News
FAO Food Price Index inched up in May for third consecutive month
07/06/2024
The benchmark for world food commodity prices increased for the third consecutive month in May, as higher prices of cereals and dairy products outweighed decreases in quotations for sugar and vegetable oils, the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) reported Friday.
The news from FAO North America - June 2024
06/06/2024
Hunger Hotspots Report: famine looms in Gaza while risk of starvation persists in Sudan, Haiti, Mali, and South Sudan
05/06/2024
Acute food insecurity is set to increase in magnitude and severity in 18 hunger “Hotspots”, a new United Nations early warning report has revealed today. The report spotlights the urgent need of assistance to prevent famine in Gaza and the Sudan, and further deterioration in the devastating hunger crises in Haiti, Mali, and South Sudan. It also warns of the lingering impact of El Niño and the looming threat of La Niña that risks bringing further climate extremes that could upend lives and livelihoods.
FAO and Université Laval strengthen partnership with signing of new strategic agreement
03/06/2024
The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) and Université Laval (UL) have signed a new Memorandum of Understanding (MoU). The five-year MoU outlines actions to ensure food security by combatting climate change and promoting the sustainable use and conservation of biodiversity for resilient agrifood systems.
Global Soil Partnership Assembly discusses how to meet “ambitious and urgent” target
03/06/2024
Rome - The Global Soil Partnership, bringing together hundreds of diverse actors focused on improving the health of our soils to promote healthier and more resilient agrifood systems, opened a key meeting today with a call for urgent action to meet its objectives amid a range of complex crises. Hosted by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) and including FAO Members and over 700 partners, together “we champion a vision of a world in which soils are healthy and resilient, ensuring the sustained provision of ecosystem functions and services for all, leaving no one behind,” FAO Director-General QU Dongyu said in opening remarks to the Partnership’s 12th Plenary Assembly, highlighting the need to ensure sustainable soil management based on the three “Rs”: reduce, re-use, and renew.
Statement by Principals of IASC: No time to lose as famine stalks millions in Sudan amid intense fighting and access denials
31/05/2024
Without an immediate and major step change in aid to Sudan, we will face a nightmare scenario: A famine will take hold in large parts of the country. More people will flee to neighboring countries in search of sustenance and safety. More children will succumb to disease and malnutrition. Women and girls, already bearing the brunt of the conflict, will face even greater suffering and dangers.
International Day of Potato: At inaugural celebration, FAO highlights crop’s significance and further potential
30/05/2024
Eaten by over one billion people, the potato is the third most available food crop globally – after rice and wheat, making it a crucial staple. And today for the first time, it was celebrated with its very own International Day, as the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) and partners highlighted the potato’s significance and called for more investments to tap into its full potential.
Story: The potato’s travel through ages and continents
30/05/2024
The potato has a long history that began in the Andes of South America about 8 000 years ago when communities of hunters and gatherers began domesticating wild potato plants that grew around Lake Titicaca. Much later, around the 16th century, the Spanish brought the potato to Europe from Peru and began growing it in their country.
Nuclear techniques can play a crucial role in setting science-based global food standards
27/05/2024
QU Dongyu, Director-General of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), has stressed the need to control food safety from the start – from our soil, water, agricultural and post-harvest practices – underscoring the crucial role that nuclear technologies can play in setting science-based food standards.
New Action Plan launched for implementing FAO Strategy on Mainstreaming Biodiversity Across Agricultural Sectors as biodiversity-related projects approved
22/05/2024
From bees to earthworms, from coral reefs to rain forests - biodiversity helps to ensure our food diversity and must be key to transforming our food production systems. On International Day for Biological Diversity, FAO launched its updated action plan for Mainstreaming Biodiversity Across Agricultural Sectors and is prepared to embark on several new biodiversity-related initiatives.
U.S. Ambassador to UN Agencies in Rome Calls for Urgent and Sustained Support for Rohingya Refugees and their host communities in Bangladesh
16/05/2024
After a week-long mission in Bangladesh, visiting projects of the World Food Programme (WFP), the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), and the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD), Ambassador Jeffrey Prescott, the U.S. Representative to the United Nations Agencies for Food and Agriculture, called on the international community to continue its support to the Rohingya refugees and their Bangladeshi host communities for a crisis that shows no signs of abating.
FAO Pakistan hosts global health security workshop with USAID and Ministry of National Food Security and Research
15/05/2024
Ministry of National Food Security and Research, Government of Pakistan, in collaboration with the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) and United States Agency for International Development (USAID), hosted a technical consultation workshop of the newly launched project, "Technical Assistance for Animal Health Systems to Address Emerging and Priority Zoonotic Diseases and Health Threats in Pakistan." By utilizing a unified One Health approach, this project aims to strengthen animal and public health systems, reduce future pandemic risks and address health threats across Pakistan through an integrated One Health approach.
Director-General sets out several reasons for enhanced and coordinated work to protect plant health at International Day of Plant Health (IDPH) event
13/05/2024
FAO Director-General QU Dongyu today called for stepped up efforts to protect plant health, underlining that “safeguarding the health of plants means that we are safeguarding the health of the planet.” Qu was speaking at an event to mark the International Day of Plant Health 2024.
FAO puts focus on importance of technology for International Day of Plant Health
10/05/2024
The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) is marking this year’s International Day of Plant Health by shining a light on the importance of leveraging innovation to protect plants, which are indispensable for sustaining life on earth.
During Cornell University visit QU Dongyu emphasizes the important role of young people in agrifood system transformation
09/05/2024
FAO Director-General, QU Dongyu visited Cornell University and its food and agriculture research hub, Cornell AgriTech – a place where science, innovation and agrifood systems transformation meets.
FAO’s environment and climate monitoring portal Earth Map receives Google impact award
06/05/2024
Rome- Earth Map, a pioneering initiative by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) that leverages freely available archives of geospatial data for climate and environment monitoring and mapping has been honoured with a Google Geo for Good Impact Awar...
With funding from USAID, FAO and the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry initiate two projects to strengthen animal health systems in Lao People’s Democratic Republic
03/05/2024
On May 3, 2024, The Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) of the United Nations, in collaboration with the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry, unveiled two significant projects aimed at strengthening animal health systems in Lao People’s Democratic Republic and the Southeast Asia region in the presence of key government partners, including the Department of Livestock and Fisheries (DLF) of the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry (MAF), and representatives of key donors: the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) and U.S. Defense Threat Reduction Agency (DTRA).
FAO Food Price Index up marginally in April
03/05/2024
Rome – The benchmark for world food commodity prices edged higher in April, as rising meat prices and modest upticks for vegetable oils and cereals more than offset decreases for sugar and dairy products, the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) report...
The potato can strengthen food security and livelihoods
02/05/2024
Rome - Global agrifood systems are facing challenges to feed the world’s growing population and the potato can provide an effective solution. That was the key message delivered at a webinar held by the World Potato Congress on Monday, 29 April, ahead of International Potato Day on 30 May.
FAO welcomes the celebration of the International Year of the Woman Farmer in 2026
02/05/2024
New York/Rome –The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) welcomes the resolution adopted today by the United Nations (UN) General Assembly to declare 2026 as International Year of the Woman Farmer.
The resolution, which was proposed by the ...