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Family farming is by far the most prevalent form of agriculture both in developed and developing countries, represents the largest source of employment worldwide, and is much more than a mode of food production, it is also a way of life. In 2014, the International Year  of Family Farming (IYFF 2014) focused world’s attention on family farmers’ important role in alleviating hunger and poverty, providing food security and nutrition, improving livelihoods, sustainably managing natural resources, protecting the environment, and fostering sustainable development. In 2017, the International Decade of Family Farming 2019-2028 was proclaimed, as a framework for countries to develop public [...]

At its 42nd session in October 2015, the Committee on World Food Security (CFS) requested the High Level Panel of Experts on Food Security and Nutrition (HLPE) to prepare a report on Nutrition and Food Systems, to be presented at CFS 44 in October 2017. This topic is highly relevant to the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), the implementation of the 2014 Rome Declaration on Nutrition, the subsequent Decade of Action for Nutrition, and the fulfilment of the right to adequate food. The purpose of this report is two-fold: (i) to analyse how food systems influence people’s dietary patterns and nutritional [...]

This paper highlights some of the key issues related to the current debate on food losses and waste (FLW). There is increasing interest from the international community and national governments on FLW. However, there is no consensus about the definitions and measurement of FLW, the rationale for reducing them, the “optimal” level of their reduction, the likely impacts on food and nutrition security and on the environment, as well as the policies to implement for efficiently reducing FLW. With no pretention of being comprehensive, this paper: 1) outlines some facts about FLW facts and related socio-economic and environmental implications; 2) [...]

This fact sheet describes the course which introduces the CFS Principles for Responsible Investment in Agriculture and Food Systems (also known as the CFS-RAI), a set of ten principles that apply to all types and sizes of agricultural investment including fisheries, forests and livestock. The principles address all stakeholders and apply to all stages of the value chain. As a soft law instrument, they are globally applicable and include actions to address a range of environmental, social and economic issues.

The purpose of this compendium is to offer, in a single document, an overview of salient policy changes and related private sector measures concerning global and national markets for oilseed, oils/fats and meals in a particular year – in this case 2017. The compendium reproduces, in tabular form, all the policy and industry news items published throughout 2017 in the FAO Oilcrops Monthly Price and Policy Update (MPPU). The main purpose is to facilitate the work of policy makers, market experts, analysts and other stakeholders by providing a short, concise overview of policy developments relevant to the oilcrops industry at the global, regional and national level. Although [...]

This technical note explores the impact of trade on nutrition, addressing the role of trade in the “nutrition transition” and the extent to which trade policies affect nutritional objectives.  See all Trade Policy Technical notes

This introduction frames the entire series of guidance notes "Improving food security and nutrition in protracted crises – guidance to implement the CFS-FFA", providing background on protracted crises and the Framework for Action for Food Security and Nutrition in Protracted Crises (CFS-FFA) and also presenting the objectives of the series. Protracted crises are situations in which a significant proportion of the population is acutely vulnerable to death, disease, and disruption of livelihoods o ver a prolonged period of time. Available in French.

FAO supports member countries to meet the challenges of an urbanizing world by promoting the integration of Urban and Peri-urban Horticulture (UPH) into national and local agricultural development strategies, food and nutrition programmes and urban planning. UPH is the cultivation of a wide range of crops – including fruit, vegetables, roots, tubers and ornamental plants – within cities and towns and in their surrounding areas. It is a key component of robust and resilient urban food systems whi ch empower the urban poor. UPH is already widely practised in developing countries, accounting for more than half of the fruit and [...]

While countries in Europe and Central Asia have made significant progress reducing the prevalence of undernourishment, 14.3 million people still experience severe food insecurity. Malnutrition – in one or more of its three main forms – is present throughout the region. Demand for food is growing, consumption patterns are changing and urbanization is accelerating. The effects of climate change pose considerable challenges to agricultural production. The Sustainable Development Goals provide a fra mework for assessing and tackling these challenges and monitoring progress. Currently only a few countries have policy frameworks that address all four pillars of food security – availability, [...]

Smallholders and traders are key stakeholders in fruit and vegetable supply chains supplying local mass markets across South Asian countries. Training these stakeholders and introducing simple technical innovations into these supply chains can dramatically improve the quality and shelf-life of fresh produce and reduce losses, thereby generating economic benefits for producers, supply chain stakeholders and consumers as well as improving nutrition. Consequently, greater support is called for to a ddress the challenges faced in traditional supply chains. This policy brief aims to provide information on applying the principles of post-harvest management of fruit and vegetable supply chains for quality and [...]