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Efforts to rediscover and cultivate over 350 key crops, supported by global initiatives like the , are crucial for enhancing food security, resilience, and nutrition in the face of climate change.

Gita Adikhari realised something significant had changed when her farm in the Jhapa District of eastern Nepal yielded nearly double the amount she would normally harvest. The bumper crop was a result of learnings from a Farmer Field School run by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations () with funding from the Green Climate Fund. An overarching aim of the learnings is to make farming systems more resilient to climate change. Farmer Field Schools are also about boosting the confidence of women farmers, who traditionally have not had a voice in household or community decisions. Gita feels that this has changed and now shares her opinions and gets involved in the community.

Due to the decreasing availability of pasture brought on by worsening drought in the southern Gobi region, camels are producing less milk, causing difficulties for herders who rely on this for income and nutrition. The herder communities in Mongolia, traditionally, do not feed their camels with any supplemental feed and only hand-milk their camels. But now with the knowledge and resources from An EU-funded project, implemented by , camel herders have witnessed the increased production in milk from supplemental feed. Milking equipment has also increased quality in milk production. 

In Albania, agritourism is flourishing, driven by the stunning Vjosa Wild River National Park and its untamed river valleys. The Lile family farm and restaurant, located near the Bënja thermal baths, offers Albanian and Greek cuisine, wine, and traditional raki. With tourism doubling from 2016 to 2023, there’s a growing demand for quality local food and services. By fostering agritourism, Albania aims to create market opportunities and boost rural development, addressing interrelated sectors like agriculture, tourism, and culture.  is supporting the country’s vision for improving its agrifood system and increasing prosperity in rural areas.

Ariljska malina, a plump, vibrantly coloured raspberry, is one of Serbia’s crown jewels. Farmers in the region developed a now decades-old growing and harvesting technique that, along with the area’s microclimate, contributes to the raspberry’s taste and quality. The raspberry is the area’s only commercial product, driving the area’s economic development. It is also one of more than 9,000 geographically protected foods worldwide, with geographical indication (GI) status.  and EBRD support to producers helps ensure continued promotion and protection of these products.

Every year, June 18 marks Sustainable Gastronomy Day. Sustainable gastronomy emphasizes the mindful sourcing, cultivation, and distribution of ingredients, ensuring that food production and consumption practices are environmentally responsible and capable of enduring into the future.

In early 2023, Abidjan, Côte d'Ivoire, faced a growing organic waste problem. The city reached out to the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations () for help. FAO's project,, aimed to turn organic waste into a resource using the Black Soldier Fly. The idea was to get the flies to mate, give their offspring tons of garbage to eat, and then dry the larvae to use as either feed for livestock or powdered food for fish farms. The project received funding from �󴡰�’s ELEVATE programme, which supports innovative agricultural solutions.

Blessing Andrew is a veterinary animal health worker in Nigeria and the sole practicing female veterinary paraprofessional (VPP) in Sanga, southern Kaduna State. Despite challenges such as questioning her competence and being paid less than her male counterparts, she was motivated to continue her career after receiving training from the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations () and Ahmadu Bello University’s College of Agriculture and Animal Science. The training focused on reaching women and promoting gender-responsive approaches to animal health.

Climate change and prolonged droughts pose an ever-increasing threat to agriculture in Cabo Verde.Through the project, a group of Chinese experts pass on their knowledge and expertise to Cabo Verdean farmers and livestock producers to fight pests, manage soil and animal production, and offer other useful techniques in adapting to the effects of climate change. 

Mexico's traditional multi-crop farming system, known as milpa, is vital to agrobiodiversity. It is the opposite of monoculture, with each family growing a variety of nutritious crops. However, the continued expansion of large-scale intensive farming practices is making communities more vulnerable to natural and economic shocks. The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations () and other organizations are working to revive these traditional practices and promote diverse, nutritious foods to address nutrition and food security issues in Mexico.

Potatoes are a key crop across agrifood systems globally, ranging from smallholders producing diverse heirloom varieties by hand in the Andes, to vast commercial, mechanized farms in different continents. As the third most available food crop globally, potatoes contribute to the food security, livelihoods and employment of people in rural and urban areas the world over. On , we spotlight the potato, Solanum tuberosum (L.) – a crop regularly consumed by billions of people.

The Day is an opportunity to build on the , which was observed in 2008. 

In Cabo Verde, a Small Island Developing State, climate change has intensified the impact of droughts. Despite its name, Cabo Verde (“Green Cape”) faces a brutal dry season that turns it into shades of light brown. Farmers like Willy Gonçalves rely on desalinized water due to decreased precipitation. Willy, who took over from his neighbor Nena, manages a farm where he plants seedlings with love and determination. The increasing temperatures and water scarcity pose challenges, but Willy is coping with the help of training from the 

For International Tea Day 2024, multi-hyphenate (actor-model-designer-entrepreneur) Waris Ahluwalia - who was born in Punjab, India - talks with his mother about the importance of tea in their lives.

�󴡰�’s supports beekeepers and honey producers in Rwanda and Viet Nam. The project modernizes beekeeping, replacing conventional beehives with rectangular structures, boosting honey production and improving beekeepers’ earnings. As part of the initiative  champions environmentally sustainable practices aimed at reducing dependence on harmful chemicals and cultivating a harmonized ecosystem. Meanwhile, community awareness programmes encourage those living near apiaries to appreciate the importance of bees and pollination and dissuade people from exterminating them as harmful pests. 

Potatoes are an important component of strategies to provide accessible and nutritious food and improved livelihoods in rural and other areas where natural resources, especially arable land and water, are limited and inputs expensive. The crop's versatility and ability to grow in a variety of conditions make it an advantageous crop choice. In 2024, we celebrate the first International Day of Potato (30 May) by focusing on the contribution of the potato to the lives of producers and consumers with the theme: . #InternationalDayOfPotato.