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The FAO Knowledge Repository is FAO's official open repository, providing access to all of its publications. Through its open access policy, FAO seeks to increase the dissemination of its knowledge and to contribute to the scientific and technical impact of the Organization. 

 

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Trending publications

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    Book (series)
    The State of Food Security and Nutrition in the World 2024
    Financing to end hunger, food insecurity and malnutrition in all its forms
    2024
    Six years from 2030, hunger and food insecurity trends are not yet moving in the right direction to end hunger and food insecurity (SDG Target 2.1) by 2030. The indicators of progress towards global nutrition targets similarly show that the world is not on track to eliminate all forms of malnutrition (SDG Target 2.2). Billions of people still lack access to nutritious, safe and sufficient food. Nevertheless, progress in many countries provides hope of the possibility of getting back on track towards hunger and malnutrition eradication. Implementing the policies, investments and legislation needed to revert the current trends of hunger, food insecurity and malnutrition requires proper financing for food security and nutrition. Despite a broad agreement on the urgent need to increase financing for food security and nutrition, the same cannot be said for a common understanding regarding how this financing should be defined and tracked. The report provides a long-awaited definition of financing for food security and nutrition and guidance for its implementation. There are recommendations regarding the efficient use of innovative financing tools and reforms to the food security and nutrition financing architecture. Establishing a common definition of financing for food security and nutrition, and methods for its tracking, measurement and implementation, is an important first step towards sustainably increasing the financing flows needed to end hunger, food insecurity and all forms of malnutrition, and to ensure access to healthy diets for all, today and tomorrow.
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    Book (series)
    The State of World Fisheries and Aquaculture 2024
    Blue Transformation in action
    2024
    The 2024 edition of The State of World Fisheries and Aquaculture features the Blue Transformation in action, illustrated by activities and initiatives, led by FAO in collaboration with Members, partners and key stakeholders, to integrate aquatic foods into global food security and sustainability, enhance policy advocacy, scientific research and capacity building, disseminate sustainable practices and technological innovations, and support community involvement. Part 1 of this edition of The State of World Fisheries and Aquaculture benefits from significant improvements in data collection, analytical and assessment tools and methodologies to present the most up-to-date review of world fisheries and aquaculture production and utilization. Part 2 highlights the role of FAO and its partners to catalyse the transformational changes required to support aquaculture expansion and intensification, effective management of global fisheries and upgrading of aquatic value chains. Part 3 covers the high-impact challenges and opportunities of the untapped potential of utilizing whole fish and by-products to improve food security and nutrition, expounds on the role of aquatic food systems in providing critical climate, biodiversity and environmentally sound solutions, and highlights the importance of their integration into national and multilateral processes. It also presents an outlook on future trends up to 2032 based on projections. The State of World Fisheries and Aquaculture 2024 provides the most up-to-date and evidence-based information, supporting policy, scientific and technical insights on challenges, opportunities and innovations shaping the present and future of the sector, for the benefit of a wide and expanding audience of policymakers, managers, scientists, fishers, farmers, traders, civil society activists and consumers.
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    Book (stand-alone)
    The future of food and agriculture: Trends and challenges 2017
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    What will be needed to realize the vision of a world free from hunger and malnutrition? After shedding light on the nature of the challenges that agriculture and food systems are facing now and throughout the 21st century, the study provides insights into what is at stake and what needs to be done. “Business as usual” is not an option. Major transformations in agricultural systems, rural economies, and natural resources management are necessary. The present study was undertaken for the quadrennial review of FAO’s strategic framework and for the preparation of the Organization Medium-Term plan 2018-2021.
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    Book (series)
    Carcass management guidelines
    Effective disposal of animal carcasses and contaminated materials on small to medium-sized farms
    2020
