Published on: 2026-05-12
Source: United Nations – United Nations –
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Europe and Central Asia are facing increasing climatic, economic, and geopolitical shocks that threaten food security and the sustainability of agriculture. Droughts, floods, soil degradation, supply disruptions, and rising food prices are becoming increasingly serious challenges for the countries of the region.
The 35th session of the Regional Conference of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the UN (FAO) opened in Dushanbe, dedicated specifically to finding solutions to these problems.
In the capital of Tajikistan, ministers and representatives of European and Central Asian countries gathered to discuss how to make agri-food systems more sustainable and effective. Among the key topics were the coordination of climate actions, conservation of biodiversity, and land restoration.
FAO Director-General Qu Dongyu stated that the region needs collective decisions to overcome crises – from climate change to disruptions in global supply chains. According to him, special attention should be paid to two areas: strengthening the resilience of agri-food systems and expanding financing.
Consequences of conflicts and price growth
Despite the fact that global markets have partially stabilized after a sharp rise in prices in 2022, many countries in the region continue to feel the consequences of the conflicts on the territory of Ukraine and in the Middle East. This is reflected in the cost of food, fertilizers, and other resources.
The head of FAO emphasized that peace and stability remain the most important conditions for ensuring food security, and called for more attention to be paid to supporting the most vulnerable population groups.
Climate threats are intensifying
The climate crisis exerts additional pressure. According to FAO data, the region of Europe and Central Asia is warming at approximately twice the global average rate. This leads to an increase in extreme weather events, including droughts and floods, as well as accelerating soil degradation.
More than 90 million hectares of land are already in a critical condition.
Investment refusal
JSC continues to implement its Strategic Program for 2022–2031, however, the funding volume remains insufficient. Since 2015, about $21.4 billion has been invested in the region’s agri-food systems – significantly less than the required level.
The organization believes that overcoming the crisis requires more active participation of governments, international development banks, and the private sector.
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