Agrifood systems are under growing pressure to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, protect biodiversity, improve water stewardship and ensure more sustainable production practices. Financial institutions are increasingly expected to support this transition by integrating sustainability considerations into lending decisions. 

Blended finance – the use of public or philanthropic money to mobilize private investment for sustainable development – quickly gained traction as one way to bridge the huge agrifood systems financing gap, which stands at hundreds of billions of USD. FAO’s new investment brief – “Dos and don'ts of blended finance in agrifood systems: the case of investment funds” – carried out in the context of its collaboration with the European Union, aims to help public and private investors make the best use of blended finance in agrifood systems.

Egypt’s horticulture exports have excellent potential for growth in European and other global markets, especially with strategic investments in food safety and quality, sustainability and supply chain infrastructure. These are some of the findings of a study conducted by the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) and the FAO Investment Centre, with support from the European Union through EBRD’s Trade and Competitiveness Programme.

For over six decades, the FAO Investment Centre has helped countries invest in agrifood systems to reduce hunger, poverty and malnutrition and advance sustainable development.

A new publication, “The FAO Investment Centre, 60 Years Young, 1964–2024”, traces the Centre’s evolution over its first 60 years.