    Animal disease outbreaks pose many challenges for response authorities that can impact livelihoods, food security, and the environment. Proper disposal of animal carcasses that die or are culled during the outbreak is a key component of a successful response to a disease outbreak because it helps prevent or mitigate the further spread of pathogens and in case of zoonotic disease, to further protect human health. The practical guidelines presented hereby provide carcass and related waste management considerations and recommended procedures for use by Veterinary Services and other official response authorities when developing animal disease outbreak containment and eradication plans. The guidelines apply to animal disease outbreaks of varying sizes, whether the outbreak is isolated to a single premise or spans a region to cover numerous premises. However, they are focused on small to medium-sized holdings in countries without access to engineered landfills, rendering plants or controlled incinerators. The guidelines are written in the spirit of “keep it simple and doable”, considering the limited human and financial resources that many countries are constrained with. Its presentation and practical approach ensure that countries will find it very useful for their emergency operation procedures toolbox. Further, the guidelines directly contribute to the one-health approach by protecting the health of animals, humans, and the environment.
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    Book (series)
    Improving biosecurity through prudent and responsible use of veterinary medicines in aquatic food production 2012
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    The current trend towards increasing intensification and diversification of global aquaculture has lead to its dramatic growth, thus making aquaculture an important food-producing sector that provides an essential source of aquatic protein for a growing human population. For both developed and developing countries, the sector is recognized as creator of jobs and an important source of foreign export earnings. The expansion of commercial aquaculture, as is the case in commercial livestock and pou ltry production, has necessitated the routine use of veterinary medicines to prevent and treat disease outbreaks due to pathogens, assure healthy stocks and maximize production. The expanded and occasionally irresponsible global movements of live aquatic animals have been accompanied by the transboundary spread of a wide variety of pathogens that have sometimes caused serious damage to aquatic food productivity and resulted in serious pathogens becoming endemic in culture systems and the natura l aquatic environment. The use of appropriate antimicrobial treatments is one of the most effective management responses to emergencies associated with infectious disease epizootics. However, their inappropriate use can lead to problems related to increased frequency of bacterial resistance and the potential transfer of resistance genes in bacteria from the aquatic environment to other bacteria. Injudicious use of antimicrobials has also resulted in the occurrence of their residues in aquacultur e products, and as a consequence, bans by importing countries and associated economic impacts, including market loss have occurred. Since disease emergencies can happen even in well-managed aquaculture operations, careful planning on the use antimicrobials is essential in order to maximize their efficacy and minimize the selection pressure for increased frequencies of resistant variants. The prudent and responsible use of veterinary medicines is an essential component of successful commercial aq uaculture production systems. The FAO/AAHRI Expert Workshop on Improving Biosecurity through Prudent and Responsible Use of Veterinary Medicines in Aquatic Food Production was convened in Bangkok, Thailand from 15 to 18 December 2009, in order to understand the current status of the use of antimicrobials in aquaculture and to discuss the concerns and impacts of their irresponsible use on human health, the aquatic environment and trade. Such discussions became the basis for drafting recommenda tions targeted to the state and private sectors and for developing guiding principles on the responsible use of antimicrobials in aquaculture that will be part of the FAO Code of Conduct for Responsible Fisheries Technical Guidelines on Prudent and Responsible Use of Veterinary Medicines in Aquaculture. Since aquaculture is expected to continue to increase its contribution to the world¿s production of aquatic food, offer opportunities to alleviate poverty, increase employment and community de velopment and reduce overexploitation of natural aquatic resources, appropriate guidance to aquaculture stakeholders on the responsible use of veterinary medicines has become essential. Safe and effective veterinary medicines need to be available for efficient aquaculture production, and their use should be in line with established principles on prudent use to safeguard public and animal health. The use of such medicines should be part of national and on-farm biosecurity plans and in accordance with an overall national policy for sustainable aquaculture. This publication is presented in two parts: Part 1 contains 15 technical background papers presented during the expert workshop, contributed by 28 specialists and which served as a basis for the expert workshop deliberations; Part 2 contains the highlights of the expert workshop.

