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Book (stand-alone)Technical reportDesalination for agricultural development: Addressing opportunities and challenges in the context of climate change and the global agricultural commodity market
Expert consultation workshop report
2025Also available in:
No results found.The integration of desalination into agricultural practices presents a transformative opportunity to address water scarcity in a rapidly changing climate. This guidance document has highlighted the technological advances, agronomic opportunities, economic challenges, environmental impacts and social considerations associated with doing so.Technologically, desalination has evolved significantly, offering viable solutions for both seawater and brackish water, with reverse osmosis leading the way. However, the high costs and energy requirements of desalination remain significant challenges, particularly for widespread agricultural use. Innovations in energy efficiency, brine management, and the potential for resource recovery from brine are promising developments that could lower costs and environmental impacts in the future.Agronomically, desalinated water can support high-value crops, and it has the potential to support food security in regions facing severe water scarcity. However, the unique chemical composition of desalinated water, including low nutrient content and the potential for phytotoxicity, necessitates careful management to avoid adverse effects on soil health and crop productivity. Blending desalinated water with water from other sources and adjusting fertilization practices can mitigate some of these concerns.Economically, the viability of desalination for agriculture depends on the value of the crops being irrigated, the proximity of desalination plants to agricultural lands, and the availability of financing mechanisms. The high cost of desalinated water requires targeted subsidies, public–private partnerships, and innovative financing models to make it accessible and sustainable for farmers, particularly in developing regions. Further research is needed to analyse the costs and benefits of desalination for “strategic” crops in water-scarce areas – such as cereals and animal fodder – which are intended to contribute to food security.Environmental sustainability is a critical consideration, with desalination’s energy intensity and brine disposal posing significant risks. The shift towards renewable energy sources and the development of brine valorization strategies are essential steps towards reducing the environmental footprint of desalination. Moreover, the potential for desalination to contribute to aquifer recharge and prevent overextraction of freshwater resources offers additional environmental benefits. -
Book (stand-alone)General interest bookReport of the Global Solutions Forum: Acting together to end child labour in agriculture
Concrete experiences and successful practices shared on 2–3 November 2021
2022Also available in:
No results found.On 2–3 November 2021, to mobilize global action and highlight concrete solutions to eradicate child labour in agriculture, FAO, in close collaboration with the International Labour Organization (ILO) and in partnership with the International Partnership for Cooperation on Child Labour in Agriculture (IPCCLA) and the Alliance 8.7, organized a high-level virtual event: the Global Solutions Forum (GSF). The objectives of the GSF were to raise the voices and commitment of agricultural stakeholders, share game-changing solutions, and identify ways to step up concerted action to prevent and end child labour in all agricultural subsectors. The outcomes of the event are expected to inform the V Global Conference on Child Labour in 2022, along with other global initiatives such as the United Nations Decade of Family Farming. -
Book (series)Working paperLocal financing mechanisms for forest and landscape restoration
A review of local-level investment mechanisms
2021Also available in:
To meet global restoration needs and recover degraded forests and landscapes, adequate public and private investments are required to support restoration activities on the ground. The new FAO publication “Local financing mechanisms for forest and landscape restoration: A review of local level investment mechanisms” examines the pathways available to financing restoration for a positive local level impact. The document provides an in-depth study of how financial mechanisms can be coordinated to maximise the leverage of finance and the adoption of practices at scale across the landscape. By examining some of the accessible investment mechanisms and planning strategies, it aims to support discussions, thinking and decision-making on how to effectively find, select and use investments to provide appropriate incentives and maximize forest and landscape restoration actions. Finally, the publication underlines how facilitators can bridge the gap between smallholders and investors, boosting investments, while promoting local ownership.
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Book (stand-alone)Manual / guideManuel d'étude sur la composition des aliments, vol.1
questions & exercises
2011Le Guide d'étude de la composition des aliments est publié en deux volumes : Questions et exercices - Volume 1 et Réponses aux questions et exercices - Volume 2. Les deux volumes consistent en 17 modules regroupés sous 12 grands thèmes. Chaque module est séparé en différentes sections. Le premier énonce les objectifs d'apprentissage, la matière à étudier et une estimation du temps nécessaire pour compléter le module. Souvent, beaucoup de ressources ou de matériel de référence sont indiqués avec du matériel de lecture supplémentaire. La deuxième section contient les questions, la troisième les exercices. Dans le volume avec les réponses, une section supplémentaire fournit le retour d'information général. -
Book (series)Technical studyPacific oyster farming
A practical manual
2024Also available in:
No results found.The purpose of this manual is to give the reader a foundation of practical knowledge regarding all aspects of Pacific oyster cultivation. It is targeted at new entrants to the market wishing to establish a farm, and existing operators who wish to develop their farms and explore new cultivation techniques. The methodologies described can be applied both to low-tech, low budget, small-scale farming operations and to high-tech, big budget, industrial-scale aquaculture production enterprises. This guide focuses on the functional expertise and technical equipment required to construct and manage an operational farm in the diverse environmental and physical locations in which they can be situated, from the initial stages of finding and selecting a suitable site, to the conclusion of the first production cycle and harvesting the crop. The manual contains a brief introduction which describes the relevance of the species with regards to global aquaculture production figures and how it can form an important part of future food production strategies. Chapter 2 describes the anatomy and biology of Crassostrea gigas and gives an indication as to the environmental conditions in which the species thrives as well as the pathologies and predators that can result in poor health leading to potential mortalities. Chapter 3 deals with all aspects of undertaking a survey of potential oyster farming sites and what data should be collected and examined to assess a site’s suitability, but also which areas are best suited to different cultivation techniques. After this, Chapter 4 introduces the main farming techniques that will be described in detail in the following chapters, which includes off-bottom cultivation, on-bottom cultivation, and suspended cultivation, and gives details of some of the most common cultivation equipment necessary to undertake these operations. The techniques and strategies necessary to procure seed oysters and how to develop them through the nursery stage are also introduced. This includes the basic principles of upwelling, which then leads into Chapter 5, which provides a detailed description of how to build and operate one particular example of a Floating Upwelling System (Flupsy) which is suitable for use in remote but sheltered conditions. Chapters 6, 7 and 8 constitute the main body of the manual and provide an in-depth look into the three major cultivation techniques that this guide concentrates on: “Farming with trestles and bags in the intertidal zone”, “On-bottom cultivation in the intertidal or subtidal zone” and “Offshore longline cultivation”. -
Book (series)High-profileOECD-FAO Agricultural Outlook 2023-2032 2023The Agricultural Outlook 2023-2032 is a collaborative effort of the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) and the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO). It brings together the commodity, policy and country expertise of both organisations as well as input from collaborating member countries to provide an annual assessment of the prospects for the coming decade of national, regional and global agricultural commodity markets. The publication consists of 11 Chapters; Chapter 1 covers agricultural and food markets; Chapter 2 provides regional outlooks and the remaining chapters are dedicated to individual commodities.