Highlights
Events
22/4
2026
The World Food Forum (WFF)
Al Ain (United Arab Emirates), 22/04/2026
The World Food Forum (WFF) Regional Chapter for the Near East and North Africa (NENA), organized in conjunction with the FAO Regional Conference for the Near East (NERC), will provide a dedicated regional platform to advance agrifood systems transformation through innovation. Aligned with FAO’s 2026–27 Biennial Theme, Fostering Innovation for Food Security, the Regional Chapter will adapt the g...
21/4
2026
The Strategic Ministerial Day
Al Ain (United Arab Emirates), 21/04/2026
The Strategic Ministerial Day brings together Ministers for a high-level, policy-oriented dialogue on regional priorities for agrifood systems transformation in the Near East. The Day is designed to translate the Conference’s technical and policy discussions into political guidance, shared commitments and regional direction, aligned with FAO’s vision of better production, better nutrition, a be...
24/4
2026
26/4
2026
Senior Officers’ Meeting
Al Ain (United Arab Emirates), 24/04/2026 - 26/04/2026
The Conference is an official meeting of senior officials from Member Countries within the same geographic region, convened to deliberate on regional challenges and priority issues related to food and agriculture. Its main role is to promote regional coherence on global policy and regulatory matters. In this context, potential side events will be organized to ensure the active engagement of Mem...
Regional Priorities
Action Areas
Red Palm Weevil Eradication Programme
The Red Palm Weevil (RPW) Eradication Programme facilitates the coordination of regional efforts to ensure an integrated and sustainable approach to controlling the RPW and reducing its devastating effects on date palm production, the food and income security of rural communities, and the ecology of affected areas.
Youth empowerment
Young men and women have a key role to play in fostering sustainability, equity and resilience of agrifood systems in the Near East and North Africa (NENA) region. FAO works with youth across the region to improve their access to high quality education and training, decent employment, rural institutions and critical assets and services, in agrifood value chains.
Sustainable and Inclusive Agrifood Value Chains
Sustainable and inclusive agrifood value chains development is a market-oriented and systems-based approach for assessing, understanding and improving the performance of agrifood value chains, to ensure their economic, social, and environmental and climate sustainability.
The UN Decade of Family Farming
The UN Decade of Family Farming 2019-2028 (UNDFF) aims to shed new light on what it means to be a family farmer in a rapidly changing world and highlights more than ever before the important role family farmers play in eradicating hunger and shaping the future of our agri-food systems.
Addressing climate change in agrifood systems
FAO’s climate change activities aim to strengthen capacities of member countries to build resilient agrifood systems, and to plan, implement and report on climate change adaptation and mitigation actions in the agriculture sectors.
Rural advisory services for inclusive transformation in the Near East and North Africa
Rural advisory services (RAS) have a central role in equipping farmers with the knowledge and skills to cope with challenges and empower them to make informed decisions, link to markets and act collectively to improve their livelihoods and claim their agency in inclusive rural transformation.
The Regional Initiative on Water Scarcity for the Near East and North Africa
In order to help NENA countries address the food and water security challenges, the FAO’s Regional Office in the Near East and North Africa and its partners established the Water Scarcity Initiative.
Gender equality and women’s empowerment for inclusive food systems transformation
The Regional Office has a stand-alone programme of work on gender equality and women’s empowerment that addresses gender as a cross-cutting theme in all its regional priorities and initiatives.
One Country One Priority Product: Global Action on Green Development of Special Agricultural Products
The Global Action on Green Development of Special Agricultural Products (SAPs): One Country One Priority Product (OCOP) was launched by the FAO Director General in 2021. The initiative will aim to support countries in transforming their agrifood systems to be more sustainable, efficient, resilient and inclusive.
Social inclusion
In NENA countries, poverty is predominantly rural. With small scale producers – including fishers and pastoralists – and landless rural workers facing growing marginalization, rural communities are left increasingly vulnerable to economic, political and environmental shocks. This and the high prevalence of gender disparities, youth unemployment, child labour and other forms of exclusion constitute a significant barrier to more equitable agrifood systems in the region.
