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STRENGTHENED FOOD SAFETY AND QUALITY CONTROL OF LIVESTOCK PRODUCTS IN THAILAND The primary aim of the project was the institutional strengthening of food safety and quality control in the supply chain management of livestock products. However, its impact was felt far beyond this. Livestock production and meat/poultry processing are among the largest food sectors in Thailand and the contribution of small-scale meat producers is significantly high. These producers, generally family businesses, benefited by improving the safety and quality of their products, and by aligning their practices with the relevant national and international standards. Domestic and international market prices of Thai meat [...]

This policy brief is part of the ESA Policy Brief Series. It aims to improve the understanding about the design, implementation and impact of public-private partnerships for agriculture. For this reason, FAO gathered 70 case studies from 15 developing countries along with evidence from field-based support to agri-PPP initiatives in Central America and Southeast Asia. This brief presents the lessons learned for policy makers from this study.  See the complete series here.

Agriculture remains the single most important employer in many developing country, as there are about 200 million unemployed nowadays and many more underemployed. Opportunities arise in agriculture and food systems thanks to a growing middle class, who demands processed, packaged and convenience food and agricultural goods. A significant share of the labor-aged population earns their income and livelihoods by engaging in the sector, why the future lies with the components of the food system and the food value chain that extends beyond primary agricultural production. See the complete series here.

The economic empowerment of rural women is critical for the continuing improvement of agriculture and further development of the rural sector. Increased participation of women in value-added productive activities requires an understanding of all of the barriers that limit their participation along the value chains. Addressing these barriers can transform women’s role in this sector and catalyse their economic empowerment. This study was conducted to contribute to the generation of knowledge for informed policies and interventions, which can close the gender gap in rural areas in order to strengthen the livelihoods of rural populations, reduce poverty and generate sustainable rural [...]

The study summarizes the results emerging from the 2017 update of the Monitoring and Analysing Food and Agricultural Policies (MAFAP) indicators for the 2005-2016 period for 14 sub-Saharan African countries. These indicators - comparable across commodities, countries and years - are commonly used to assess the extent of policy support in agriculture. They measure the effect of trade and market policies and inefficiencies on the degree of price incentives faced by farmers in key commodity value chains, as well as the level and composition of public expenditures in support of the agriculture sector. Despite results being very heterogeneous across countries [...]

This technical note explores the impact of trade on nutrition, addressing the role of trade in the “nutrition transition” and the extent to which trade policies affect nutritional objectives.  See all Trade Policy Technical notes

This publication provides a list of food system-based intervention options to improve nutrition and a set concrete entry points for maximizing the impact of each intervention. Developed through leveraging different expertise in FAO, it is a key resource to assist professionals involved in different areas - from breeding to production; from food transformation and packaging to transportation and trade; from marketing and value chain to food safety; from food labelling to consumer education - to u nderstand the linkages with nutrition, and to increase their contribution for a world free from malnutrition in all its forms.Also Available in Spanish French [...]

This sourcebook provides an overview of the second, digital edition of the Climate-Smart Agriculture Sourcebook. The new edition includes new findings, case studies and lessons learned. It also takes into account the changes in the landscape of international climate action since the original edition was published in 2013. The 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development – which encompasses the Paris Agreement on Climate Change, the Sustainable Development Goals and the Addis Ababa Action Agenda – provides an international framework for strong national actions and collective efforts to achieve sustainable development. Climate-smart agriculture, as an approach to achieve sustainable food and agriculture, [...]

This manual explains how to use the EX-Ante Carbon-balance Tool for Value Chain (EX-ACT VC) and how to address a multi-impact appraisal in terms of socio-economic and environmental performance of value chains. These guidelines justify the development of the tool, and introduce its goals for value chain analysis and the step-by-step approach of its modules. Specifically, Chapter 1 discusses the importance of incorporating climate change mitigation and resilience into agricultural production systems. Chapter 2 explains the development of the FAO EX-ACT Value Chain tool, along with its logic and methodology, while Chapter 3 provides a concise overview of its structure. Chapters [...]

Smallholders and traders are key stakeholders in fruit and vegetable supply chains supplying local mass markets across South Asian countries. Training these stakeholders and introducing simple technical innovations into these supply chains can dramatically improve the quality and shelf-life of fresh produce and reduce losses, thereby generating economic benefits for producers, supply chain stakeholders and consumers as well as improving nutrition. Consequently, greater support is called for to a ddress the challenges faced in traditional supply chains. This policy brief aims to provide information on applying the principles of post-harvest management of fruit and vegetable supply chains for quality and [...]