FAO through funding from the Africa Development Bank, have excavated a pond to store water, provided a solar-powered water pump for irrigation and seeds, empowering female farmers like Lilly in South Sudan, to be able to plant and sell their vegetables. 

Women in Niger experience gender-based violence in various forms including physical and sexual abuse, social norms that limit their participation in decision-making and community activities and being forced to marry at an early age. Child marriage violates human rights and hinders development efforts. It limits girls' education and leads to health issues. It also breeds reliance on men and limits opportunities for young women to make their living. The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) has implemented several projects in rural Senegal to raise awareness among all community members about the dangers of this practice, for girl children and the community at large. FAO works with communities to set up discussion and action groups called Dimitra Clubs.

In the face of climate change, pastrolists in South Sudan are losing their livestock and in turn, their livelihoods. With support of FAO through funding from the Africa Development Bank, pastoralists like Lokuru, now have enough water for the animals. 

This interactive feature illustrates FAO’s report, which presents over 50 actions that policymakers and governments can take - from biodiversity monitoring to conservation.

In the mountainous Tokushima region of Japan, farmers have grown local varieties of millet, vegetables and other crops for more than 400 years. But in recent times, the cultivation of millets almost died out. Only the love of a farmer in Nishi-Awa helped save a local variety of finger millet from vanishing completely. The Nishi-Awa site is remarkable because, on extremely steep slopes normally deemed unsuitable for agriculture, farmers derived an innovative way of cultivating indigenous varieties of crops without converting the land into terraced fields. The United Nations officially designated 2023 as the International Year of Millets to raise awareness of their nutritional and health benefits.

Our current agrifood systems impose huge hidden costs on our health, the environment and society, equivalent to at least $10 trillion a year, according to an analysis by the Food and Agriculture Organization covering 154 countries. This represents almost 10% of the global GDP. More than 70% of those hidden costs are driven by unhealthy diets that might lead to obesity and non-communicable diseases. Low-income countries are proportionately the hardest hit by this situation. The report urges governments to use true cost accounting to transform agrifood systems to address the climate crisis, poverty, inequality and food security.

A FAO report reveals that the hidden costs from how we produce, transport, process and consume food are at least 10 trillion dollars a year.

FAO shows the effects and repercussions of water in Peru because of climate change. 

The sea urchin is considered a culinary delicacy in many countries and faces the threat of overfishing in some areas. However, while some sites are lacking in the species, other areas are experiencing excessive sea urchin populations that can lead to the depletion of algae and other marine vegetation, so-called sea urchin barrens. These two contrasting situations call for individualized solutions. FAO is helping countries and farmers tackle these two issues by creating specific guidelines for restorative aquaculture and helping with the removal of urchins and their sale in culinary markets, helping to restore algae populations while enhancing the value of these species.

Fatmata Binta Jalloh is a gender and youth expert working with Sierra Leone's Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security. She helps rural women by providing them with access to technical training, inputs, and other opportunities to help them maximize their agricultural activities. Fatmata, along with Foday Kamara, the director of a local NGO that supports youth and women's empowerment, took part in a project implemented jointly by the FAO and the NGO Solidaridad. The programme aimed to equip both women and men with the knowledge and skills necessary to succeed in the agricultural sector, while also strengthening the position of rural women and enabling them to participate in decision-making processes.

Water is essential for life and food production. Globally, 70% of freshwater is used for agriculture, which is why changing the way we grow our food and produce agricultural products can have the greatest impact. Approximately 2.4 billion people currently live in countries, where water resources are under stress, yet global water demand for agriculture is expected to increase by 35% by 2050. From the food to the fashion industries, we often take this fundamental element for granted. On this World Food Day, FAO is drawing attention to water and highlighting four individuals, who are taking action to manage this precious resource wisely, while inspiring others.

Conservation agriculture is a relatively new practice in Timor-Leste, centred on minimum soil disturbance, maintenance of a permanent soil cover, and diversification of plant species. Despite facing resistance from farmers like Joaquim, FAO and partners supported farmers, who were willing to adopt this technique. These efforts paid off after a few years of implementation with increased land utilization rates, more fertile and productive soil. Joaquim, now an avid advocate of CA has produced enough food to support his family. The practice also has great appeal for farmers, because it does away with the need for ploughing, ending some of the hard manual labor involved in farming.

World Food Day, celebrated on 16 October, is dedicated to water - a precious resource that covers most of the Earth's surface, constitutes over 50% of our bodies, supports livelihoods and produces our food. However, we often take for granted the availability of water, which is not infinite. What we eat and how our food is produced has a major impact on water. Join FAO’s campaign for water action for food and sing their message. The Observance coincides with the World Food Forum (16-20 October), a global movement that empowers young people to shape a better food future for all. Be the change!

From 27 to 29 September 2023, FAO is organizing its first-ever Global Conference on Sustainable Agricultural Mechanization. This event will provide a forum for FAO Members, farmers, universities, agricultural scientists, mechanization service providers, development agencies, and other actors for dialogues to prioritize actions and strengthen technical networks for sustainable development of agricultural mechanization.

Located at two hours’ drive east of Lagos, Nigeria’s sprawling business capital, Eriwe farm village is the site of one of the countries’ biggest catfish clusters. Along the banks of a little river lie the ponds of nearly 600 fish farmers, organized in cooperatives as part of the Eriwe fishers’ union. These farmers produced some 2,000 tonnes of catfish in 2022. Mary Stephens and her husband also have a few ponds in Eriwe farm village. But their main business is fish processing. FISH4ACP, a global fish value chain development programme in partnership between FAO, the EU and others, is helping Nigeria to make its catfish sector stronger. Mary hopes to get a machine to replace some of their manual work.