Guatemala has made its first-ever deposit to the Svalbard Global Seed Vault, securing more than 930 seed varieties vital to its food systems. The collection includes maize, beans, squash, amaranth and teosinte, crops deeply tied to the country’s agricultural heritage and biodiversity.

This milestone strengthens Guatemala’s commitment to protecting plant genetic resources as climate change, land degradation and extreme weather increasingly threaten agrobiodiversity.

In this episode of FAO's The Work We Do, we hear from Charles Spillane, Chief Scientist at the UN Food and Agriculture Organization. Charlie traces how his upbringing on a farm in Ireland and an early interest in science fiction shaped his techno-optimistic worldview and his belief in the power of science and innovation to improve society. He discusses why scientific advances often fail to reach smallholder farmers, what it takes to close the gap between knowledge and adoption, and how financial, institutional, and systemic barriers can be addressed. Charlie explores the growing role of data in agriculture, including questions of ownership and governance, and the limitations of current research funding models. And he shares vision for a more effective, future-ready agrifood science system.

The International Day of Plant Health highlights the importance of protecting plants to improve food security, biodiversity and global economic growth. Healthy plants provide most of the world’s food and oxygen, making plant biosecurity essential for human survival.

Plant pests and diseases destroy up to 40 percent of global crops each year, causing billions of dollars in agricultural losses. Climate change and increasing trade are spreading pests faster, making stronger international plant health measures more important than ever.

By observing World Bee Day (20 May), we raise awareness of the vital role bees and other pollinators play in sustaining people and the planet, as well as the challenges they face. World Bee Day 2026 highlights the long-standing partnership between humans and bees, exploring the evolution of beekeeping across cultures and landscapes. It promotes innovative, sustainable practices to improve bee health and support beekeepers, while emphasizing the value of traditional knowledge, modern technology, and inclusive partnerships in securing a sustainable future for pollinators and agrifood systems.

In Georgia’s rural highlands, a dairy farmer is helping revive a nearly lost milk tradition while protecting the rangelands that sustain it. Nino Nugzarashvili produces cheeses and “Do,” a rare, fermented milk product, using cattle raised on natural pastures that enhance quality and flavor. With the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations support, she gained equipment and training to expand production and meet rising demand. Her story highlights the vital role of communal grazing lands in supporting livelihoods, preserving biodiversity, and maintaining cultural food heritage, even as these landscapes face growing pressure from land degradation and reduced access.

On a small family farm in southern Grenada, lettuce is thriving without soil—and increasingly without fear of the weather. Faced with erratic rainfall and growing climate uncertainty, Roger and Josanne Benjamin turned to hydroponics, a method of growing plants with their roots suspended in a flowing mix of water and nutrients instead of soil. With support from a project implemented by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, their early experiment evolved into a solar-powered, climate-smart system. The results reach beyond higher yields: water use is far lower, production is more stable, and the work is less physically demanding. Their experience is now inspiring others nearby.

Heat was once routine for Sary Kea, a rice farmer in Cambodia, until extreme temperatures began ruining her crops. Repeated plantings failed as rains never came, draining her income and heightening anxiety about each season. Her story reflects a growing global crisis. A new analysis shows how extreme heat, combined with shifting rain and drought, damages crops, livestock and livelihoods. The effects are personal: lower yields, unsafe working conditions and food loss. Solutions that reach farmers in time — early warnings, heat‑tolerant crops, cooling storage and basic worker protections — are turning heat from a sudden disaster into a risk farmers can plan around, helping families like Sary Kea’s stay safe and afloat.

Rangelands and pastoralists may seem like distant silhouettes on the world’s margins, but together they form one of humanity’s quiet anchors, shaping landscapes, livelihoods and climate resilience across nearly half the planet. FAO is spotlighting their importance during the International Year of Rangelands and Pastoralists 2026. Stretching from grasslands and savannahs to deserts, wetlands and mountain regions, rangelands cover almost half of Earth’s land surface. When healthy, they regulate water, protect soils, store significant carbon and sustain biodiversity. Found on every continent, they underpin meat, dairy and fibre production and support cross‑border trade.

