In focus

Tapping into aquatic resources to lift rice production

Biodiversity on rice-fish farms helps ensure food security for Laotian communities.

Highlights
Director-General
WFD PR- final
News
World Food Day 2021: FAO hails new momentum and energy on agri-food systems despite unprecedented crises

Pope Francis joins other leaders with messages for global event paying tribute to Food Heroes.

Vietnam
Story
Bringing cultures together on the farms and mountains of Viet Nam

Cooperatives are boosting farming, incomes and community spirit.

Speech of FAO Director-General, QU Dongyu, to celebrate World Food Day 2021

“On this World Food Day, we pay tribute to all our Food Heroes around the world who continued to work against all the odds to ensure we had food to eat,” said the Director-General.

Fishermen
Interactive story
To ensure a food secure future, fisheries and aquaculture are key

Discover how we can work together to protect the oceans and ensure sustainable livelihoods and diets.

WFD 2021 poster contest
World Food Day
Ready to get creative?

Are you between 5 and 19 years old? Then there’s still time to enter the World Food Day Poster Contest! Create a poster of a food journey and submit it by 5 November 2021.

© Del Hambre
Publication
FAO publications catalogue is available in six languages

The catalogues share the latest publications produced by FAO across all of its thematic areas, as well as some seminal older titles.

Director-General
Speech of FAO Director-General, QU Dongyu, to celebrate World Food Day 2021

“On this World Food Day, we pay tribute to all our Food Heroes around the world who continued to work against all the odds to ensure we had food to eat,” said the Director-General.

Voices of Impact

A call to transform agri-food systems

For World Food Day, QU Dongyu, FAO Director-General, and Thomas Pesquet, astronaut and FAO Goodwill Ambassador, make a joint call for more efficient, inclusive, resilient and sustainable agri-food systems.

DURATION 2:15
Videos
Becoming heroes in the fight against desert locusts

In Kenya, Sergeant Brian Odhiambo and the National Youth Service are winning the battle against an invasion of desert locusts. 


What are agri-food systems?

The food we choose and the way we consume it affects our health and that of our planet. Before food reaches our plates, it travels a long way. And every stage of that journey makes up our agri-food systems. 

Podcasts

At Kenya's Lake Turkana, aquatic resources are a lifeline for communities. Hear how one local entrepreneur has turned fish skins into fashion items to boost economic opportunities.


Many residents of Tonle Sap Lake, Cambodia depend heavily on fish and rice for their livelihoods and have to send their children to work rather than school in order to survive. FAO is working with the government and partners to get children back to school.

FAO and the SDGs

FAO supports governments and partners to design the right policies and programmes to end hunger, promote food security and promote sustainable agriculture for millions of people around the world.

Hover the mouse over an SDG icon for more information

A world free from hunger and malnutrition where food and agriculture contributes to improving the living standards of all

sdg photo

FAO works with governments and partners to empower some of the world’s most marginalized people to end rural poverty.

sdg photo

FAO helps ensure food security by developing ways of growing food that will work in the future so that millions of people don’t go hungry.

sdg photo

Good health starts with nutrition. FAO sets global standards and works with governments and the private sector to ensure food quality and safety throughout the food chain.

sdg photo

FAO invests in educational systems for rural communities and supports improved access to primary education and school meals in order to create equal opportunities for all and chances of lifelong learning.

sdg photo

FAO supports gender equality in the agricultural sector in an effort to raise levels of nutrition in local communities and improve agricultural productivity.

sdg photo

FAO works with governments to ensure water use in agriculture is made more efficient, equitable and environmentally friendly.

sdg photo

FAO promotes the use of renewable energies and works to ensure access to modern energy services across the food chain.

sdg photo

FAO seeks better economic opportunities for all by investing in sustainable agricultural practices and food systems that reduce inequalities and create decent jobs.

sdg photo

FAO seeks to secure a future for rural communities via investments in transportation, irrigation, food storage facilities and communication technologies.

sdg photo

FAO works with countries and partners to generate employment in rural areas, ensure access to natural resources for the most vulnerable and connect farmers to markets.

sdg photo

FAO works to improve urban healthcare, water quality and rethink city region food systems to help deter the negative effects of sprawling urbanisation.

sdg photo

FAO coordinates major global initiatives and projects to tackle food waste and loss, partnering with international organisations, the private sector and civil society.

sdg photo

FAO supports countries in responding to the threats of climate change by providing advice, data and tools for better agricultural policies and practices.

