Publications
The State of the World
FAO’s State of the World collection comprises the Organization’s flagship reports. Published annually or biennially, these are data-rich and analytically complex publications: they provide a global snapshot of topics associated with food and agriculture.
The collection is increasingly structured to gauge progress towards the goals and targets of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. It is aimed at policymakers; donors; international organizations; academia; and journalists and researchers specializing in food security, agrifood systems, the environment and international development.
The State of Food and Agriculture
Addressing land degradation across landholding scales
The State of Food Security and Nutrition in the World
Addressing high food price inflation for food security and nutrition
The State of the World’s Land and Water Resources for Food and Agriculture 2025
publication
The 2025 edition of The State of the World’s Land and Water Resources for Food and Agriculture underscores the urgent challenges of human-induced land degradation, water scarcity, and climate change, and their impact on agricultural productivity and ecosystems.
The State of Agricultural Commodity Markets
Trade, resilience and food security: Global food markets under stress
The State of the World's Forests
Forest pathways for green recovery
The State of Fisheries and Aquaculture
Blue Transformation in action
Recent Publications
AMIS Market Monitor February 2025
02/2025
The Agricultural Market Information System (AMIS) database provides market information on four grains particularly important in international food markets: wheat, maize, rice and soybeans. The analysis is a collective assessment of the member organizations of AMIS concerning the international market situation and outlook. Published ten times a year, the report aims at improving market transparency and detecting emerging problems that might warrant the attention of policy makers.
Global Strategy for the Prevention and Control of High Pathogenicity Avian Influenza (2024–2033)
02/2025
In response to the escalating threat of high pathogenicity avian influenza (HPAI), the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) and the World Organisation for Animal Health (WOAH) have launched a revised global strategy for the prevention and control of HPAI (2024–2033) under the Global Framework for the Progressive Control of Transboundary Animal Diseases (GF-TADs).
Latin America and the Caribbean - Regional Overview of Food Security and Nutrition 2024
01/2025
Latin America and the Caribbean have seen a decline in hunger and food insecurity for two years, driven by social protection programs and post-COVID recovery. However, disparities persist, especially among women, rural populations, and vulnerable groups. The region is unlikely to meet most nutrition targets, and healthy diets remain expensive.
North American Urban Indigenous Food Systems
01/2025
These stories were shared during a moderated panel at the Sixth Annual Conference on Native American Nutrition in September 2023 at Mystic Lake Center, located on the lands of the Shakopee Mdewakanton Sioux Community, Prior Lake, Minnesota. Other members of the North American Urban Indigenous Food System network, supported by the University of Waterloo and the FAO, also contributed their perspectives on inspiring community-led work across Turtle Island’s urban spaces.
Use and implementation of Codex, IPPC and WOAH standards: How do the three sisters monitor the impact of their work?
01/2025
FAO estimates that one-third of trade in food and agriculture takes place within global value chains and crosses at least two borders. To protect trillions of dollars in worldwide exports of food and agricultural products from unsafe or poor-quality food and the spread of pests and diseases, trading nations rely on the implementation of globally agreed standards.
Recommendations for the surveillance of influenza A(H5N1) in cattle
12/2024
As influenza A(H5N1) of clade 2.3.4.4b continues to spread from wild birds to poultry and to both terrestrial and marine mammals, the recent cases in cattle highlight the critical importance of being prepared for and responding rapidly to spillover events and of planning for early detection and response at the country level, especially in countries of low and middle income.
Haiti: Executive brief of the DIEM-Monitoring assessment, round 6 (July 2024)
12/2024
The sixth round of Data in Emergencies Monitoring (DIEM-Monitoring) was conducted in Haiti from June to July 2024. The survey covered all 10 departments in the country and reached 2 700 households through computer-assisted telephone interviews. This Executive brief presents the main conclusions of DIEM's analysis, and action points needed to safeguard the agriculture sector and livelihoods.
Subregional West Africa: Project Highlights - OSRO/SFW/006/USA
12/2024
USAID's Bureau for Humanitarian Assistance (BHA) contributed USD 500 000 to enhance preparedness and response to acute food insecurity of vulnerable households in the Sahel and West Africa. The objective of the project was to strengthen national capacities on food security, nutrition and resilience assessment and analysis, as well as regional coordination, to scale up humanitarian preparedness and response in West Africa and the Sahel.
