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This study assesses the impact of medium to large scale natural hazards and disasters on the agriculture sector and subsectors in developing countries between 2003 and 2013, focusing on direct physical damage and indirect economic losses. The findings of the study are expected to support national and international efforts to reduce damage and losses caused by disasters and strengthen the resilience of the agriculture sector, in line with resilience targets set under the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction, the Sustainable Development Goals, and the Paris Agreement.

Persistent underinvestment in agriculture in developing countries can be attributed to many issues including: climate risks, fragmented input and service markets, seasonal and long-term financing requirements, weak property rights, and market-distorting political interventions. However, the rapid rise in world demand for agricultural products provides incentives for local actors to develop innovative financial and risk management mechanisms. Commercial investors are starting to recognize agribusiness as a promising sector because of the upwards trend in food markets. As most commercial investors focus solely on financial returns, public incentives and support are required to make investments more inclusive and to create business linkages [...]

In a similar but wider scope than the previous special issue produced in 2011 during the 4th UN Conference on the Least Developed Countries (LDC-IV), this updated Special Issue of Agriculture and Food Security Statistics now includes information not only for of the Least Developed Countries (LDCs), but also for all Landlocked Developing Countries (LLDCs) and Small Island Developing States (SIDS). The current issue presents a compilation of up-to-date available agricultural statistics covering th e general nature of the agricultural sector in LDCs, LLDCs and SIDS ranging across the crops, livestock, forest and fisheries sub-sectors. Basic data and indicators covering [...]

Youth un- and under-employment are critical issues facing Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA). In spite of urbanisation and industrialisation, agriculture remains the principal employer and producer throughout SSA. Thus, a more modern and profitable agriculture sector (including aquaculture fisheries, forestry and livestock) is required to generate much needed decent employment opportunities for the Continent’s youth. 

Attempts have been made to institutionalize government programmes in favour of long-term and comprehensive strategies: notably, the introduction and reinforcement of conditional cash transfer programmes and free food distribution systems. Input distributions continue to be the main policy instrument to support farmers.

In Brazil, the government has successfully adopted an integrated approach for combating malnutrition and hunger. Under the well-known Zero Hunger strategy (“Fome Zero”) and subsequent Brazil Without Misery plan (“Brasil Sem Miséria”), innovative social programmes were launched to target more poor women and children. 

With the disintegration of the Soviet Union 15 new countries entered the world stage. The CIS countries are very different in size, economic structure and agricultural profile. The same is true even for the smaller group of seven CIS countries that are members of the World Trade Organization (WTO). By late 2013 seven of the twelve non-Baltic ex-Soviet countries had acceded to the WTO: Armenia, Georgia, the Kyrgyz Republic, Moldova, the Russian Federation, Ukraine and Tajikistan. Four others were in the process of WTO accession: Azerbaijan, Belarus, Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan. Turkmenistan had started to prepare for an eventual accession process.  This publication examines the experience and main issues of twelve [...]

This course provides the necessary knowledge to design, develop and implement agricultural projects and programmes that address the challenges of a changing climate. It is useful for professionals working in agricultural development who need to learn how to mainstream effectively climate change considerations in their projects and programmes.

La agricultura familiar es un sector clave para lograr la erradicación del hambre y el cambio hacia sistemas agrícolas sostenibles en América Latina y el Caribe y el mundo. Los pequeños agricultores son aliados de la seguridad alimentaria y actores protagónicos en el esfuerzo de los países por lograr un futuro sin hambre. En nuestra región, el 80% de las explotaciones pertenecen a la agricultura familiar, incluyendo a más de 60 millones de personas, convirtiéndose en la principal fuente de empleo agrícola y rural.  No sólo producen la mayor parte de los alimentos para el consumo interno de los países de [...]

According to FAO, almost one-third of food produced for human consumption – approximately 1.3 billion tonnes per year – is either lost or wasted globally. Food losses and waste (FLW) impact both food security and nutrition and the sustainability of food systems, in their capacity to ensure good quality and adequate food for this generation and future generations. This report adopts a systemic perspective to analyze the impacts of FLW on the sustainability of food systems and on food security and nutrition. It reviews the wide range of causes of FLW, identifying broad categories and levels of causes. The report is deliberately oriented towards action. [...]