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FAO recognizes that those living in rural areas whose livelihoods depend heavily on natural resources, are disproportionately affected by climate risks because of their great likelihood of living in high-risk geographical locations as well as their high vulnerability to, and limited capacity to cope with, climate hazards due to low incomes, lack of savings, weaker social networks, low asset bases and heavy reliance on agriculture and natural resources. Protecting poor and vulnerable small scale producers from the negative impacts of climate risks is an imperative in order to reach FAO’s strategic objectives and achieve Sustainable development goal one and two. Managing [...]

El sector agroalimentario nicaragüense es altamentevulnerable a los eventos climáticos extremos, y sumadoal contexto social, institucional y la poca disponibilidad deinformación climática para la toma de decisiones,constituyen un factor el alto riesgo para la EconomíaFamiliar.El proyecto se focalizó en el fortalecimiento decapacidades institucionales para dar respuesta a lasnecesidades de la población en situación devulnerabilidad, desarrollar procesos de innovación y latransferencia de conocimientos para adaptar la agriculturafamiliar al cambio climático y mejorar la resiliencia de losmedios de vida de la economía familiar. El proceso se llevóa cabo mediante el fortalecimiento de las capacidades yel acompañamiento técnico a las instituciones,particularmente en planificación, [...]

This report summarizes the state of biodiversity for food and agriculture in Near East and North Africa based on the information provided in country reports submitted to FAO as part of the reporting process for The State of the World’s Biodiversity for Food and Agriculture.  

This publication brings together FAO’s current data on climate change and proposes actions to promote sustainable agriculture and food security, including tools and methodologies to support countries’ climate commitments and action plans. Also available in Spanish and Mandarin.

Salinization is the most severe threat to soils in the NENA region after soil erosion. Indeed, more than 11 percent of the region’s soils are affected by various levels of soil salinization Salinity has direct effects on the growth and development of plants. Sodic conditions may cause important deterioration of the soil physical properties, indirectly affecting crop growth via increased surface crusting, poor water infiltration, and reduced root zone aeration. The Voluntary Guidelines for Sustainable Soil Management (VGSSM) provide recommendations on how to prevent the development of salt-affected soils. If soils are already degraded and prevention is no longer an [...]

Forests and woodlands in the United Republic of Tanzania play an important role in the economy and in nature conservation, with forests ensuring a beneficial environment for community livelihoods by providing a variety of products and services. However, forest degradation and deforestation are among the challenges faced by the national forest sector. In response to this, the Government of the United Republic of Tanzania sought technical and financial support from FAO to support a review of forest policy.

According to Forbes, we generate almost 2.5 quintillion bytes of data every day. The next generation of agriculture heavily depends on data. The ability to capture, sort, analyze and extract actionable intelligence from large data sets to reveal patterns (human, climate, market) and related trends is an important emerging field.  The increase in the use of Internet of Things (IoT) devices would only add to this data deluge. The Economist rightly called data as the world’s most valuable resource, while some calling data the new oil. Agriculture would be one of the major users of IoTs. How can individuals, organizations and [...]

The Government of Fiji has identified action on nutrition and on diet-related Non-Communicable Diseases (NCDs) as a policy priority. The population of Fiji is experiencing a triple burden of malnutrition, due to the rapid dietary transition of the past 5 decades. Consumption of healthy traditional foods such as fish and seafood, staple root crops, coconuts and wild plants has decreased, while consumption of cereals and refined sugar has increased dramatically.  A significant contributor to high salt, sugar and fat intakes are discretionary foods, such as confectionary, snacks and sweet beverages. These foods contribute an average of only 9 percent of daily [...]

The case study explores which skills and training opportunities young people need in order to gain access to decent employment in rural areas. The research was undertaken in order to develop recommendations to support the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries (MAFF) and FAO Cambodia in developing appropriate recommendations to support rural young people, especially those of the 15 to 17 age cohort. The study highlights the limited decent employment opportunities that currently exist along various agricultural value chains in rural Cambodia. Poverty and the structural problems of the agricultural sector are the main barriers for youth in accessing decent rural employment. [...]

Agricultural production more than tripled between 1960 and 2015, owing in part to productivity-enhancing technologies and a significant expansion in the use of land, water, and other natural resources for agricultural purposes. Today, more than ever, agriculture faces multiple and complex challenges. It has to provide sufficient, safe, and nutritious food to meet boosting demand by a growing and progressively more prosperous population, and ensure food security for all.  Prepared to support the G20 Presidency of Japan and the G20 Agriculture Deputies, these three background notes provide an overview on the following interlinked issues: (i) the policy challenges for strengthening [...]