FAO and Italy

© Benedicte Kurzen/NOOR for FAO
Sustainale Food and Agriculture

Sustainable Food and Agriculture contributes to the four pillars of food security: availability, access, use, and stability. Italy, in collaboration with FAO, promotes sustainable food to assist nations throughout the globe in erradicating hunger and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

In depth

Situated in Rome’s famous Appia Antica Park, the G20 Green Garden invites people to reflect on the future of our planet. This open-air museum celebrates biodiversity, nature and Rome’s ancient heritage, while calling for global solidarity to create a sustainable future for all.

It represents the countries’ joint commitment to “People, Planet, Prosperity” – three core values inherently linked to the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals. 

Italy is home to several Globally Important Agricultural Heritage Systems (GIAHS), precious agroecosystems inhabited by communities that live in an intricate relationship with their territory.

These evolving sites are resilient systems characterized by remarkable agrobiodiversity, traditional knowledge, invaluable cultures and landscapes, sustainably managed by farmers, herders, fisherfolk, and forest people in ways that contribute to their livelihoods and food security. 

News

The Mediterranean and the Black Sea: Fisheries sustainability concerns remain, but overfishing drops to its lowest level in a decade, while aquaculture feeds more people
28/11/2025

New report by FAO’s General Fisheries Commission for the Mediterranean reveals strong advances in sustainability and recovery of key stocks

COP30: FAO brings agrifood systems to the forefront of climate action
21/11/2025

In Brazil, FAO unveiled a series of reports and initiatives showing how sustainable agrifood systems are a solution to the climate crisis

New TERRA programme boosts small and medium agrifood companies’ access to credit
11/11/2025

Launched by the European Union, Italy’s Cassa Depositi e Prestiti and FAO, Transforming and Empowering Resilient and Responsible Agribusiness strengthens...

FAO honours 28 Globally Important Agricultural Heritage Systems across 14 countries
31/10/2025

Award Ceremony celebrates communities preserving traditional knowledge, biodiversity and resilience for a food secure future

Junior World Food Day: FAO inspires young people with celebrity cooking show
17/10/2025

Italian national rugby players, actors, youth activists and celebrity chefs place the spotlight on healthy eating and reduced food waste

Global deforestation slows, but forests remain under pressure, FAO report shows
21/10/2025

Latest Global Forest Resources Assessment provides detailed analyses for 236 countries and areas

World Food Forum 2025 kicks off as FAO celebrates its 80th anniversary
13/10/2025

FAO Director-General QU Dongyu receives leaders from Brazil, Lesotho, Djibouti, Eswatini, Jordan and Bangladesh at FAO’s Rome headquarters

World Food Forum 2025 concludes with renewed global commitment to transform agrifood systems through solidarity, science, and investment
17/10/2025

This year’s Forum was attended by several global leaders and included the celebration of a historic World Food Day marking FAO’s 80th anniversary

Pope Leo XIV and world leaders mark World Food Day and FAO at 80 in Rome
16/10/2025

The theme of this year's World Food Day, “Hand in Hand for Better Foods and a Better Future,” calls for continued collaboration

FAO inaugurates new Food and Agriculture Museum & Network in Rome
16/10/2025

FAO Director-General QU and Italy President Mattarella cut the ribbon for unique space showcasing FAO’s work in agriculture and food security

FAO and Italy unveil commemorative postal stamp marking the Organization’s 80th anniversary
16/10/2025

The new stamp celebrates eight decades of action against hunger and highlights FAO’s enduring partnership with Italy

“From Seeds to Foods” opens in Rome as FAO marks 80 years of global action
10/10/2025

Global exhibition opens with high-level ceremony, celebrating agrifood innovation from a variety of seeds to the great diversity of foods on our...

Global exhibition “From Seeds to Foods” kicks off FAO’s 80th Anniversary celebrations
08/10/2025

The free public exhibition at Rome’s Park of Porta Capena showcases technologies, good practices and the diversity of global agrifood systems from...

