Stories & Articles

Towards more sustainable investments
in the food and agricultural sector

FAO's plenary hall during the celebration of the 60th anniversary of FAO's Investment Centre. ©FAO/Alessandra Benedetti.

FAO’s Investment Centre celebrates 60 years of effective development partnerships

Future work targets sustainable value chain development, decarbonization, digital agriculture and innovative finance among many other areas Rome – The Investment Centre of the Food and Agriculture Organization
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From Baranja to the world

A traditional Croatian sausage goes international with a boost from Protected Geographical Indication labels In recent years, traditional foods have gained recognition on the global
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EBRD announces winners of EBRD AgVenture startup competition

The EBRD announces three winners and three runners-up in its EBRD AgVenture startup competition Prizes include grants, mentorship, advisory support, and opportunities for networking and
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EBRD Launches 2024 AgVenture Competition to Support Sustainable Agrifood Tech Startups

The European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) is excited to announce the launch of the EBRD AgVenture competition for 2024. This initiative aims to
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FAO and EBRD mark new milestone in 27-year cooperation

The European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) and the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) signed their 200th project recently – a
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Living and breathing gastronomic traditions in Serbia

Ariljska malina, a plump and vibrantly coloured raspberry, stands as one of Serbia’s crown jewels. Revered as “red gold,” this local delicacy is cherished in
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A chat with some of the innovators shaping Georgia’s tea industry

Georgia’s once thriving tea industry – responsible for much of the tea consumed by the former Soviet Union until its collapse in the 1980s –
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Exploring a resilient and sustainable future for food retail

The Sustainable Food Retail Business Forum, convened by the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) in Warsaw on 16 April 2024, brought together industry
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Accelerating Sustainable Climate-smart Agribusiness in Serbia and Uzbekistan

A stakeholders’ meeting in Rome marked a pivotal step towards greater private sector engagement for climate-smart agrifood systems. It was held as part of a
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Innovation is brewing in Georgia’s tea industry

Today is International Tea Day! This popular drink – the second most consumed beverage after water – is an important source of economic growth, jobs
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More per drop: Building resilience and adding value in Morocco’s Olive Oil Sector

How best to pivot Morocco’s olive oil sector to adapt to the changing climate and leverage new opportunities in quality oil markets: two main topics
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On the road to sustainable agritourism in Jordan

Jordan’s delicious mix of cultural heritage and gastronomic delights is set to diversify and supplement the incomes of local food producers through investments that will
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Helping minimize the misuse of antibiotics in farmed poultry in Ukraine

A competition to find new ways to reduce antibiotic misuse in production animals has resulted in promising findings on how improved gut health in broiler
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Joining forces to overcome Eastern Europe’s African Swine Fever threat

21/02/2024 The urgency of a coordinated response to contain the threat of African Swine Fever was high on the agenda at the recent National Convention
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EBRD charts direction of its new agribusiness sector strategy to meet tomorrow’s challenges

FAO supported consultation with diverse stakeholders for insights Rome – Tackling the challenges that the world’s agrifood systems face today – from climate change and
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Mitigating risks from pests in Egypt’s grain supplies

A 3-day training course helped strengthen capacity for phytosanitary control and wireless sensor technologies in grain storage as part of broader efforts to reduce loss
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Turning Tunisia’s magnificent olives into liquid gold

Olive production dates back thousands of years and continues to play a vital role in Tunisia’s economy to this day, with olive groves covering about
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Italian insights for stronger links between agricultural producers and tourism in Jordan

On a five-day tour from 18-24 October, twelve Jordanian delegates travelled to different Italian regions to explore how to best connect local agricultural production to
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Morocco’s fresh approach to Central-Eastern European horticultural trade

A delegation of around twenty fruit and vegetable importers from Central and Eastern Europe visited Morocco in October 2023, with the mission to uncover burgeoning

Connecting the Dots for Open Innovation in Egypt’s Agrifood Sector

Q&A with industry experts Diaa Rashwan, Regional General Manager of Innovations, Savola Foods, talked to us about why opening their company doors to external perspectives
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Stimulating open innovation and investment in sustainable agrifood investment

World Food Forum/Global Youth – 17 October 2023 How can young disruptive thinkers gain access to the resources they need to test their ideas in
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Putting Tunisian Olive Oil on the International Map

Investment Opportunities for Tunisian Olive Oil to branch into international export markets Since 2013, the Tunisian Government has been working to unlock the potential of
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Expanding Egypt’s horticultural exports through improved food safety compliance