Stories
Blogs
Greening agriculture, water scarcity and climate action
Empowering women for climate resilience: financing the future of sustainability
19/11/2025
Greening agriculture, water scarcity and climate action
The WEFE Nexus approach in fragile and dry landscapes
06/11/2025
The Near East and North Africa (NENA) region is defined by vast drylands that shape its environment, economies, and cultures. Often wrongly perceived as barren, these landscapes host vibrant communities, unique biodiversity, and essential agricultural systems. Yet, they face mounting challenges.
Technical Expertise
From reaction to anticipation: Building agricultural resilience in the Near East and North Africa
26/10/2025
The Near East and North Africa (NENA) region is navigating an increasingly complex landscape of risks that threaten its agricultural systems and rural livelihoods. Droughts, floods, heatwaves and other climate extremes have become more frequent and severe, colliding with protracted conflicts, economic shocks, and disruptions to global food supply chains.
Opinions
Hack4SaferPlates:Catalyzing innovations for food safety in the NENA region
18/09/2025
In the Near East and North Africa (NENA) region, food safety is key in the transition of our agrifood systems. Millions of people around the world suffer from foodborne diseases annually and over 32 percent of the cases affect children under the age of five years (WHO and World Bank).
Publications
Agricultural Inputs and Commodity Price Bulletin in the Syrian Arab Republic November 2025– Issue #47
2026
The Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) in the Syrian Arab Republic monitors agricultural inputs and food commodity markets and releases the "Monthly Agriculture Input and Commodity Price Bulletin – AICPB" now in its fifth year of publication, which offers latest market information from 46 sub-districts across nine governorates of Al–Hasakeh, Deir–ez–Zor, Aleppo, Idleb, Hama,
Food policy monitoring in the Near East and North Africa region, 4th Quarter 2025 | Bulletin Building resilience to drought
2025
Global food markets remained broadly stable in late 2025, with the FAO Food Price Index easing slightly in November and staying below last year’s level. While wheat and maize prices rose modestly and rice prices declined, fertilizer prices softened from mid-year highs. In the NENA region, food inflation dropped sharply by late November, with prices remaining relatively stable across most countries.
.tmb-th600x400.png?Culture=en&sfvrsn=88e9f5ea_2 "Association of Agricultural Research Institutions in the Near East and North Africa (AARINENA)")
.tmb-th600x400.png?Culture=en&sfvrsn=a8ad9034_1 "The Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD)")
.tmb-th600x400.png?Culture=en&sfvrsn=dfbaa9f2_1 "Inter-Islamic Network on Water Resources Development and Management (INWRDAM)")
.tmb-th600x400.png?Culture=en&sfvrsn=4eb83e5b_1 "Centre for Environment and Development for the Arab Region and Europe (CEDARE)")
.tmb-th600x400.png?Culture=en&sfvrsn=b68ea809_2 "Economic Cooperation Organisation (ECO)")
.tmb-th600x400.png?Culture=en&sfvrsn=26bd6c6b_1 "Arab Gulf Programme for Development (AGFUND)")
.tmb-th600x400.png?Culture=en&sfvrsn=2b881a9b_1 "The Arab Maghreb Union (AMU)")
.tmb-th600x400.png?Culture=en&sfvrsn=ae3a73a3_1 "Regional Centre on Agrarian Reform & Rural Development for the Near East(CARDNE)")
.tmb-th600x400.png?Culture=en&sfvrsn=5fad0e0e_1 "Organization of the Islamic Conference (OIC)")
.tmb-th600x400.png?Culture=en&sfvrsn=adacc503_1 "Organization of Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD)")
.tmb-th600x400.png?Culture=en&sfvrsn=8bd62a66_1 "Cooperation Council for the Arab States of the Gulf (GCC)")