Women play a crucial role in global agrifood systems, particularly in small-scale farming, yet they are disproportionately exposed to the risks associated with hazardous pesticides and chemicals. Recognising this challenge during the International Year of the Woman Farmer 2026, the Rotterdam Convention dedicated a side event entitled Women farmers at the leading edge of pesticide management in agrifood systems on the margins of the twenty-second meeting of the Chemical Review Committee (CRC.22).

The twenty-second meeting of the Chemical Review Committee (CRC.22), a subsidiary body of the Rotterdam Convention, formally opened this morning at the headquarters of FAO. 

An interview with Yurdi Yasmi, Director of FAO Plant Production and Protection, ahead of the FAO Global Exhibition: From Seeds to Foods(8-12 October) taking us behind the scenes of the second edition. 

Agriculture must move beyond a primary focus on producing sufficient quantities of food and place greater emphasis on providing the diverse and nutritious foods needed for healthy diets, FAO Director-General QU Dongyu said Monday, highlighting horticulture’s contribution to better nutrition, resilient livelihoods and more sustainable agrifood systems.

FAO and the Rotterdam Convention are strengthening cooperation with the Andean Community to support more sustainable and resilient agrifood systems. Comprising Bolivia, Colombia, Ecuador and Peru, the Andean Community (CAN) represents 116 million people and a vast agricultural landscape.