Near East and North Africa – Regional Overview of Food Security and Nutrition 2024
12/2024
Hunger in the Arab region worsened amid deepening crises in 2023. The Near East and North Africa Regional Overview of Food Security and Nutrition warns that the Arab region remains off-track to meet the food security and nutrition targets of the Sustainable Development Goals by 2030.In 2023, 66.1 million people, approximately 14 percent of the population in the Arab region, faced hunger. The report highlights that access to adequate food remains elusive for millions.
World Food and Agriculture – Statistical Yearbook 2024
11/2024
The Statistical Yearbook 2024 offers a synthesis of the major factors at play in the global food and agricultural landscape. Statistics are presented in four thematic chapters, covering the economic importance of agricultural activities, inputs, outputs and factors of production, their implications for food security and nutrition and their impacts on the environment.
Climate-related development finance to agrifood systems, 2024 update
11/2024
New FAO analysis shows that in 2022, USD 29 billion, or 23 percent of climate-related development finance was allocated to agrifood systems. Although, this represents a recovery from the significant decline seen in 2020-2021, finance and investment are still insufficient for agrifood systems transformation.
Food Outlook – Biannual Report on Global Food Markets - November 2024
11/2024
FAO’s latest assessments indicate differing trajectories across different commodities, with wheat, maize, and sugar production set to decline, while outputs of dairy, fisheries, meats, oilseeds, and rice are expected to increase, with implications for utilization, trade, and stock levels. However, global food production remains susceptible to shocks arising from weather conditions, geopolitical tensions, and policies.
The State of Food and Agriculture 2024
11/2024
Uncovering the true cost of food is the first step in making agrifood systems more inclusive, resilient and sustainable. The State of Food and Agriculture 2024 builds on the findings of the 2023 edition, delving deeper into the use of true cost accounting assessments of agrifood systems and identifying policy interventions aimed at transformation.
Hunger Hotspots: FAO–WFP early warnings on acute food insecurity outlook (November 2024 to May 2025)
10/2024
In the current edition of a joint bi-yearly report, FAO and the WFP warn that acute food insecurity is projected to worsen in 16 hunger hotspots, including a total of 14 countries and two regional clusters which comprise 8 countries, during the outlook period from November 2024 to May 2025.
Climate change, biodiversity and nutrition nexus: Evidence and emerging policy and programming opportunities
10/2024
This paper identifies entry points within agri-food systems to improve biodiversity and diets, two levers that can be used to enhance nutrition and optimize environmental sustainability while ensuring social equity, especially of the most vulnerable people. It also presents recommendations for concrete actions by key stakeholders – governments, academia, civil society, private sector, and development partners –to build resilient, inclusive, and sustainable agri-food systems.
Shaping sustainable agrifood futures: pre-emerging and emerging technologies and innovations for impact
10/2024
This study assesses a selection of technologies and innovations, which potentially could be of paramount importance in addressing agrifood challenges until 2050, as well as the most important trends and drivers that will influence the emergence of agrifood pre-emerging and emerging technologies and innovations (PETIAS) and their triggers of change, including some regional aspects and stakeholders' perspectives.
Climate-change impacts on plant pests: a technical resource to support national and regional plant protection organizations
10/2024
To facilitate safe international trade in plants and plant products, it is imperative to strengthen national, regional and international phytosanitary capacities regarding climate change. The aim of this document is to provide technical and operational advice to NPPOs and RPPOs on how to effectively assess and manage the pest risk that is a consequence of climate change.
Lao People's Democratic Republic: Project Highlights - OSRO/LAO/002/USA
10/2024
The Government of the United States of America contributed USD 490 000 to FAO’s project entitled “Immediate technical assistance for animal health systems to address emerging and priority zoonotic diseases and health threats in the Lao People’s Democratic Republic”. The project’s objective was to improve capacities in animal disease outbreak prevention, preparedness and response using the One Health approach.
Cambodia: Project Highlights - OSRO/CMB/001/USA
10/2024
The Government of the United States of America contributed USD 980 000 to FAO’s project entitled “Immediate technical assistance for animal health systems to address emerging and priority zoonotic diseases and health threats in Cambodia”. The project’s objective was to strengthen animal health systems to reduce the risks and impacts of emerging infectious diseases, antimicrobial resistance (AMR) and biothreats through an inclusive One Health approach.
La Niña: Anticipatory Action and Response Plan, September–December 2024
09/2024
FAO’s La Niña Anticipatory Action and Response Plan requires urgent funding to deliver immediate support in a number of identified countries around the world, based on analysis of historical trends, latest seasonal forecasts, agricultural seasonality and the vulnerability of populations at risk.