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The ecosystem approach to inland fisheries management (EAIFM) requires the consideration of inland fisheries beyond the confines of the fisheries sector. Inland fisheries can be invisible in some fora and processes that can have major positive or negative impacts upon them. An ecosystem approach implies that inland fisheries should be considered beyond their subsector boundaries. Activities in other domains, such as land and water use, have major impacts on inland fisheries through, for example, habitat degradation and loss. Mainstreaming the values and needs of inland fisheries into these areas is required if their sustainability is to be achieved. The extent to [...]

The Action Framework (2021-2025) for the Global Action on Green Development of Special Agro-Products: “One country – One Priority Product” (OCOP) presents the rationale, main pillars, key principles, thematic areas, results framework, budget, and activity planning, coordination and implementation, and guidelines for country project application for implementation of the Global Action.Special agricultural products (SAPs) are agricultural products with unique qualities and special characteristics associated with geographical locations, farming practices and cultural heritages. They are important examples of underutilized resources, which have not received the same attention as commonly known agricultural products, but which can significantly contribute to ensuring food security [...]

Bioeconomy is the production, utilization, conservation, and regeneration of biological resources, including related knowledge, science, technology, and innovation, to provide sustainable solutions (information, products, processes and services) within and across all economic sectors and enable a transformation to a sustainable economy. The promotion of a bioeconomy has been placed on the political agenda of more than fifty countries. Its cross-cutting nature offers a unique opportunity to comprehensively address interconnected societal challenges such as food and nutrition security, fossil-resource dependence, natural resource scarcity and climate change, while achieving sustainable economic development.However, bioeconomy activities are not necessarily sustainable, as the development of [...]

Food waste management and circular economy can be levers for sustainable food systems: food security in the Mediterranean region is threatened by natural resource scarcity, food import dependency, and current trade market instability to global crises. A circular economy approach to food waste would enableto recognize and maintain the value and utility of food products, nutrients and resources for as long as possible, minimizing resource use and upcycling food waste and by-products

This report addresses the role of forest products in replacing fossil-based and GHG-intensive products. The overarching objective is to provide recommendations to strengthen the contribution of substitution by forest products to sustainable development. To that end, this report firstly provides an overview of the understanding of the bioeconomy and the role of forest products across the world. Secondly, we present examples of conventional and innovative forest products and describe their role in the bioeconomy. Thirdly, we present a review of the quantitative and qualitative understanding of the environmental impacts and benefits of substituting fossil fuel-based or -intensive products with forest-based products, and of [...]

This brochure describes what the bioeconomy is. It looks at how the bioeconomy can contribute to sustainable production and consumption and resource-use efficient agri-food systems in an economically, socially and environmentally sustainable manner and what the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) is doing to support this.

In its 2020 communiqué, the International Advisory Council on Global Bioeconomy has urged to strengthen good practices and policies to advance the global bioeconomy.The transition from a fossil-based economy to a bioeconomy happens at three levels: technological, organizational and social. In particular, agri-food systems are key to achieve a shift to sustainable and circular production and consumption patterns, since they occupy the biggest share of the bioeconomy from an economic, value-added perspective as well as having potential for discovery and innovation.This Compendium outlines 250 sources of good practices and policies. It covers the entire continuum of economic sectors that have [...]

To promote the production, utilization, conservation and regeneration of biological resources in ways that support global food and nutrition security and sustainable development, it is necessary to have a holistic vision for a sustainable and circular bioeconomy. Through the International Sustainable Bioeconomy Working Group (ISBWG), a multistakeholder group established in 2016, FAO provides international support to increase national capacities to develop strategies and policies that can realize this vision for a transition towards sustainability.Aware that the implementation of bioeconomy involves potential synergies and trade-offs with regards to sustainability, the ISBWG proposes to mainstream a set of Aspirational Principles and Criteria [...]

FAO has been working for many years on non-food biomass products (including sustainable bioenergy) and biotechnology, and it received a mandate to coordinate international work on ‘food first’ sustainable bioeconomy by 62 Ministers present at the Global Forum for Food and Agriculture (GFFA) 2015. Moreover, FAO has received support from the Government of Germany to develop guidelines on sustainable bioeconomy development (Phase 1: 2016; Phase 2: 2017-mid 2020). This involves work on the bioeconomy monitoring, including the selection and use of indicators. The ultimate aim of FAO’s work on sustainability indicators is to provide technical assistance to countries and stakeholders [...]

Bioeconomy is the production, utilization and conservation of biological resources, including related knowledge, science, technology, and innovation, to provide information, products, processes and services across all economic sectors aiming toward a sustainable economy’. Its cross-cutting nature offers a unique opportunity to comprehensively address interconnected societal challenges such as food and nutrition security, fossil-resource dependence, natural resource scarcity and climate change, while achieving sustainable economic development.However, developing bioeconomy as such is not sustainable per se. The development of an economy that is based on biomass resources faces several trade-offs. It is crucial that bioeconomy development does not hamper but rather strengthens [...]