The event underpinned the importance of placing food at the center of the food–water–energy–health nexus.

The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) has launched a new publication, Agrifood systems transformation across the 2025 Voluntary National Reviews – Country perspectives and reported actions, offering timely insights into how countries are advancing sustainable development through agrifood systems.

The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) participated in the 2026 UNECE Regional Forum on Sustainable Development (RFSD), held in Geneva on 21–22 April, contributing expertise across multiple roundtable discussions and organizing two events focused on rural innovation and inclusion and integrated resource management.

FAO assists its Members in concise, evidence-based and action-oriented reviews, emphasizing the pivotal role of agrifood systems transformation in advancing the SDGs. For the 2026 review cycle, FAO has enhanced its support by providing technical guidance, innovative data tools and capacity development initiatives, while actively contributing to global knowledge exchange platforms.

The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) contributed key perspectives on agrifood systems transformation during the 2026 Asia-Pacific Forum on Sustainable Development (APFSD). 

The Expert Group Meeting, ‘Insights for the 2026 High-Level Political Forum – In-depth Review of SDG 6’, co-organized by FAO and UN DESA on the sidelines of the Dakar High-Level Preparatory Meeting, ahead of the 2026 UN Water Conference, contributes to preparations for the 2026 High-Level Political Forum on Sustainable Development. 

As preparations advance for the 2026 High-Level Political Forum on Sustainable Development (HLPF), the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) is playing a central role in supporting the global review of Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 7 on affordable and clean energy. 

In a region facing food insecurity, youth unemployment and mounting climate pressures, Helzee Farms is showing how its community-centered, integrated and circular approach to agrifood systems transformation can unlock opportunity. 

Coffee Connect Centre, a Rwandan youth-led start-up transforming the coffee sector through innovation and inclusion, has been named one of the winners of the Imali Agribusiness Challenge. This recognition marks a major milestone for the enterprise, whose growth and strategic direction has been strengthened through its participation in the FAO HASTEN programme. 

The road to 2030 has not been easy, but the integrated approach to food and agriculture we built remains our strongest tool.

At SDG-Forum 2025 in Brussels, the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) hosted a side event on “Scaling Impact – Incubation Strategies to Unlock the Potential of MSMEs and Advance the SDGs.” The session highlighted how agribusiness incubation can help micro, small and medium-sized enterprises (MSMEs) drive agrifood systems transformation.

Thakane Mahase is emerging as one of the country’s young leaders in agrifood systems transformation through the journey under the FAO HASTEN initiative. With a background in animal science, she has combined research, entrepreneurship and community engagement to tackle one of Lesotho’s pressing challenges: the lack of affordable livestock feed

Sierra Leone is strengthening support for youth and women-led agrifood enterprises through the FAO HASTEN Programme, advancing collaboration across government, academia and the private sector.

As part of HASTEN, FAO ran a business incubation workshop in Kigali in early October 2025, supporting youth- and women-led micro-, small- and medium-sized enterprises (MSMEs) to become part of the solution to accelerate progress towards the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). 

Youth and women entrepreneurs from across Rwanda completed a business incubation workshop last week under the FAO HASTEN project, gaining new skills to grow their enterprises and drive progress towards the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The event also rallied national stakeholders around a shared commitment of support to micro-, small- and medium-sized enterprises as part of Rwanda’s agrifood systems transformation.

In September 2025, ten young entrepreneurs gathered in Maseru for a week-long business incubation workshop designed to strengthen their enterprises and equip them to play a bigger role in transforming Lesotho’s agrifood systems. Organized under the FAO HASTEN project, the workshop brought together youth- and women-led businesses, with FAO experts and national and international coaches to focus on business growth strategies, sustainable practices, and practical ways to enhance their contribution to the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

FAO is the custodian of 22 Sustainable Development Goals indicators.

The 2025 High-Level Political Forum on Sustainable Development (HLPF) reviewed progress towards the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, looking at urge evidence-based, inclusive solutions that accelerate progress and leave no one behind.

As the third and final chapter of FAO’s 2025 Governance Learning Series, the session discussed how harnessing data and knowledge represents a political and institutional opportunity with far-reaching implications.