sdg photo

FAO, in partnership with governments and fishing communities, implements best practices in fisheries to ensure our oceans are protected as a means of livelihoods.

sdg photo

FAO promotes sustainable approaches to natural resource management and supports endeavours that promote a balance between conservation and development initiatives.

sdg photo

FAO plays a critical role in peacebuilding, restoring rural livelihoods, building resilience and participatory approaches to policymaking.

sdg photo

FAO acts as a neutral policymaking forum and develops partnerships with all concerned with food and agriculture to ensure a world free from hunger.

sdg photo
sdg photo
sdg photo
sdg photo
sdg photo
sdg photo
sdg photo
sdg photo
sdg photo
sdg photo
sdg photo
sdg photo
sdg photo
sdg photo
sdg photo
sdg photo
sdg photo

FAO supports governments and partners to design the right policies and programmes to end hunger, promote food security and promote sustainable agriculture for millions of people around the world.

sdg photo
sdg photo

FAO works with governments and partners to empower some of the world’s most marginalized people to end rural poverty.

Tap for more
sdg photo
sdg photo

FAO helps ensure food security by developing ways of growing food that will work in the future so that millions of people don’t go hungry.

Tap for more
sdg photo
sdg photo

Good health starts with nutrition. FAO sets global standards and works with governments and the private sector to ensure food quality and safety throughout the food chain.

Tap for more
sdg photo
sdg photo

FAO invests in educational systems for rural communities and supports improved access to primary education and school meals in order to create equal opportunities for all and chances of lifelong learning.

Tap for more
sdg photo
sdg photo

FAO supports gender equality in the agricultural sector in an effort to raise levels of nutrition in local communities and improve agricultural productivity.

Tap for more
sdg photo
sdg photo

FAO works with governments to ensure water use in agriculture is made more efficient, equitable and environmentally friendly.

Tap for more
sdg photo
sdg photo

FAO promotes the use of renewable energies and works to ensure access to modern energy services across the food chain.

Tap for more
sdg photo
sdg photo

FAO seeks better economic opportunities for all by investing in sustainable agricultural practices and food systems that reduce inequalities and create decent jobs.

Tap for more
sdg photo
sdg photo

FAO seeks to secure a future for rural communities via investments in transportation, irrigation, food storage facilities and communication technologies.

Tap for more
sdg photo
sdg photo

FAO works with countries and partners to generate employment in rural areas, ensure access to natural resources for the most vulnerable and connect farmers to markets.

Tap for more
sdg photo
sdg photo

FAO works to improve urban healthcare, water quality and rethink city region food systems to help deter the negative effects of sprawling urbanisation.

Tap for more
sdg photo
sdg photo

FAO coordinates major global initiatives and projects to tackle food waste and loss, partnering with international organisations, the private sector and civil society.

Tap for more
sdg photo
sdg photo

FAO supports countries in responding to the threats of climate change by providing advice, data and tools for better agricultural policies and practices.

Tap for more
sdg photo
sdg photo

FAO, in partnership with governments and fishing communities, implements best practices in fisheries to ensure our oceans are protected as a means of livelihoods.

Tap for more
sdg photo
sdg photo

FAO promotes sustainable approaches to natural resource management and supports endeavours that promote a balance between conservation and development initiatives.

Tap for more

sdg photo
sdg photo

FAO plays a critical role in peacebuilding, restoring rural livelihoods, building resilience and participatory approaches to policymaking.

Tap for more
sdg photo
sdg photo

FAO acts as a neutral policymaking forum and develops partnerships with all concerned with food and agriculture to ensure a world free from hunger.

Tap for more

Data - Share of agricultural loss in total economic loss attributable to disasters

Share of agriculture in total economic loss (%)

63.5%

Linear (Share of agriculture in total economic loss (%))

45%

Rollover to see data points and access SDG Progress Report

In depth

In Focus
Hand in Hand Initiative

Discover an evidence-based, country-led and country-owned initiative to accelerate agricultural transformation and sustainable rural development. 

4 Betters visual
In Focus
FAO’s Strategic Framework

Articulating FAO's vision of a sustainable and food secure world for all, in the context of the Agenda 2030 for Sustainable Development.

Graph
Statistics
FAOSTAT - Food and agriculture data

FAOSTAT provides free access to food and agriculture data for over 245 countries and territories and covers all FAO regional groupings from 1961 to the most recent year available.

logo-giahs

Globally Important Agricultural Heritage Systems