A teacher from El Salvador, a young student from the Dominican Republic, and a family farmer from Guatemala are united in their commitment to the transformative power of healthy school food. Esmeralda Ruiz, a teacher in Concepción de Ataco, El Salvador, turned an academic assignment into a mission to promote healthy eating among her school community. In 2020, she on developing healthy and sustainable school environments, supported by organizations such as the Food and Agriculture Organization () and the Brazilian Cooperation Agency. With this knowledge, Esmeralda raised awareness about the importance of healthy eating at the San Francisco Catholic Educational Complex, organizing events and fairs for students and parents. Through these initiatives, nearly 600 students and their families are transforming their eating habits while fostering stronger community ties, ensuring that healthy eating is seen as both a right and a daily practice.
Every day, over 100 million children in low- and lower-middle-income countries are going hungry. Millions go to school on an empty stomach – hunger affects their concentration and ability to learn. School meal programmes play a critical role to address these challenges. The (WFP) has more than six decades of experience supporting governments to ensure that all school-age children have access to school meals and are healthy and ready to learn. On this School Meals Day 2025 (13 March), to make sure no kid is held back by hunger.
is crucial for global food security, producing over 80% of the world’s food, with FAO working to strengthen policies and support sustainable agricultural development.
Biodiversity is essential for food security and the environment, involving diverse agricultural practices such as using indigenous seeds, combining crops, and restoring pollinator populations. Our agrifood systems depend on a wide variety of domesticated and wild species, but biodiversity is declining due to factors like land use changes, climate change and over-exploitation. In Luweero District, Uganda, Jane Nakandi Sebyaala, a coffee and banana farmer, leads the Twezimbe Kassala Community Seed Bank, which focuses on preserving indigenous seeds. These seeds can be replanted multiple times and flourish without heavy chemical inputs. Following training by the Food and Agricultutral Organization (), Jane and her community began collecting and planting indigenous seeds, resulting in healthier, more resilient crop yields, particularly maize and beans.
Nino Kavtaradze, a skilled producer of dried fruits, jams, and distinctive Georgian cheeses, has relied on her income to support her health after being diagnosed with cancer nearly 20 years ago. The sales of dried fruits and tklapi [sheets of dried fruit puree which roll up like leather] helped cover her medical expenses while she underwent chemotherapy and managed her home-based business in the northwestern mountains of Georgia. Her resilience led her to become a Lead Farmer in a project aimed at empowering smallholder women dairy farmers. After connecting with a fellow cheese producer involved in a Farmer Field School initiative by the Food and Agriculture Organization () and UN Women, Nino took on the challenge of recruiting participants. She exceeded expectations by bringing together 30 local women dairy farmers.
In the eastern part of Guyana, near the Corentyne Coast, locals farm endemic brackish water shrimp in constructed ponds that combine freshwater from the Canje River and saltwater from the Atlantic Ocean, enhancing the shrimp's unique flavor. Suedat Persaud, a long-time farmer and founder of the East Berbice-Corentyne Aquaculture Cooperative Society Ltd, notes that farming has become challenging due to climate change, including El Niño and La Niña effects. To address these issues, the Government of Guyana began a project in 2021 aimed at improving livelihoods and shrimp production. Training provided by the Food and Agriculture Organization () and Guyana's Fisheries Department introduced better management practices. The initiative also promoted mangrove restoration as part of its sustainable development efforts.
For centuries, pulses have been vital to sustainable agriculture and nutrition. These small but impactful crops not only provide essential nutrients but also support healthier diets and resilient farming systems, making them a key source of nourishment even for the most vulnerable communities. To celebrate the importance of these remarkable crops, the World Pulses Day (10 February) underscores the vital role of these foods in promoting diversity – both above and below the ground. Let’s unlock a more sustainable, nutritious and equitable future.
Despite progress in reducing hunger and food insecurity, high food costs in Latin America and the Caribbean remain a significant challenge.
UNOPS has improved food security in Niger by constructing solar-powered irrigation systems, boosting crop yields and supporting economic growth in Sia-Kounza.
The situation in Sudan is devastating, marked by horrific violence and massive displacement. Amid this crisis, a looming nutrition disaster threatens future generations. Over 20 months of conflict have led to soaring malnutrition rates, with approximately 3.2 million children under five at risk of acute malnutrition by 2025 and over 770,000 expected to suffer from severe acute malnutrition. Children facing this condition are vulnerable to developmental issues, diseases, and even death. The nutrition crisis is exacerbated by disease outbreaks, declining access to health services, and unprecedented displacement. In response, is rapidly scaling up its nutrition efforts to combat the heightened risk of famine.
Two four-wheel drive vehicles come to a halt on a muddy highway southeast of Monrovia, Liberia. The team of five dressed in fluorescent yellow jackets, comprising statisticians from the Food and Agriculture Organization () and the Liberia Institute of Statistics and Geo-Information Services (LISGIS), sets out on foot to reach their survey sites. LISGIS team leader Anthony Dymacole notes that accessibility is a major challenge for their work, alongside security roadblocks, flooded bridges, and wildlife encounters. Their efforts support the 50x2030 initiative, which aims to conduct agricultural statistical surveys in 50 countries by the next decade. This initiative emphasizes the critical role of agriculture in generating revenue and employment in low- and middle-income countries.
Using nuclear techniques, the and help countries trace coffee's journey from plant to cup, ensuring quality and authenticity.
Khadiga Khanom from Gazipur, Bangladesh, never considered jackfruit significant until she attended workshops on processing various jackfruit products. Inspired by the training provided by the Food and Agriculture Organization (), she started her own business, creating a range of goods such as pickles, jam, burgers, cakes, pizzas, and even plant-based leather. Now processing about 100 kilograms of jackfruit daily with five employees, she earns approximately $400 a month, which helps support her family and allows her to save for business expansion. Jackfruit, Bangladesh's national fruit and a symbol of abundance, has become a pivotal part of her life through the .
highlights the project’s efforts to strengthen food safety and plant health systems in 12 African Union countries, emphasizing its positive impact on public health, trade, and economic development.
Xie Fanghua noticed the difficulties farmers faced in getting their fruit to market in his mountain community in China and devised a solution with custom designed monorail tracks. With a loan from , he made the technology available to others.