Cairo, Egypt – Following a three-year project to help position Egyptian horticultural products on the global stage through improved compliance with international food safety standards, the
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Finetuning prevention and early detection of African swine fever

African swine fever, an infectious viral and highly lethal disease that kills pigs and wild boar, first appeared in the Balkans and the Republic of
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Sowing the seeds of an agrobiodiverse tourist experience in Georgia

Q&A with industry experts We asked Mariam Jorjadze, Director of Elkana, a biological farming association, if she could talk to us about agrotourism in Georgia
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Uncorking the Western Balkans quality wine export market – an industry expert perspective

Q&A with industry experts Frédéric Julia, International Wine Marketing Expert at Verthémis International, shares his perspectives and expertise on how the right investments, branding and
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Moroccan olive oil players saw how Portuguese peers have built a thriving industry

Morocco has taken steps in recent years to raise the profile of its olive oils – both at home and abroad – by improving quality
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A study tour in Italy gives Jordanian and Palestinian olive oil producers food for thought

A group of Palestinian and Jordanian olive producers and government representatives visited Apulia, Italy’s leading olive oil producing region, to see what it takes –
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Livestock industry in Central Asia looks into digital solutions to build resilience

Dairy and meat businesses in Central Asia, especially smaller ones, are being hit by multiple shocks – from the war in Ukraine, to droughts, to
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From Italy to Georgia: regenerating rural communities with agritourism

Exploring Georgia’s gastronomy offers tourists unique insights into the country and its culture. Enriching tourists’ experiences also has the potential to attract more visitors which
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Opportunities and challenges of eating local

Ahead of Sustainable Gastronomy Day (18 June), the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) and the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations
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A cut above – Pruning for resilient olive oil production in West Bank and Gaza Strip

A training program, organized by the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development and the Food and Agriculture Organization on pruning and irrigation best practices began
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The EBRD and FAO give quality wines of the Western Balkans a boost

Why the Western Balkans economies are adding wine to their export basket Wine is gaining ground when it comes to the agrifood export menus of
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Sharing innovations in irrigation and pruning to help Jordan’s olive trees thrive

Technical training on good pruning and irrigation techniques targeted technicians and extension service agents of the Jordanian Ministry of Agriculture (MoA). Practical workshops for farmers
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The COVID revolution in food e-commerce

The COVID-19 pandemic established food e-commerce as a global phenomenon. Lockdowns and closures drove consumers online and led to a digital transformation, with profound impacts
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Georgian red wheat bread revives tradition and sparks agritourism potential

When Zaza Ivanidze and his wife, Tinatin Chilingarashvili, first baked bread using flour from the ancient and endangered, local red wheat variety, akhaltsikhe tsiteli doli, on
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Modernizing food safety while preserving traditions in Serbia

FAO and the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development help update food safety measures for smallholders’ traditional culinary products. Miloš Pajić follows a recipe over
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The EBRD and FAO mark 25 years of cooperation with $5.5 million initiative to help face the global grain crisis

Technical assistance targets food security in Egypt, Jordan, Lebanon, Morocco, and Tunisia as well as the West Bank and Gaza. With the launch of a
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New online course targets a better and safer olive oil industry

World Olive Tree Day is coming up and with it a chance to celebrate the importance of olive trees to people and the planet. It’s
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“Open Innovation for better agribusiness” at the 2022 World Food Forum

The world’s agrifood systems are being hit by multiple shocks – conflict, climate and public health crises – often at the same time. The issues
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Strides towards sustainability for Jordan’s olive oil

5 October 2022: Amman, Jordan. The European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) and the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) in collaboration
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Georgia is moving forward on sustainable agritourism ambitions

Earlier this summer, renowned Georgian chef Guram Baghdoshvili prepared khinkali – a traditional Georgian meat-filled dumpling – on an Instagram Live hosted by the European Bank for Reconstruction and
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Development banks can play an important role in the transformation to less wasteful food systems

29 September is International Day of Awareness of Food Loss and Waste – an opportunity to raise awareness of practices and innovations to reduce food
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War in Ukraine intensifies food security risks in the Southern and Eastern Mediterranean

The report, developed by FAO and the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD), focuses on the implications of the war in Ukraine on agrifood trade
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New guidelines show how Montenegrin retailers can source locally

While the COVID-19 pandemic disrupted trade and global food supply chains, it also created new options and preferences among consumers for local food products. This
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Carbon neutrality: Utopia or the new green wave?

