Ganlin Zhang, a professor at the Institute of Soil Science, Chinese Academy of Sciences, wins the 2025 Glinka World Soil Prize for his outstanding contributions to soil research and related policymaking, his support for soil science education, and his achievements in soil surveys and digital mapping. The Glinka World Soil [...]

Today, more than half of the worlds population lives in cities. By 2050, it will most likely reach two-thirds. Cities will grow, sealing soils — buried under concrete and buildings —trapping heat, worsening floods and increasing energy use. Cities must adapt, breathe… and thrive. Such transformation starts beneath our feet. [...]

The 2025 edition of The State of the World’s Land and Water Resources for Food and Agriculture (SOLAW) underscores the urgent challenges of human-induced land degradation, water scarcity, and climate change, and their impact on agricultural productivity and ecosystems; it examines the hidden and untapped potential of land and water [...]

Water has been a central element of FAO's work since the Organization's inception in 1945, when one of the first articles in FAO’s constitution emphasized the sustainable use and conservation of vital natural resources as part of its mission. Ever since, FAO has been supporting and empowering countries by providing [...]

On the occasion of the 2025 Rome Water Dialogue, Harpist Ms Sofia Zampicinini, a young artist and expert in Environmental Science and Policy, makes her second performance of the year at FAO Headquaters in Rome, this time playing “Deep Line”, a new composition which she has created for the 2025 [...]

In view of the projected global water demand, improved water use efficiency in irrigation is crucial to sustainably increase agricultural productivity. With the support of the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry, and Fisheries, FAO assists Zambian smallholders in learning water-efficient rice production, including multiple configurations of irrigation systems.

In view of the projected global water demand, improved water use efficiency in irrigation is crucial to sustainably increase agricultural productivity. With the support of the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry, and Fisheries, FAO assists Sri Lankan smallholders in adopting water-efficient farming practices, incorporating small-scale innovations such as water monitoring systems [...]

For 80 years, FAO has championed sustainable land and soil management for food security and resilience. From its founding message—"Our land only holds a thin crust of soil, fragile and finite" to major milestones like the Soil Map of the World, the World Soil Charter, and the Global Soil Partnership, [...]

Food production is shaped by geography—land, water, and climate determine where, how and what food we grow. Since its earliest days, the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations has recognized the power of spatial data to monitor these vital resources and fulfill its mandate. FAO’s journey with geospatial [...]

AQUASTAT, FAO’s global information system on water and agriculture, was first launched in the 1990s, and would become a cornerstone of FAO’s water programme to support sustainable water management in agriculture. Over the years, AQUASTAT has provided data and information to policymakers, researchers and international organizations, and its data is [...]