African-led science and innovation are at the heart of efforts to transform agrifood systems across the continent. That was the central message of a dedicated side event held during the Regional Policy Dialogue on Strengthening South-South and Triangular Cooperation (SSTC) in Africa, organized by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) and hosted by the Government of the United Republic of Tanzania.

At the opening of the AI for Good Summit (8-11 July)  in Geneva today, the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) and the International Telecommunication Union (ITU) officially launched the Robotics for Good – Youth Challenge 2025–26, a global initiative aimed at empowering youth to drive innovation in agrifood systems.

On the margins of the 44th Session of the FAO Ministerial Conference, the Director-General QU Dongyu inaugurated two new technical rooms at the Organization’s headquarters in Rome: the Liberia Situation Room and the Netherlands Acceleration Zone. These state-of-the-art facilities are set to significantly enhance the Organization’s efficiency and effectiveness in delivering its mandate.

Access to reliable, affordable clean energy remains a challenge for many rural communities around the world. In response, the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) has launched two innovative renewable energy projects aimed at tackling energy access and efficiency challenges in rural communities in Jamaica and Jordan. These initiatives are being supported through FAO’s ELEVATE Incubator Programme, under the guidance of the Office of Innovation (OIN).

The FAO Global Agrifood Biotechnologies Conference 2025, held from 16 to 18 June at FAO headquarters in Rome, brought together experts, policymakers, and practitioners to explore how biotechnological innovation can help transform agrifood systems.

The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) and the International Centre for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology (ICGEB) have signed a new Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to strengthen cooperation on genetic engineering and biotechnological solutions in support of transforming agrifood systems

 The Global Agrifood Biotechnologies Conference 2025 opened today at  the headquarters of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), bringing together policymakers, scientists, civil society, farmers, youth leaders, private sector and development partners under the theme “Biotechnologies for a Sustainable Future: Driving Agrifood Systems Transformation.”

The Director-General underscored the critical role of science, innovation and international cooperation in ensuring that aquatic food systems continue to feed a growing global population while protecting biodiversity.

In today’s fast-changing world, making inclusive, evidence-based decisions in agrifood systems is more important—and more complex—than ever. The Innovation Policy Labs (IPLs) approach offers a transformative approach to tackling this challenge through co-creation, collaboration, and innovation.

The need for transformative changes to agrifood systems has become increasingly urgent. As part of its 80th Anniversary celebrations, FAO will host a Global Agrifood Biotechnologies Conference, Biotechnologies for a Sustainable Future: Driving Agrifood Systems Transformation from 16 to 18 June 2025. 

Geneva/New York/Rome/Washington – Acute food insecurity and child malnutrition rose for the sixth consecutive year in 2024, pushing millions of people to the brink, in some of the world’s most vulnerable regions, according to the Global Report on Food Crises (GRFC), released today.

FAO and Zhejiang University invite youth-led startups to harness emerging technologies and Digital Public Infrastructure for climate-smart, inclusive agrifood systems 

Rome - Consumers in many countries are increasingly turning to food supplements and functional or health foods as part of their diets, in an effort to support their individual health and well-being, a new report by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations says.

The AgriTech Observatory, an initiative of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) for countries in Europe and Central Asia, has been officially recognized as a Digital Public Good (DPG) by the Digital Public Goods Alliance—a multi-stakeholder initiative endorsed by the United Nations to promote open-source technologies that accelerate progress toward the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

On March 26th, 2025, the Office of Innovation hosted a dynamic session of the Junior Innovation Policy Labs at FAO Headquarters in Rome, Italy. The event provided a platform for young minds to dive into the world of agrifood systems, policy, and innovation and brought together enthusiastic Erasmus students who participated in interactive basecamps and roleplays, addressing real-world issues in policy, science, and technology.  
 

The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) and the European Union (EU) partnered with students from top ranked universities to design creative solutions that harness behavioural science to support sustainable agrifood systems in developing countries.

The world faces unprecedented challenges: a growing population, increasing climate extremes, and dwindling natural resources. Feeding the planet sustainably requires a shift, a move away from "business as usual" to embrace innovative solutions that can transform our agrifood systems.

FAO, IFAD and WFP together marked International Women's Day 2025 at an event today, reiterating their strong commitment to the empowerment of women and girls, particularly in the context of the fight against hunger. 

The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) today revealed the details of a major update to the methodology of the State of Stocks Index (SoSI) at the Honiara Summit in Solomon Islands (24-27 February).

This marked a significant step forward in tracking and managing fisheries more efficiently, supporting global efforts to promote effective management of the ocean and its resources.

The Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) is launching a call for case studies on innovative solutions for monitoring diversity of pollinators and provision of pollination services. The case studies can focus on both the scientific research of innovative approaches to monitoring genetic diversity in pollinators and the practical applications of innovative tools and technologies.  We welcome impactful, innovative, inclusive, and relevant submissions by 28 February 2025 via the link: https://forms.office.com/e/CS7h1uDjfw