Rome, 04 April 2024 – Key stakeholders, including government officials, non-governmental organizations and civil society representatives, project task force members, leading technical experts OCOP Focal Points and FAO staff from 11 project countries convened virtually to launch a new project aimed at expanding the FAO One Country One Priority Product (OCOP) Initiative. The inception workshop, held on 3 April 2024, focused on discussing project objectives, expected outputs and major activities, as well as reviewing the detailed work plan and budget for the project implementation.

Jerusalem /Cairo - The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), is delivering 150 tonnes, out of a total of 1500 tonnes, of animal fodder to 2 450 livestock-keeping households in the Gaza Strip to safeguard surviving animals and support local production of fresh nutritious food like milk, dairy, eggs and meat amidst an imminent risk of famine.

With the generous support of the Kingdoms of Belgium and Sweden, FAO has successfully completed a mass vaccination campaign to protect the entire smallholder dairy cattle population across 35 accessible sub-districts in Aleppo and Idleb governorates against Lumpy Skin Disease (LSD). 

The Italian Agency for Development Cooperation (AICS) and the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), in cooperation with the Ministry of Water Resources, the Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock, and the Libyan Centre for Remote Sensing and Space Science are launching the “MerWat-Libya” Geospatial Platform. This platform will provide geospatial information to support water resource management in Libya and will enable national partners to access a vast amount of spatial information to support sustainable water and crop production while considering available natural resources. 

The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) raises alarm over rapidly deteriorating hunger crisis in the Gaza Strip, where famine is projected to occur anytime between now and May 2024 in the northern governorates, according to a new report published today by the Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC) global initiative. The rest of the Gaza Strip is also at the risk of future famine in the worst case scenario if the hostilities do not cease and humanitarian assistance at scale does not reach those most in need.

In the name of God, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful,

His Excellency Mr. Qu Dongyu, Director-General of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, esteemed guests, and distinguished ladies and gentlemen,

It is with great warmt...

FAO thanks the Italian Government, and particularly Deputy Prime Minister Tajani, for the opportunity to have participated in this strategic and timely Round Table, together with other partners, to discuss together the way forward in view of the deteriorating food insecurity situation in Gaza, and the surrounding regions.

The 37th session of the Regional Ministerial Conference for the Near East and North Africa (NENA) of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) ended today with a Ministerial Declaration supporting the FAO Strategic Framework 2022-31, supported by the Organization’s flagship initiatives, and calling for a ceasefire in Gaza.

The 37th Ministerial Session of FAO Regional Conference for the Near East (#NERC37) has issued a call for a ceasefire in Gaza to facilitate the entry of humanitarian and food aid into the enclave.

The conference's final statement articulated profound concerns over the worsening humanitarian conditions, the forced displacement of Gaza Strip residents, and the weaponization of food, water, and energy in the war. It strongly condemned the hindrance of humanitarian assistance and the consequent devastation of the agricultural sector, livelihoods, and infrastructure, resulting in critical food insecurity and famine risks.

H.E. Abdel Fattah Al Sisi, President of the Arab Republic of Egypt, received the Director-General of FAO, QU Dongyu, in Cairo.

The FAO Director-General, QU Dongyu, was received today in Amman by His Majesty Abdullah II Ibn Al Hussein, King of the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan. 

The situation in Gaza, coupled with protracted crises in Sudan, Syria, and Yemen, is of "great concern," the Director-General of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), QU Dongyu, said Monday as he addressed the 37th session of the FAO Regional Ministerial Conference for the Near East and North Africa (NENA).

QU Dongyu, Director-General of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), made a field visit to one of FAO’s projects to empower rural women in Sheikh Masoud village about 200 kilometers south of Cairo. 

Globally Important Agricultural Heritage Systems (GIAHS) is a FAO programme, which aims to identify unique agricultural systems supported by agrobiodiversity, traditional knowledge, cultures and outstanding landscapes, aiming at conservation and development of the sites through a holistic approach.

The Mediterranean region – represented by Lebanon, Morocco, Tunisia and Türkiye – has today been named one of seven new UN World Restoration Flagships under the UN Decade on Ecosystem Restoration in recognition of country efforts to restore degraded ecosystems.

Conflict and hunger are inextricably linked to one another. Conflict often leads to severe humanitarian crises, resulting in heightened levels of hunger in specific regions. The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) plays a crucial role in addressing these challenges, often operating on the front lines alongside other UN and stakeholder partners to preserve lives and livelihoods.

The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) today has convened with senior country member officials during the Regional Consultative Technical Meeting (RCTM) to discuss regional priorities amidst ongoing crises, in preparation for the 37th session of the FAO Regional Conference for the Near East (NERC). 

Amman, Jordan 4-5 March 2024
The importance of transforming agrifood systems to embed more efficient, inclusive, resilient and sustainable systems that promote better production, better nutrition, a better environment, and a better life, leaving no one behind

The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), in the Near East and North Africa (NENA) has received concurrence from the Member States on the Programme Priorities for the 2024-25 biennium, focused on accelerating the transformation of  regional agrifood systems to ach...

The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), in collaboration with the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) and the Global Forum on Rural Advisory Services (GFRAS), have launched today the Arab Forum for Rural Advisory Services (AFRAS), working towards the acceleration of Rural Advisory Services (RAS) and inclusive and sustainable rural transformation.