Rita once began each morning with a three‑kilometers walk to fetch water, balancing farming with caring for her children as drought and limited irrigation threatened crops and food security. That routine changed when a new dam created a reservoir for her community. Built by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) with the government of Angola and European Union funding, the dam is part of FAO’s FRESAN (Strengthening Resilience and Food and Nutrition Security in Angola) programme to strengthen water and food resilience in southern Angola. With year‑round irrigation, Rita now grows staples and vegetables, sells surplus produce to help cover school fees, and applies new techniques learned through FAO Farmer Field Schools with her children.

In this episode (Ep 3) of The Work We Do from the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), we hear an interview with guest David Laborde, Director of the Agrifood Economics and Policy Division at FAO.

David shares his journey as a trade economist and how it has shaped his approach to today's agrifood systems. Discussed are the role of trade in food security and the true cost of the food we consume. We also dive into the art of policymaking in complex systems, from balancing competing priorities to managing unintended consequences to navigate difficult tradeoffs.

What if the key to healthier children and stronger farmers fit in the palm of your hand? Bhutan’s One‑Child, One‑Egg initiative links smallholder poultry farmers with school feeding programmes to combat malnutrition and support rural livelihoods. The pilot provides eggs to 32,000 students in 343 schools, boosting nutrition, energy and attentiveness. Farmers like Tenzin Drukpa now benefit from a reliable market that aids recovery and strengthens community wellbeing.

"We went the furthest I have ever been from land." Seeking data to advance marine research, scientist Marco Milardi took part in a trip of a lifetime to the international waters of the Southwest Indian Ocean, going where very few people have ever been. He was one of over 20 scientists from 11 countries on the R/V Dr. Fridtjof Nansen, a vessel operated as part of the EAF-Nansen Programme; a partnership between the UN's Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), the Government of Norway, 33 countries and several regional organizations across Africa and the Bay of Bengal.

In the northern province of Cagayan, communities depend on coastal waters and fertile land for their livelihoods, from fishing to farming. Yet intensifying typhoons increasingly threaten lives, assets, and food security. In 2024, six cyclones caused over USD 13.7 million in damage. When Super Typhoon Fung-Wong (Uwan) approached in 2025, communities were better prepared. With support from the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, fishers secured boats and farmers protected inputs and livestock. In Buguey, coordinated action safeguarded assets and enabled a quick recovery. These efforts show how anticipatory action and local coordination reduce disaster impacts, while influencing national policy in the Philippines to strengthen resilience and collective preparedness.

Disruptions in the Strait of Hormuz, one of the world's most critical chokepoints for oil, gas, and fertilizer shipments, are already pushing up energy and agricultural input costs worldwide. Because energy and fertilizer markets are closely linked to food production, these shocks can quickly spread through global agrifood systems. 

In the short term, measures such as diversifying trade routes, strengthening market monitoring, supporting farmers, and providing targeted assistance to vulnerable countries can help stabilize supply chains.

Diplomatic efforts to ensure the safe reopening of the Strait of Hormuz also remain critical for protecting global energy markets and food security.

This special episode of the podcast The Work We Do by the UN Food and Agriculture Organization delves into the global implications of the current Middle East crisis.  

In Venezuela, the banana has been for generations a symbol of sustenance and tradition, but in 2023, the Fusarium Tropical Race 4 fungus arrived in producing areas causing a phytosanitary emergency. The fungus, a devastating disease of banana and plantain trees, can remain in the soil for more than two decades threatening production and the lives of those who depend on it. With support from the Food and Agriculture Organization and national authorities, farmers are learning to manage the disease, helping rebuild production and strengthen resilience against future outbreaks.