Recently added

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    Booklet
    Mainstreaming biodiversity across agricultural sectors in Asia and the Pacific
    Emerging findings from a review of National Biodiversity Strategies and Action Plans and National Food System Transformation Pathways
    2025
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    The Asia and the Pacific region is rich in biodiversity while facing mounting food insecurity and environmental degradation due to decades of unsustainable agriculture. This study assesses how biodiversity and food systems are integrated in national strategies, examining 41 National Biodiversity Strategy and Action Plans (NBSAPs) and National Food System Transformation Pathways (NFSTPs). Findings reveal that while NBSAPs increasingly recognize agrifood systems, especially under the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework, national targets remain largely aspirational and lack actionable details. NFSTPs, meanwhile, have limited integration of biodiversity in a vision of agrifood systems transformation, indicating significant scope for policy alignment. The study highlights a critical need for stronger policy coherence and concrete actions at national and subnational levels. FAO advocates for bridging biodiversity and agrifood systems transformation through agroecology, spatial planning, and incentive reforms to build resilient and nature-positive food systems in the region.
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    Book (stand-alone)
    Género, hambre y malnutrición: Transformando la realidad desde la labor legislativa
    Guía práctica para parlamentarias y parlamentarios
    2025
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    La igualdad de género es fundamental para erradicar el hambre y la malnutrición, objetivos esenciales de la Agenda 2030 para el Desarrollo Sostenible. Esta guía práctica está dirigida a parlamentarias y parlamentarios, brindándoles herramientas para integrar la perspectiva de género en su labor legislativa. Dado que las mujeres desempeñan un rol clave en los sistemas agroalimentarios, garantizar su acceso equitativo a recursos y oportunidades es crucial para lograr sistemas sostenibles, inclusivos y resilientes.La publicación destaca la interconexión entre los Objetivos de Desarrollo Sostenible (ODS) 2 y 5, enfatizando el papel de los parlamentos en la formulación de leyes, la asignación presupuestaria y la fiscalización de políticas públicas con enfoque de género. Se presentan estrategias concretas para eliminar barreras estructurales y fomentar la participación de las mujeres en la toma de decisiones, fortaleciendo su liderazgo en la seguridad alimentaria y nutricional. Asimismo, se subraya la importancia de alianzas intersectoriales y el uso de datos desagregados para fundamentar políticas efectivas.Dirigida a legisladores, organismos internacionales y sociedad civil, esta guía ofrece un modelo para incorporar la igualdad de género en las agendas políticas. Al impulsar reformas inclusivas, los parlamentos pueden acelerar el progreso hacia el hambre cero y garantizar que las mujeres, en toda su diversidad, sean protagonistas en la transformación de los sistemas alimentarios.
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    Booklet
    Special Fund for Emergency and Resilience Activities (SFERA) – Annual report 2024 2025
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    The Special Fund for Emergency and Resilience Activities (SFERA) enables the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) to take rapid and effective action in response to food and agricultural threats and emergencies. This annual report provides a brief description of the major operations initiated with SFERA funds for the 12-month period ending 31 December 2024. The report contains financial data for this period, as well as data since the Fund became operational.
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    Booklet
    Food pipeline disruption and declining food availability in the Gaza Strip: Implications under international humanitarian and human rights law
    Briefing note on the Occupied Palestinian Territory
    2025
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    This brief presents findings from a Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) simulation assessing daily food requirements and availability in the Gaza Strip under ongoing constraints on humanitarian food access. As of May 2025, the average caloric intake has dropped to 1 400 kcal per person per day, just 67 percent of the minimum required 2 100 kcal, indicating a severe and growing food gap. The simulation models three food basket scenarios based on the NutVal approach, reflecting typical aid contents such as wheat flour, pulses, rice, dairy products, and vegetable oil. The analysis accounts for demographic variations, nutritional benchmarks, and local production capacity. Findings align with IPC Phase 4, emergency conditions, with a risk of further deterioration into IPC Phase 5, catastrophe. The results provide an evidence base for humanitarian response planning and legal analysis concerning the right to adequate food and the protection of civilians. The brief highlights the urgent need to restore humanitarian food access and scale up assistance to prevent further deterioration in food security and nutritional status across the Gaza Strip.
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    Book (stand-alone)
    Progresos en el nivel de estrés hídrico
    Situación a mitad de período del Indicador 6.4.2 de los ODS y necesidades de aceleración, con especial atención a la seguridad alimentaria, 2024
    2025
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    El indicador global sobre el estrés hídrico hace un seguimiento del nivel de presión que las actividades humanas ejercen sobre los recursos naturales de agua dulce, indicando la sostenibilidad ambiental del uso de los recursos hídricos. Un alto nivel de estrés hídrico tiene efectos negativos en el desarrollo económico y social, lo que aumenta la competencia y los posibles conflictos entre los usuarios. Esto exige políticas eficaces de gestión de la oferta y la demanda. Garantizar los requisitos de caudales ambientales es esencial para: mantener la salud de los ecosistemas, que sean resistentes y estén disponibles para las generaciones futuras. Este indicador aborda el componente ambiental de la Meta 6.4. En este informe, puede obtener más información sobre los progresos en el nivel de estrés hídrico a escala mundial, por países y por grandes cuencas.
    Para obtener más información y directrices metodológicas, visite:
    https://www.fao.org/in-action/integrated-monitoring-initiative-sdg6/resources-support/es
    https://www.fao.org/aquastat/es/