Sustainable and circular bioeconomy for food systems transformation

FAO's work for a sustainable and circular bioeconomy

FAO provides policy guidance and technical support to assist policymakers in establishing and implementing national and regional strategies, action plans, and programmes to develop a sustainable and circular bioeconomy in line with the Sustainable Development Goals, the Paris Agreement and other Multilateral Environmental Agreements. 

A bioeconomy harnesses the power of bioscience and biotechnology to address different challenges; providing food, feed, wood-products and furniture, paper, bio-based textiles, bio-chemicals, bio-plastics, bio-pharmaceuticals and bio-energy for a growing population while preserving our natural resources. 

At the Global Forum for Food and Agriculture (GFFA) in 2015, 62 Agricultural Ministers from all over the world highlighted the importance of developing a sustainable bioeconomy, and FAO was called on to coordinate international work on bioeconomy to enhance food and nutrition security worldwide.

What is the bioeconomy?

The bioeconomy is the production, utilization, conservation, and regeneration of biological resources, including related knowledge, science, technology, and innovation, to provide sustainable solutions (information, products, processes and services) within and across all economic sectors and enable a transformation to a sustainable economy (Global Bioeconomy Summit Communiqué, 2020).

Did you know?

Food systems occupy the biggest niche of the bioeconomy. In the European Union, for instance, food systems, including agriculture, forestry, fisheries and aquaculture, as well as food and feed manufacturing, account for 71% of all value added in a bioeconomy, followed by around 28% for bio-products, and the remainder for bioenergy.

Dashboard on bioeconomy strategies and related actions for sustainable development

About the Dashboard

The dashboard is a global public resource to advance a sustainable bioeconomy by providing comprehensive information for decision-makers. It primarily analyzes two datasets, focusing on global bioeconomy strategies and their alignment with biodiversity and climate targets.

Methodology

The repository of bioeconomy strategies draws on data from diverse sources, including FAO country and regional offices, external partners and counterparts, international experts, conferences, publications, websites and news. While every effort has been made to ensure the completeness and accuracy of this dataset, please contact [email protected] if you notice any inaccuracies.

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