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Since 2020, the EU, FAO and CIRAD have entered into a partnership with governments and food systems actors to initiate a large-scale assessment and consultation on food systems in more than 50 countries, as a first step towards transforming them. The assessments and consultations will gather evidence and knowledge in support of the transition to more sustainable food systems, centered on four core goals, namely food security, nutrition and health, inclusive economic growth, territorial development and equity, and the environment. Country teams led by the government and supported by EU Delegations, FAO Representations and other development partners are driving the [...]

The FAO Investment Centre provides a wide range of support services to help countries make more and better investments in food and agriculture. This review looks back at the work the Centre carried out with its partners in 2020. Despite a challenging year amid the COVID-19 pandemic, the Centre’s global team supported investment-related policy and sector studies to increase policy dialogue and contributed to the design, technical assistance, supervision or evaluation of investment projects in 120 countries. The Centre increasingly linked both its policy work with investment support to scale up impact. And it promoted greater knowledge sharing and innovation, while [...]

This report presents a structured approach to identify and estimate the market size of specific renewable energy technologies that have the potential to be deployed across specific stages of the agri-food chains. More specifically, the methodology first analyses the countries’ value chains and aggregates them into similar agri-food groups when possible. Once the groupings are defined, the value chains are mapped out and the energy requirements across the different stages of the value chain are defined. Specific renewable energy options are then identified for each value chain based on the energy demand and the process for which energy is required. This [...]

This White/Wiphala paper on Indigenous Peoples’ food systems is the result of collective work by Indigenous Peoples’ representatives and experts, scientists, researchers, and UN staff. Over 47 different units, organizations, and institutions have contributed to the Paper from the seven socio-cultural regions. This final version of the White/Wiphala paper has been coordinated by the Global-Hub on Indigenous Peoples’ Food Systems and edited by a Technical Editorial Committee, and summarises the main points received.This Paper advocates that lessons can be learnt from Indigenous Peoples’ approach to food, which will contribute to the resilience and sustainability of food systems worldwide, as well [...]

Agricultural production relies heavily on migrant labour across geographies and production systems, from large-scale plantations growing food crops for global supply chains to small-scale pastoralist families following their herds to new pastures depending on seasons. Much of the migration is seasonal, filling peak labour demands, such as during harvest. Hence, stable agri-food systems that can contribute to fulfilling Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 2 on zero hunger are intrinsically intertwined with migrant workers’ lives and working conditions.While migration can provide families with new opportunities, it can also pose challenges to children migrating with their parents or left behind. Seasonal agricultural migration [...]

Poverty reduction and food security are intrinsically linked. Both depend on sustainable food systems and safe and sustainable agricultural practices. Similarly, poverty reduction and sustainable food systems can only be realized if those producing food, for their own consumption and for local and global supply chains, have decent working conditions and stable livelihoods.Hence, it is essential that young people above the minimum age for employment are protected, offered relevant technical and vocational training, and able to work in safe, non-exploitative agricultural work. Working towards a successful school-to-work transition for the 15-17 years age cohort goes hand in hand with the [...]

Consumers are a powerful force for change towards a sustainably developing world that leaves no one behind and respects the human rights of all. This publication is aimed at making the connections between the important work of consumer organizations and the realization of the right to adequate food, increasing the visibility of these organizations and highlighting their importance to food security, healthy diets and food systems transformations. It is also intended to support consumer organizations in their awareness raising, and capacity development efforts towards even greater impact. In showcasing how the work of consumer organizations contributes towards securing the right [...]

The Agricultural Outlook 2021-2030 is a collaborative effort of the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) and the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) of the United Nations. It brings together the commodity, policy and country expertise of both organisations as well as input from collaborating member countries to provide an annual assessment of the prospects for the coming decade of national, regional and global agricultural commodity markets. The publication consists of 11 Chapters; Chapter 1 covers agricultural and food markets; Chapter 2 provides regional outlooks and the remaining chapters are dedicated to individual commodities.Projections by commodity     Cereals     Oilseeds and [...]

Fish and other aquatic foods are often also the most affordable sources of animal protein. However, small-scale fishers, fish workers and their communities still face constraints in effectively participating in decision-making processes that shape their lives, therefore remaining marginalized, and their contribution to food security and nutrition remains under-recognized. The following two international instruments can help small-scale fisheries actors overcome these challenges: CFS Voluntary Guidelines on Food Systems and Nutrition (VGFSN) and Voluntary Guidelines for Securing Sustainable Small-Scale Fisheries in the Context of Food Security and Poverty Eradication (SSF Guidelines).

The Food Loss and Waste database is the largest online collection of data on both food loss and food waste and causes reported throughout the literature. The database contains data and information from openly accessible reports and studies measuring food loss and waste across food products, stages of the value chain, and geographical areas. In October 2019, more than 480 publications and reports from various sources (e.g., subnational reports, academic studies, and reports from national and international organizations such as the World Bank, GIZ, FAO, IFPRI, and other sources), which have produced more than 20 thousand data points, were included. Data [...]