Food is essential for life. This simple statement has seldom resonated with so many as on this World Food Day 2020, when hundreds are dealing with the widespread effects of COVID-19.World Food Day 2020 also marks FAO’s 75th anniversary. The organization was founded during the post World War II reconstruction...

The Director of FAO’s Liaison Office with the United Nations in New York, Carla Mucavi, delivered a statement on behalf of FAO, the International Fund for Agricultural Development, and the World Food Programme, during the Economic and Financial Committee (Second Committee) deliberations on the Secretary-General’s Agriculture development, food security and nutrition report. ...

The Economic and Financial Committee (Second Committee) of the 75th UN General Assembly convened to discuss the Secretary-General’s report on Agriculture development, food security and nutrition. Following the introduction of the report, the Director of FAO’s Food Systems and Food Safety Division and Lead on Knowledge and Policy for...

FAO introduced the UN Secretary-General’s report on the eradication of rural poverty to the Member States of the Second Committee, on the occasion of the 75th UN General Assembly Economic and Financial Committee (Second Committee). The report was welcomed by all participating Member States. Pursuant to General Assembly resolution 74/237,...

Rome-based UN agencies' governing bodies focus on joint programmes, COVID-19 response and UN Food Systems Summit 2021

FAO engagement in the coordination efforts for the upcoming 2021 Financing for Sustainable Development Report (FSDR) remains strong. On 9 October 2020, the FAO Director-General, Qu Dongyu, and Deputy Director-General, Beth Bechdol, participated in the Inter-agency Task Force on Financing for Development, chaired by UN-DESA Under-Secretary General, Liu Zhenmin, where...

In 2020, the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) marks 75 years of presence in the United Nations General Assembly forums. Against the backdrop of COVID-19, this year’s session (UNGA75) relied on technology and the upkeep of physical distancing measures to drive home the value of collective...

We live in a world where there’s enough food to feed all people everywhere; yet 690 million go hungry and another three billion people cannot afford a healthy diet. At the core of this conundrum lies the issue of food loss and waste, which the UN has brought to the...

Should I scrape leftovers into the bin or use them as ingredients for tomorrow’s meal? Did I check my fridge before going grocery shopping to avoid overbuying? Are odd-shaped fruit and vegetables good to eat? Every day we are faced with choices that can take a significant and unnecessary toll on...

President Xi Jinping announced the funding in video address to the UN General Assembly 22 September 2020, Rome - FAO welcomed an announcement today by Xi Jinping, President of the People's Republic of China, that his country will support the UN agency's South-South Cooperation (SSC) efforts with an additional $50 million in funding. "We are...

17 September 2020, New York/ Rome -  FAO Director-General QU Dongyu, today warned the United Nations Security Council that Burkina Faso, South Sudan and Yemen were at risk of a looming famine and appealed for an urgent and united humanitarian response to save lives and livelihoods. "Tragically, there are many more situations...

The 75th session will be held from 15 September to 2 October 2020. The overall theme is 75th anniversary of the United Nations ­–  The future we want, the UN we need: Reaffirming our collective commitment to multilateralism. FAO will participate at high level meetings and is organizing side events on: - the Global Network...

An Opportunity for Transformation by Fekitamoeloa Katoa 'Utoikamanu, United Nations High Representative for the Least Developed Countries, Landlocked Developing Countries and Small Island Developing States   There is a saying, “May you live in interesting times.” As 2020 continues its weary path around the sun, we can all agree that when times get too interesting,...

The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) participated in the 2020 United Nations Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) Management Segment, which was scaled down and held virtually on 21 July in an effort to avoid the spread of COVID-19. Among other topics, this year’s ECOSOC Management Segment...

In light of limitations on in-person meetings and international travel due to COVID-19, the High-Level Political Forum (HLPF) 2020 was held virtually from 7 to 16 July. This year's theme was "Accelerated action and transformative pathways: realizing the decade of action and delivery for sustainable development". In a series of official...

The Permanent Missions of Chile and India to the UN and FAO co-hosted an event on the sidelines of the High-Level Political Forum 2020 to highlight the key role of fruits and vegetables in contributing to nutrition, health, sustainable production systems, income and employment generation, as well as other relevant...

“Today more than ever, and in the spirit of ‘Building Back Better’, there is a need to give urgent attention to the threats and risks affecting mountain livelihoods and ecosystems,” noted FAO New York Director Carla Mucavi, delivering opening remarks at  a High-Level Political Forum 2020 side event on sustainable...

For today's interview, we speak to Maria Helena Semedo, FAO Deputy Director-General.The United Nations Secretary-General has acknowledged that COVID-19 could lead to a “global food emergency”, while the President of the General Assembly has referred to a “looming food crisis”. How is the Food and Agriculture Organization of the Uinted...

The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) Director-General, Qu Dongyu, spoke in a virtual high-level meeting focusing on “Trends, Options and Strategies in Poverty Eradication Across the World”. Convened by the President of the 74th Session of the United Nations General Assembly, Tijjani Muhammad-Bande, the event also...

“The battle for sustainable development in Africa must be fought and won in the agriculture and rural sectors,” emphasized Abebe Haile-Gabriel, Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) Assistant Director-General and Regional Representative for Africa, at the virtual interactive dialogue “Sustainable Agriculture and Development in Africa: Lessons learned from COVID-19 for Building...