This yearbook provides an overview of the key forces shaping the global food and agricultural landscape. It is intended as a core reference for policymakers, researchers, and analysts, as well as for the broader public interested in the past, present, and future of food and agriculture.
20-24 April 2026 | UN HQ, New York | A central pillar of the Financing for Development process, the Forum builds on the momentum generated by the Fourth International Conference on Financing for Development held in June 2025. This year’s Forum carries particular significance, serving as a key platform for advancing concrete outcomes and sustaining political momentum from FFD4.
From rethinking ODA and leveraging new resource flows to strengthening collaboration among donors, Lawrence Haddad reflected on a challenging year for development cooperation—and shared reasons for optimism in 2026. Read and watch the interview to hear his insights on the path forward for agriculture, nutrition, and food systems investment.
27 January 2026 | FAO HQ, Rome and Online (Zoom) | Deep shifts in global food and agricultural systems have intensified the need for transformative change. With more than eight decades of experience, FAO is responding by promoting a systems-based approach that addresses complexity, manages trade-offs, and unlocks synergies across sectors.
27 JANUARY 2026 | 11:00–17:00 CET | In person at Mondrian (CDMA) – Atrium Room (Brussels) and Online | As needs rise and resources decline, trusted data becomes one of the most powerful tools we have — to prioritise, protect critical systems, and act smarter across the humanitarian–development nexus.
26 January 2026 | 15:30 - 17:00 CET | Columbia University, New York, and on Zoom | "Strategic Investments for Resilient Agrifood Systems: Driving SDG Progress through Partnerships" is an official off-site side event of the 2026 ECOSOC Partnership Forum. It is co-organized by the Columbia Center on Sustainable Investment, Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), the Global Donor Platform for Rural Development, International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD), Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB), and World Meteorological Organization (WMO).
As global standards grow more complex, this report offers a practical framework for using them to support competitiveness, inclusion, and development outcomes.
GAIN’s new strategy sets out how artificial intelligence (AI) can be used responsibly to strengthen the design, delivery, and scale of nutrition programmes, helping address persistent challenges in data use, programme implementation, and food fortification, while prioritizing equity and impact in low-resource settings.
This report highlights FAO’s partnership activities with non-state actors in 2024, showcasing how collaboration supports transformative action toward food security, nutrition, and the Sustainable Development Goals.
Join Corinna Hawkes (Director, Agrifood Systems and Food Safety Division, FAO) and Jim Woodhill (Senior Advisor, GDPRD) for a timely conversation on how a systems approach to agrifood finance can help donors and investors align constrained resources to catalyse system-wide impact.