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The objective of the Assessment is to analyse the agriculture and rural sectors from a gender perspective at the macro level (policy), meso level (institutional) and micro level (community and household). The Assessment seeks to identify gender inequalities in access to critical productive resources, assets, services and opportunities. The assessment looks at the priorities, needs and constraints of both women and men in agricultural and rural communities, and the gaps that exist in responding to these issues. It also provides recommendations and guidance to promote gender sensitivity in future programmes and projects, and identifies possible partners for gender-related activities. This Assessment [...]

The publication provides a review on global meat price and policy developments. It aims to provide a snapshot view of global meat price movements and their underlying factors along with a review of global policies that contribute to world meat production and trade dynamics. The publication supports the division’s objective in providing market information relevant for policy makers, helping them in the process to take evidence-based policy decisions. The bulletin reaches over 500 email subscribers and anyone seeking impartial information on world meat market developments.   

Livestock provide valuable nutritional benefits as well as supporting livelihoods and the resilience of families and communities. Demand for animal products continues to grow in response to rising population and increasing wealth, especially in low- and middle-income countries. In spite of productivity gains, greenhouse gas emissions from livestock are also increasing. Successful action on climate change through practical action in livestock agrifood systems is an urgent priority, but must not come at the expense of other sustainability objectives, particularly those relating hunger and poverty. Hence there is a need to balance the benefits of animal-source foods and livestock keeping for [...]

The implementation of the 2030 Sustainable Development Agenda is just at the onset. Pursuing the wide and ambitious Sustainable Development Objectives (SDGs) poses major challenges at all levels, from the sub-national, to the regional and the international level, and calls for a timely decision of effective policy actions in a quickly-evolving world of scarce resources. In this context, the ability to design sound policies and monitor their outcomes is a key requirement. Measuring progress towards international goals and their national and subnational specifications is of paramount importance. This pocketbook presents, at a glance, selected key indicators on agriculture and food security, [...]

The Arab region needs a new generation of policies and investments in agricultural water. Agricultural water management has always posed challenges and opportunities in the Arab world. However, unprecedented and accelerating drivers such as climate change, population growth, and land degradation make agricultural water management a more urgent priority than ever before. In addition, as part of the 2030 UN Agenda for Sustainable Development, Arab countries have committed to work towards an ambitious set of development targets, the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Unless the right policies and investments are put in place, it will be difficult to achieve the SDGs, [...]

This policy brief analyses Ecuador’s trade, productive and price policies for maize and their effect on farmers’ level of protection. The minimum support price enacted until 2017, turned out to be a non-operative policy due to a higher market price, which created incentives for speculative investments by traders. To counteract speculative investments the Ministry enacted a price range for maize, the price ceiling is expected to counteract future speculations. Productive and trade policies aiming to protect small farmers seem to achieve their objective. The effective rate of protection increased for all farm production systems from 2016 to 2017 with the [...]

For the Least Developed Countries (LDCs), achieving the commitments following the ratification of the Paris Agreement will require a great effort, as the availability of financial, social, and technical resources are often limited or directly dependent upon the higher income nations. The 47 LDCs account for 13 percent of the global population, 1 percent of global GDP and 5.75 percent of global GHG emissions. These countries not only face more challenging tasks than other countries, as overall conditions within each nation may not facilitate the accomplishment of the stated goals, but they are more vulnerable to climate change and therefore [...]

This paper identifies potential “climate action-sustainable development pathways” spanning 17 major agricultural climate action categories and the 17 SDG targets. The aim of this mapping exercise is to explore the extent to which the two agendas are aligned for the prioritization of those climate actions that have the potential to co-deliver on the Paris Agreement and 2030 Agenda. As the window of opportunity is closing to bridge the emission gap and adapt to climate change before it is too late, the inter-linked and mutually reinforcing climate and sustainable development agendas present a natural framework for designing policies that leverage synergies [...]

These Practical guidelines document was prepared under the project Capacity Development for Agricultural Innovation Systems (CDAIS), a global partnership (Agrinatura, FAO and eight pilot countries) that aims to strengthen the capacity of countries and key stakeholders to innovate in complex agricultural systems, thereby achieving improved rural livelihoods. CDAIS uses a continuous learning cycle approach to support national agricultural innovation systems in eight countries in Africa, in Asia and Central America. CDAIS brings together key partners and actors to address commonly identified challenges and opportunities in specific value chains and in key organizations providing innovation support services. CDAIS also addresses the [...]

Countries in Africa have made renewed commitments to end hunger, such as in the Malabo Declaration of 2014, the SDGs of 2016 and other international and regional declarations. If these are supported by effective legislation, including constitutional protection, the future economic, social and cultural benefit to the continent is evident.