New FAO/EBRD report shows pathways for decarbonizing agrifood systems. A new report from FAO and the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) provides a
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Balkan region increases its African Swine Fever vigilance

FAO and the EBRD held a virtual meeting on African Swine Fever (ASF) in the Balkans. This meeting concludes a series of three webinars organized
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Cultivating the burgeoning tea industries in Georgia and Azerbaijan

International Tea Day 2022 is a chance to focus on the impact the tea trade has on farmers, economies and the environment. Two reports on
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FAO and EBRD hold dialogue on the olive oil sector in West Bank and Gaza Strip

Stakeholders discuss opportunities to develop the sector. March 2022 – The European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) and the Food and Agriculture Organization of the
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Investment opportunities for climate-smart agrifood tech in Kazakhstan and the Kyrgyz Republic

While food security is a renewed source of concern at the global level, the greening of agrifood systems remains a top priority to limit its
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Boosting Egypt’s fruit and vegetable exports by improving food safety and quality

EBRD and FAO organised training courses with farmers and exporters on pesticides management and microbiological contamination The Egyptian horticulture sector generated USD 2.2 billion in
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Georgia eyes becoming a sustainable agritourism destination

With its storied gastronomic traditions, rich cultural heritage and striking scenery from mountains to shores, Georgia has set its sights on becoming a top sustainable
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Innovation is key to improving Tunisian olive oil sustainability and quality

The European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) and the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) held a webinar today to present
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What is it that makes Olive oil good?

How one project is boosting olive oil production in Morocco. Olive oil: rich in monounsaturated fats and antioxidants, it is a staple in many kitchens
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Has COVID-19 forever changed the way we buy fresh food?

New FAO and EBRD global study looks at trends in 9 cities Our food supply chains need to be able to respond to pressing demands,
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New role for urban farming

The European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) and the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) today launched the first out of
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Climate action in agribusiness could reduce emission by up to 7 per cent

Joint EEBRD/FAO report values economic significance of potential savings of up to US$ 360 billion. Targeted action in agriculture could have a massive impact on
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EBRD and FAO look at how cities are changing farming

Modern urban agriculture represents an innovative response to the food requirements of an increasingly urban global population. But how do we reimagine the links between
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Gaining a foothold in a crowded market

FAO and EBRD help southern and eastern Mediterranean countries raise the profile of their olive oils, boosted by a new agreement between FAO and the
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Sustainability drives trends in trade for Moroccan fresh produce

Fruit and vegetable production and exports are an important sector for Morocco. The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) and the European
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Balkan bytes: How digital agri-entrepreneurship is changing a country

With FAO and EBRD support, a young social activist is wiring Montenegro’s rural heartland In March of 2021, a Montenegrin cow became the first known
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Flexible food safety bylaws an opportunity for small-scale Serbian producers World Food Safety Day

Keeping food safe from farm to plate is everyone’s business. In Serbia, new flexible food safety bylaws are making it easier for small-scale producers to
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Apps and animations improve traditional dairy production in Kazakhstan

FAO’s Collect Mobile app and Smart Milk digital portal are boosting farmers’ livelihoods. Within the vast borders of Kazakhstan, the world’s ninth largest country, about
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Potential brewing for Azerbaijani and Georgian tea industries

Azerbaijani and Georgian teas took centre stage during an online celebration on the eve of the second International Tea Day. The Food and Agriculture Organization
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Serbia moves closer to global grain market integration

Serbia, the world’s 7th largest exporter of maize Serbia to join major grain exporting and importing countries in the International Grains Council EBRD/FAO committed to open
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Direct routes to Eastern Europe for Moroccan fruits and vegetables

Twenty-eight Moroccan fruit and vegetable producers and traders met with representatives from the three leading logistics companies in Poland on 28 January to explore ways
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Georgian vegetable producers prove that kindness is contagious

A kind gesture by entrepreneur and food hero, Keti, helps other women through the COVID-19 pandemic. Getting the idea to grow herbs from an FAO-EBRD-organized
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EBRD and FAO support Serbia’s efforts to increase irrigation

New national strategy and action plan in the works. Government of Serbia, EBRD and FAO to support country’s agriculture New approach to increase productivity of
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What’s in a name? Or better yet, what’s in a cheese?

Geographical Indications help celebrate countries’ rich food heritage. Geographical Indications (GI) create pathways to sustainable development. GIs are a way to preserve local know-how, traditional
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