The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) and the European Agricultural Machinery Association (CEMA) have renewed their Memorandum of Understanding (MoU), extending a decade-long partnership to advance the adoption of sustainable agricultural mechanization (SAM), by farmers worldwide. 

The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), in collaboration with the International Agri-Food Network (IAFN), officially launched the fourth edition of the Accelerator Mentorship Programme for Women-Led Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) in Africa during the 2025 FAO Science and Innovation Forum in Rome.

The Private Sector Unit (PSUS) within the Partnerships and UN Collaboration Division (PSU) at the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) ‎hosted a dynamic webinar to showcase the potential of private sector engagement, titled Seeds of Innovation: Partnering with Startups for Sustainable Agrifood Systems.

Port Moresby, Papua New Guinea – Queen Emma Chocolate is Papua New Guinea’s leading domestic cocoa processor and chocolate maker. For years, the company faced real constraints, including low production capacity, inconsistent cocoa bean supply from across the country, the persistent problem of smoke-tainted beans entering the factory, and limited overseas business ties. These issues did not only hold back the company; they also held back farmers and Papua New Guinea’s cocoa sector.

For decades, the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) has engaged with the International Dairy Federation (IDF) to advance a more sustainable, nutritious and resilient dairy sector through joint efforts in nutrition, livestock, climate change, food safety and the food standards development. Founded in 1903, IDF is a global non-profit and leading scientific authority in dairy, bringing together over 1 000 dairy experts across 40 countries that produce two-thirds of the world’s milk production.

During the FAO Global Conference on Sustainable Livestock Transformation held on 29 September 2025, FAO convened a dynamic Private Sector Forum that spotlighted the central role of companies in building more sustainable livestock systems worldwide.

The United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO), through its Investment and Technology Promotion Office (ITPO) Germany, in collaboration with the Partnerships and UN Collaboration (PSU) and Plant Production and Protection (NSP) divisions, launched a two-day event “Private Sector Solutions for Food Security” at FAO headquarters. 

In a one-day visit to Beirut, FAO Deputy Director-General, Maurizio Martina; FAO Assistant Director-General and Regional Representative for Near East and North Africa, Abdul Hakim Elwaer; Director of FAO’s Office of Emergency and Resilience, Rein Paulsen; Piergiorgio Trentinaglia, Chief  Security, FAO Representative in Lebanon, Nora Ourabah Haddad and Etienne Careme, FAO Lebanon Liaison and Resilience Officer met with key partners to strengthen collaboration and foster transformative initiatives. The delegation held meetings with the Prime Minister of Lebanon, H.E. Nawaf Salam, and the Minister of Agriculture, H.E. Nizar Hani, to discuss issues of mutual interest. FAO officials reiterated the Organization’s continued support for Lebanon, emphasizing that its engagement extends beyond immediate relief, aiming to ensure that emergency assistance leads to recovery and long-term resilience.

     

Turning waste into opportunity 

Sri Lanka is positioning itself as a regional hub for circular agrifood innovation and investment opportunities. Faced with rising food waste and post-harvest losses, the country is transforming environm...

FAO and ATAC S.p.A., Rome’s public transport company, has teamed up to revamp the Circo Massimo metro station into a space dedicated to art, culture, sustainability, food security, and responsible consumption.

On 26 June 2025, the Private Sector Unit (PSUS) of the Partnerships and UN Collaboration Division (PSU) hosted its third Brown Bag Lunch session, "Women in Agribusiness: Stories from the Frontlines”.

In a decisive step toward curbing the growing threat of antimicrobial resistance (AMR), the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) Regional Office for Asia and the Pacific (RAP), convened a regional workshop in Bangkok, Thailand from 23 to 24 June 2025. 

Ending hunger is not the sole responsibility of governments or any one entity. The private sector – through its innovation, investment, and reach – has a vital role to play. To unite  private sector entities with FAO to shape impactful solutions for the transformation of agrifood systems, FAO launched the Private Sector Advisory Group (PSAG) in 2023.

FAO brought together leading voices from the private and philanthropic sectors to examine how blended finance can close the investment gap required to transform agrifood systems and achieve the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) by 2030.

This session celebrated FAO’s long-standing partnership with the International Cooperative Alliance (ICA) in Latin America and the Caribbean – an alliance that exemplifies the power of cooperation to transform food systems. The event was especially timely, aligning with the global momentum of the International Year of Cooperatives 2025. 

FAO and CCOIC formalized their collaboration through a memorandum of understanding (MoU) signed in 2023.

CRDB Bank and FAO entered into a strategic partnership to enhance access to financial services for farmers, promote sustainable agricultural practices, and drive investment in climate-resilient farming techniques.

FAO hosted the first event of the Private Sector Brown Bag Lunches Series, highlighting its decade-long collaboration with Google.

The Regional Office of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) for Latin America and the Caribbean signed an agreement with the International Cooperative Alliance (ICA) to promote joint efforts in support of corporativism in the region. The agreement was signed by FAO Assistant Director-General and Regional Representative Mario Lubetkin, and the Regional Director of Cooperatives of the Americas, Danilo Salerno.

The FAO Partnerships and UN Collaboration Division (PSU) is pleased to announce an upcoming side-event during World Food Forum week titled "Empowering the Future: Private Sector Partnerships for Youth Advancement." This event will underscore the critical role of the private sector in supporting youth-focused initiatives within the agriculture and agrifood systems.