflect on these obstacles and recognize the strategic importance of equipping young people with skills for employment, decent work, and entrepreneurship.