Here are five things you should know about the impact of the ongoing conflict on food security and agricultural livelihoods in Sudan.

Ships carrying critical agricultural inputs must start moving through the Strait of Hormuz as soon as possible to ward off the risks of a dangerous spike in food price inflation later this year that could trigger a cascade of effects similar to the aftermath of the COVID-19 pandemic crisis, according to the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO).

African swine fever (ASF) is one of the most devastating diseases affecting pigs, capable of wiping out entire herds and threatening livelihoods across the livestock sector.  When the Dominican Republic confirmed the presence of ASF in 2021 — the first detection in the Western Hemisphere in over 40 years — the risk extended far beyond the country’s borders, raising concern across the Americas.

World food commodity prices rose in March for the second month in a row, due largely to higher energy prices linked to the conflict escalation in the Near East, according to the latest benchmark measure released Friday by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO).

During the Twentieth Session of the Commission on Phytosanitary Measures (CPM-20), in March,, implementation and capacity development were, once again, highlighted as major foundational pillars of the International Plant Protection Convention (IPPC), enabling contracting parties to apply International Standards for Phytosanitary Measures (ISPMs) effectively.

The 28th session of the Codex Committee on Residues of Veterinary Drugs in Foods (CCRVDF) has concluded in Minneapolis Minnesota in the United States of America. On the agenda for the session were maximum residue limits (MRLs) of veterinary drugs that had been evaluated by the Joint FAO/WHO Expert Committee on Food Additives (JECFA), extrapolated MRLs derived by CCRVDF, including criteria and exposure model to extrapolated MRLs for edible offal tissues other than liver and kidney, a guidance document for competent authorities to facilitate the application of action levels when there is no Codex MRLs including actions levels, and information on the status of the joint work carried out by CCRVDF and the Codex Committee on Pesticide Residues (CCPR) on compound with dual uses as pesticides and veterinary drugs.

The Chief Economist of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), Máximo Torero, warned that the ongoing disruption to the Strait of Hormuz trade corridor is triggering one of the most severe shocks to global commodity flows in recent years, with significant implications for food security, agricultural production, and global markets.

Thorwald Geuze, co-Chair of the Focus Group on Sea Containers, outlined the framework of regulatory and non-regulatory measures designed to reduce pest contamination in sea containers. The proposals, with short-, medium- and long-term measures, were selected for their feasibility, cost-effectiveness, capacity for global implementation, effectiveness in minimizing the pest risk and low impact on container logistics and supply chain. Together, they demonstrate a strategic commitment to highly practical solutions that facilitate trade while minimizing pest risks.

The 28th session of the Codex Committee on Residues of Veterinary Drugs in Foods (CCRVDF) has opened in Minneapolis, Minnesota, United States of America. CCRVDF Chairperson, Brandi Robinson, welcomed delegates.

On 13 March, Haiti officially launched the project “Food Security and Agriculture: Accelerated Adaptation” (SAGA 2), implemented by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) in technical and financial partnership with the Government of Québec for the period 2024–2027.

The Government of the Republic of Zambia, in collaboration with the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) and with support from the Government of the United States of America, has officially launched the Zambia Soil Partnership (ZSP) and the Global Soil Doctors Programme (GSDP) to strengthen national coordination on sustainable soil management and support more productive, resilient and market-oriented agrifood systems in the country.

The Twentieth Session of the Commission on Phytosanitary Measures (CPM 20) concluded last week on a high, with governments and plant health leaders reaffirming their commitment to protect global plant resources, facilitate safe trade and strengthen international cooperation under the International Plant Protection Convention (IPPC).

Agriculture continues to play a critical role in protecting Ukrainian communities from food insecurity, even as war-related shocks, declining incomes and limited access to inputs place growing pressure on rural livelihoods, according to new assessment released by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO).

Guidelines formulated by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) for the World Programme of Census of Agriculture in 2030 were endorsed on 6 March by the UN Statistical Commission at its 57th Session, elevating them to the status of an internationally agreed standard.

The benchmark measure for world food commodity prices rose in February, ending a five-month downward trend, as higher quotations for wheat, most vegetable oils and several meat types outweighed declines in cheese and sugar prices, according to the new update released today by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO).

At the Senior Officers Meeting of the FAO Regional Conference for Latin America and the Caribbean, the Organization highlighted progress in reducing hunger and mobilizing investments, underscoring the need to accelerate the transformation of agrifood systems to address the region’s climate, economic and social challenges.

Plant pests do not respect borders. In recent years, a growing number of pests have begun spreading faster and farther, affecting crops, ecosystems and livelihoods across regions and in some cases posing risks of global concern. To respond to this challenge, countries, through the International Plant Protection Convention (IPPC), established the Pest Outbreak Alert and Response System (POARS).

The measure of world food commodity prices declined in January for the fifth consecutive month, led by lower international quotations for dairy, sugar and meat products, according to the benchmark report released Friday by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO).

A high-level Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) mission to Haiti and the Dominican Republic this week underscored a central reality for the Caribbean: food security is a shared regional challenge, requiring both life-saving, emergency agricultural action to respond to acute needs as well as cutting-edge prevention and preparedness systems to protect food supply chains.

The latest Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC) analysis for Gaza confirms that no areas of the Strip are currently classified in famine following the October ceasefire and improved humanitarian and commercial access. This welcome progress remains extremely fragile as the population continues to struggle with massive infrastructure destruction and collapsed livelihoods and local food production, given restrictions on humanitarian operations.