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This document summarizes the online Consultation for the development of the CFS Voluntary Guidelines on Gender Equality and Women’s and Girls’ Empowerment in the context of Food Security and Nutrition held on the FAO Global Forum on Food Security and Nutrition (FSN Forum) from 16 September to 30 November 2021. The consultation was facilitated by Françoise Trine, Marina Calvino and Alyson Brody from the Secretariat of the Committee on World Food Security (CFS). This online consultation was part of a broader consultative process on the Zero Draft of the Voluntary Guidelines, which also included six regional consultations. Online consultation participants [...]

The In Brief version of the FAO flagship publication, the State of Food Security and Nutrition in the World 2022, contains the key messages and main points from the publication and is aimed at the media, policy makers and a more general public.The following complementary information is available:See the interactive storyRead the full report

This year’s report should dispel any lingering doubts that the world is moving backwards in its efforts to end hunger, food insecurity and malnutrition in all its forms. We are now only eight years away from 2030, but the distance to reach many of the SDG 2 targets is growing wider each year. There are indeed efforts to make progress towards SDG 2, yet they are proving insufficient in the face of a more challenging and uncertain context. The intensification of the major drivers behind recent food insecurity and malnutrition trends (i.e. conflict, climate extremes and economic shocks) combined with [...]

There are eight years left to reach the SDGs. Agrifood systems transformation is urgently needed if we are to achieve sustainability, resilience and food security and nutrition in a post-COVID world.This desired transformation can only be achieved by strengthening and capitalizing on the knowledge, experience, skills, and capabilities for collective action of a broad range of public and private actors each of whom bring distinctive interests, needs, resources, influence and capacities. “Governance” is the name for this multidimensional capability for effective and inclusive collective action at all levels.In many country contexts, it is the governance bottlenecks that lead to a [...]

The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) and the World Food Programme (WFP) warn that acute food insecurity is likely to deteriorate further in 20 countries or situations (including two regional clusters) – called hunger hotspots – during the outlook period from June to September 2022. Acute food insecurity globally continues to escalate. The recently published 2022 Global Report on Food Crises alerts that 193 million people were facing Crisis or worse (Integrated Food Security Phase Classification [IPC]/Cadre Harmonisé [CH] Phase 3 or above) across 53 countries or territories in 2021. This increase must be interpreted with care, [...]

This Global Plan of Action for the Conservation, Sustainable Use and Development of Aquatic Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture (GPA) was developed by FAO at the request of the members of the Commission on Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture in response to the needs and challenges identified in the first global assessment of the status of Aquatic Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture (AqGR). It was developed following broad consultation with the regions and, following endorsement by the Commission, was formally adopted by FAO members at the 168th session of the FAO Council. The GPA is voluntary and [...]

Diet and nutrition are critical to health, well-being and longevity. The economic and health burdens associated with poor quality diets are a worldwide concern, but for low- and middle-income countries (LMICs), the long-term impact of these burdens has the potential to be especially devastating. Many of these LMICs are currently grappling with the deepening multiple burdens of malnutrition, with undernutrition, nutrient inadequacies, and overweight and obesity often presenting simultaneously in communities, households and even in single individuals.Time-relevant data is a necessary and critical component of any process or initiative that aims to ensure healthy diets. Robust data on what people [...]

This study looks at the business models of small and medium sized rice processors in Kenya in order to better understand the policy and technical support they need to grow and fulfil their role in agrifood systems transformation. More specifically, by employing semi-structured interviews with Kenyan rice millers, the technical study identifies challenges in their day-to-day business activities, including procurement, inbound and outbound logistics, in-house operations, financing, and human resources management. Additionally, the publication looks at opportunities for improving the business enabling environment in which these enterprises operate, providing a set of policy options to foster their role. The methodology cross [...]

Genetically modified (GM) crops are a new addition to crop varieties developed through traditional methods such as breeding, selection and mutation. Given their novelty, there are safety concerns among the public, scientists, and regulators, although the benefits outweigh the risks. Among the potential risks are pests becoming resistant, crops gaining weediness and GM foods posing safety issues to both human and animals and these are studied extensively. This has resulted in science-based risk assessment and management that safeguard safety to humans, animals and environment. We can be rest assured that GM crops that are approved are safe and continuous monitoring is [...]

This report is prepared by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) and the Coalition for Green Economy and Development of Global in Kazakhstan under the Technical Support Programme Facility (TCPF) project “Supporting the nationalization of Sustainable Development Goals in Kazakhstan” (TCP/KAZ/3702) with the aim to present an overview of food security and nutrition situation in Kazakhstan. The analysis provided in the report is based on the latest data from the State of Food Security and Nutrition in the World (SOFI) and the Bureau of National Statistics in Kazakhstan.