About the RTP on Green Agriculture
Why do we need a Regional Technical Programme on Green Agriculture?
Green agriculture involves the good management of natural resources, biodiversity and ecosystem services while building sustainable, productive and resilient agroecosystems capable of tackling current and future challenges. It helps transform agrifood systems by reducing the toll on natural resources and avoiding environmental degradation through high recycling rates and low use of external inputs. Sustainable green agriculture policies and practices help reduce poverty, improve livelihoods and ensure nutritional needs.
In 2023, according to the Stockholm Resilience Centre, six of the nine planetary boundaries have been transgressed, with human activity exceeding the safe limits of the Earth’s system in the following key areas: climate change, biosphere integrity, land-system change, freshwater change, biogeochemical flows and novel entities. That has increased the risk of irrevocable environmental changes. As if that weren’t enough, according to Planetary Health Check, the planet is on the verge of trespassing a seventh planetary boundary: ocean acidification.
Agrifood systems in Europe and Central Asia are facing multifaceted threats, including from pandemics, climate change, deforestation, water scarcity, biodiversity loss, natural resource degradation, adverse weather events and natural disasters. Regional agrifood systems are affected by geopolitical and economic uncertainties causing negative impacts on food supply chains and markets and, thus, on food security.
In general, traditional regional agrifood systems lead to natural resource overuse and unsustainable farming practices. They cause the loss of biodiversity and forestry, increase greenhouse gas emissions and lead to soil and water pollution and degradation. Their intensive use of energy and inputs affects agricultural production and ecosystem services. Globally, agrifood systems account for one-third of total human-caused greenhouse gas emissions, according to research from Crippa et al. and Tubiello et al.
Food loss and waste also is a persistent challenge in the region, and small-scale producers and agricultural enterprises lack access to viable markets. The socioeconomic impacts of these systems lead to increased poverty (in both rural and urban areas) and food insecurity.
Change is needed. Enhancing the sustainability of the food and agriculture sectors will require a systemic move towards higher productivity and lower output variability in the face of climate and socioeconomic risks. Profound transformations are required along the entire agrifood system, from production to distribution to consumption, to achieve more productive and resilient agriculture.
We prefer to formulate it in an absolute way rather than in a relative way. For more clarity (if not we do not know if compared to conventional agri or others) and technical reasons (the aim is not to make it a bit less than Conv A but way less).

Why is green agriculture crucial in agrifood systems transformation?
Green agriculture offers a holistic approach and multidisciplinary framework that addresses environmental and socioeconomic challenges and helps ensure food security for all. It offers an entry point for transforming agrifood systems and enables stakeholders to address the limitations of natural resources and ecological considerations essential for achieving broader sustainability goals.
The green agriculture framework embodies a comprehensive approach to greening agrifood systems. Applicable to the entire agrifood system and all its stakeholders, it includes the following features:
- efficient and reduced natural resource use and management;
- limited use of external inputs and non-renewable energy for sustainable production and consumption;
- biodiversity, water and soil conservation and management, ecosystem services management and carbon sequestration enhancement;
- limitation of environmental negative impacts, including waste, and the avoidance of environmental degradation;
- minimization of the ecological footprint and the promotion of sustainable food consumption, thereby minimizing greenhouse gas emissions; and
- the use of both traditional and scientific knowledge and innovative developments.
Environmental indicators are critical in assessing and guiding the transition to greener agrifood systems. These indicators (land, soil and water management; pesticide use; agrobiodiversity; greenhouse gas emissions; ecological footprint, food miles, etc.) provide measurable data that can define policies, projects and interventions aimed at reducing environmental impacts and promoting sustainability.
Regional Technical Platform on Green Agriculture
How the platform meshes with the FAO Strategic Framework
The Regional Technical Platform on Green Agriculture provides a digital, user-friendly and open gateway for sharing information within and among regions. It is a knowledge repository that facilitates connections among expert networks regarding various technical areas related to green agriculture.
In promoting green agriculture, the platform acts as a communications catalyst to enable the exchange of information and enhance medium- and long-term programmes and projects in line with the FAO Strategic Framework and under the so-called “four betters” – better production, better nutrition, a better environment and a better life – while leaving no one behind.

How does the platform works?
The Regional Technical Platform on Green Agriculture fulfils three main objectives:
- Share successful experiences and facilitate an interregional exchange of good practices in which FAO and its development partners in the region have a comparative advantage on technical areas of work that can be relevant within the region and to other regions.
- Build on existing regional-level technical networks to further build, connect and strengthen other networks.
- Create a knowledge repository with key information about the selected technical topics, focusing on normative work, projects, initiatives and programmes of FAO and partners.
The platform is intended for government officers, farmers and farmers’ organizations, academia, civil society, non-governmental organizations, youth, women and indigenous communities – all of which need access to qualified knowledge on green agriculture and related topics.
It welcomes the contribution of factual, notable, verifiable and neutrally presented content and best practices on the thematic areas of green agriculture.
By using the platform as a knowledge reference on green agriculture, policymakers and other interested stakeholders can facilitate green agriculture discussion, policy and programme design.
The Secretariat of the Regional Technical Platform on Green Agriculture is the coordination and facilitation body in charge of promoting green agriculture actions through its regional and interregional networks. The Secretariat is hosted by FAO, in view of its mandate.
Hosted by FAO, the platform benefits from the active collaboration of contributors, including European Union institutions, international organizations and the FAO Regional Office for Europe and Central Asia, together with the FAO Subregional Office for Central Asia and FAO Country Offices in the region. Other important contributors include governments, other United Nations agencies, research centres, academia, and private-sector entities specializing in topics related to green agriculture. The Regional Green Agriculture Network is a strong partnership of national and international stakeholders.
Composed of green agriculture professionals and experts, the Experts Working Group aims to provide scientific and technical advice and guidance on the platform’s key technical areas and offer strategic recommendations on research and innovation in green agriculture.
Working to expand regional technical networks into global ones, the Experts Working Group advocates for integrating green agriculture and its management into various sustainable development agendas.
Discover the Experts Working Group Members !