Stella Jean and Mountain Partnership launch Bhutan ethical fashion collection
27/09/2025

Collaboration pieces on show at Milan Fashion Week

New Globally Important Agricultural Heritage Systems (GIAHS) in Italy and Japan push global total of designated sites past 100
26/08/2025

Three new GIAHS designations from FAO – one in Italy and two in Japan – showcase agrobiodiversity, traditional knowledge and cultural heritage

SOFI 2025: FAO calls for urgent, coordinated and inclusive action to end global hunger
28/07/2025

FAO Director-General QU Dongyu addresses the launch of the 2025 State of Food Security and Nutrition in the World Report

The digital journey in Mediterranean agrifood systems continues…
30/06/2025

Discover more inspiring stories of transformation

FAO Director-General urges hope, collective action and genuine multilateralism
30/06/2025

At the 44th Session of FAO Conference, QU Dongyu stresses the need to move beyond rhetoric to nourish people, protect the planet, and empower communities

Rome’s Circo Massimo Metro Station becomes “Circo Massimo – FAO” to mark the Organization’s 80th Anniversary
28/06/2025

The entrance hall and atrium of the station now feature installations by both local and international artists whose artworks celebrate the deep connections...

FAO Director-General launches food education partnership with the City of Rome to mark FAO’s 80th anniversary
23/06/2025

On the occasion of the 80th anniversary of the FAO, a joint initiative to promote food education and sustainability in the schools of Rome.

Publications

Activity book junior – Story of a t-shirt
01/06/2024

This edition of the Activity Book is designed for youth aged 5 and above, to encourage the young minds of tomorrow to take action and create a brighter...

Activity book - Food heroes
16/10/2020

Did you know that the majority of the world’s food is produced by small-scale farmers? But farmers aren’t the only food heroes out there. From the...

Activity Book - Water is life, water is food
16/10/2023

This Activity Book is aimed at a broad age range of young people interested in learning more about the importance of water on our planet. It is also...

World Food Day: Water is life, water is food
16/10/2023

World Food Day 2023 shines a spotlight on water as the foundation for life and food. It raises awareness worldwide about the importance of managing...

Activity Book – Our actions are our future
01/08/2021

Learn about the fascinating world behind food and agriculture in the World Food Day Activity Book. Follow the journey of food from the farm to your...

Leave No One Behind: Better production, better nutrition, a better environment and a better life
01/08/2022

Collective action across 150 countries worldwide is what makes World Food Day one of the most celebrated UN days of the UN calendar. Hundreds of events...

Building agricultural resilience to natural hazard-induced disasters: Insights from country case studies
01/01/2021

Natural hazard‑induced disasters (NHID), such as floods, droughts, severe storms, and animal pests and diseases have significant, widespread and long‑lasting...

Activity book – Healthy plants, healthy planet
01/01/2020

This activity book has been designed, written and illustrated to bring children and young people closer to the world of plant protection; the science...

OECD-FAO Agricultural Outlook 2018-2027
01/01/2018

The Agricultural Outlook 2018-2027 is a collaborative effort of the OECD and FAO prepared with input from the experts of their member governments and...

Voluntary Guidelines for Sustainable Soil Management
01/01/2017

The Voluntary Guidelines for Sustainable Soil Management (VGSSM) were adopted by the 4th GSP Plenary Assembly (Rome, 25 May 2016), approved by the 25th...

Activity book - Change the future of migration
16/10/2018

Did you know that 1 out of every 7 people on the planet was a migrant in 2015? In the last few years, there has been a huge increase in the number of...

Activity Book - Working for Zero Hunger
16/10/2018

Did you know that there are over 820 million people in the world that go to bed hungry, while 1.9 billion people are overweight? The world has set a...

Soils Challenge Badge
01/01/2014

The purpose of the United Nations Challenge Badges is to raise awareness, educate and, most of all, motivate young people to change their behaviour...

The Ocean Challenge Badge
01/01/2014

The purpose of the United Nations challenge badges is to raise awareness, educate and, most of all, motivate young people to change their behaviour...

Forests Challenge Badge
01/01/2013

The purpose of the United Nations Challenge Badges is to raise awareness, educate and motivate young people to change their behaviour and be active...

Water Challenge Badge
01/01/2013

Developed in collaboration with United Nations agencies, civil society and other organizations, the United Nations challenge badges are intended to...

Biodiversity Challenge Badge
01/01/2010

The purpose of the United Nations Challenge Badges is to raise awareness, educate and, most of all, motivate young people to change their behaviour...

The Regional Plan of Action for Small-Scale Fisheries in the Mediterranean and the Black Sea
01/01/2023

The Regional Plan of Action for Small-Scale Fisheries in the Mediterranean and the Black Sea (RPOA-SSF) is a historic political commitment setting out...

Our actions are our future
01/01/2021

The World Food Day 2021 brochure provides a brief overview of FAO’s work with countries and other partners to make our agri-food systems more efficient,...

70 Years of FAO (1945-2015)
01/01/2015

This book tells the story of these seven decades of the history of FAO, its protagonists and their endeavours. We have dug into the FAO archives to...