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Information and communication technologies (ICTs) make a significant contribution to growth and socio-economic development in countries and regions around the globe. The widespread adoption and integration of ICTs has reduced information and transaction costs, improved service delivery, created new jobs, generated new revenue streams, and helped conserve resources. ICTs have also transformed the way businesses, people and governments work, interact, and communicate.  ICT innovation is also revolutionizing the agriculture and food sectors. In developed economies, innovations such as artificial intelligence, the Internet of things, data analytics and block-chain are changing the way agriculture does business. Remote sensors collect data on soil [...]

When poor rural people are part of an organized group or network, it multiplies their chances of escaping the poverty trap for good. Through cooperatives, producer organizations and networks, they can improve their bargaining power and access to markets. They can also participate in and influence decision-making processes and the formulation of national policies that affect their livelihoods. By working closely with countries, FAO helps to empower poor people, including women and youth, and strengthen rural organizations, such as cooperative and producer organizations. FAO firmly believes that by increasing poor people’s access to resources, services and markets, and by giving [...]

This policy brief has been devloped to provide an insight into the Early Warning Early Action modality at a country level and explore the benefits, both primary and secondary, for herding communities in Mongolia.

Exploring the links between migration, agricultural and rural transformation processes is an area where FAO has a comparative advantage thanks to its strong technical expertise and close relationship with governments and relevant stakeholders. The project "Reducing distress migration through local value chain development", funded by the Italian Development Cooperation, aims to address the root causes of distress rural out-migration of youth, by creating employment and entrepreneurship opportunities along food value chains and strengthening linkages with existing social protection programmes.

Over the next ten years, the African rural space will be the theatre of profound changes as the activities envisaged for agricultural transformation are drastically scaled up. Increased food demand and changing consumption habits driven by demographic factors, such as population growth and urbanization, are already leading to a rapid increase of net food imports, opening a huge opportunity for the agribusiness sector of many African countries. Against this backdrop and in line with its mission to spur sustainable economic development and social progress, the African Development Bank (AfDB) in 2016 launched Feed Africa, a strategy that is intended to [...]

Ce bref de huit pages résume les principaux résultats d’un étude réalisé dans le cadre de du projet «Favoriser les investissements productifs afin de créer des emplois agricoles et non-agricoles décents pour les jeunes ruraux dans les zones du Sénégal enclines à la migration». L’étude se base sur des enquêtes menées auprès de 1000 ménages ruraux dans les régions de Matam et Kaolack et a pour but principal de générer des informations sur les caractéristiques, dynamiques et moteurs de la migration se déroulant dans les zones rurales du Sénégal. Cette étude participera à informer les politiques économiques sectorielles, d’emploi des [...]

This brochure describes the main activities that have taken place during the past years, from the endorsement of the Voluntary Guidelines on Tenure. Main achievements that have occurred and brief description of what the Voluntary Guidelines on Tenure are.

This brief describes what parliamentarians need to know about the current nutrition situation in the world and how our food systems are  haping food environments that steer people towards unhealthy diets which are one of the causal factors of malnutrition. Parliamentarians are well placed to facilitate action to transform the world’s current food systems. This brief gives concrete examples of measures through which policymakers can influence food systems so as to promote healthy diets and prevent malnutrition in all its forms, including undernourishment, stunting, wasting, micronutrient deficiencies, overweight and obesity, as well as dietrelated non-communicable diseases (NCDs).

Agrifood systems in Eastern Europe and Central Asia are still adjusting to the political and economic effects of globalization and deepening trade integration, both within the region and worldwide. The region is more engaged in global agri-food trade and increasingly supplies agricultural commodities and food products to international markets. However, most countries are yet to reach their full trade potential. To benefit from trade, the countries are stepping up their efforts to implement trade agreements, align their regulation with international standards and diversify exports.  The project benefits stakeholders in Eastern Europe and Central Asia, with specific activities in Georgia, Kyrgyzstan and [...]

Migration from rural areas is significant, and policy-makers must seek to maximize its positive impacts on development. The movement of people out of agriculture and into other sectors with higher productivity – manufacturing and services, mostly located in urban areas – contributes to economic growth and higher incomes for migrants from rural areas. However, migration also has profound impacts on rural areas of origin, some positive and some negative. Hence policies should support productive capacity and livelihoods in rural areas as migrant labourers move away. It is also important to enhance the contribution of migrants to the development of rural [...]