The Committee on Agriculture (COAG), established in 1971, is one of FAO’s Governing Bodies providing overall policy and regulatory guidance on agriculture - including livestock - food safety, nutrition, rural development and natural resource management.

In 2020, at its 27th session, COAG established the Sub-Committee on Livestock to discuss and build consensus on livestock priorities and to advise COAG, and through it the FAO Council and Conference, on technical and policy actions needed for livestock to contribute to poverty reduction, food security and nutrition, sustainable livelihoods and the 2030 Agenda.

Work on sustainable livestock systems sits at the interface of the four betters of FAO’s Strategic Framework 2022–31: better production, better nutrition, a better environment and a better life.

At its First Session (March 2022), the Sub-Committee livestock’s role in food security, sustainable agrifood systems, nutrition and healthy diets.

At its Second Session (July 2024), the Sub-Committee discussed a range of topics related to sustainable livestock systems for food security, nutrition and inclusive economic growth; animal, public and environmental health through the One Health approach; and natural resource use, climate change and biodiversity.Among its key recommendations, the Sub‑Committee requested FAO to develop, in consultation with Members in a participatory manner, a negotiated Global Plan of Action for Sustainable Livestock Transformation (GPA). COAG endorsed this recommendation at its 29th Session (30 September–4 October 2024).

In response, FAO developed the GPA through an extensive consultative process. Drafts were presented at several Sub-Committee Bureau meetings (October and November 2024, March and July 2025), after which the Bureau members were asked to circulate them to the Members in their region for comments. The GPA was also made available on the FAO Members Gateway in November 2025. In the progressive revisions of the GPA, FAO considered the 56 sets of written comments received from 26 Members and the 41 sets of comments received from 29 partner organizations.

The GPA provides a voluntary, non‑binding, country‑driven framework supporting national priorities and development pathways. It aims to address rising food demand and pressures on natural resources while enhancing livelihoods, nutrition and rural resilience. It recognizes both the essential contributions of livestock - nutrient‑dense food, income, adaptive capacity - and the challenges the sector faces, including diseases, antimicrobial resistance and environmental stress.

The GPA focuses on four Priority Areas:

1. Food security, nutrition and healthy diets
2. Better livelihoods and inclusive economic growth
3. Animal health through the One Health approach
4. Natural resource use, climate change and biodiversity

The four Priorities are subdivided into 17 Strategic Priorities, covering topics like food safety, food loss and waste, the resilience of livestock systems, employment opportunities and decent working conditions, prevention and control of animal diseases, use of antimicrobials, sustainable management of rangelands and pasturelands, climate change adaptation and mitigation, and circular approaches and sustainable bioeconomy. These 17 Strategic Priorities are further subdivided into a total of 83 Actions.

The GPA promotes context‑specific solutions, capacity development, extension and advisory services and coherence with existing international frameworks. The GPA is relevant to governments, producers, civil society, research institutions, the private sector and development partners at all levels.

The Third Session of the Sub-Committee isdedicated exclusively to negotiation of the GPA. It will take place 3–5 March 2026 in hybrid format at FAO headquarters in Rome. The Session is open to COAG Members and observers and will be conducted in Arabic, Chinese, English, French, Russian and Spanish.

FAO encourages active participation and engagement from delegations in light of the importance of these negotiations for the future of the livestock sector and for countries’ sustainable development objectives.

Members who wish to attend the Session are kindly reminded to register, at their earliest convenience, through the password-protected area of the FAO Members Gateway.

More information is available on the website dedicated to the Sub-Committee’s Third Session.

You may also follow the sessions via webcast.