31^st  Session - Voronezh, Russian Federation, 16-18 May 2018

The 31st session of the FAO Regional Conference for Europe (ERC) is open to all FAO Members in the Europe and Central Asia region, to representatives of the United Nations Bodies and Specialized Agencies, and to selected Observers. 

The Conference includes a Ministerial Roundtable on Wednesday, 16 May, where participants will discuss sustainable agriculture and food systems in Europe and Central Asia in a changing climate.

A second major topic to be covered on the Conference’s opening day is E-agriculture. In plenary session, the Conference will discuss the use of information and communication technologies for the development of sustainable and inclusive food facilities and trade integration.

On Thursday 17 May, the Regional Conference will review FAO’s network of decentralized offices in the region, and establish priority areas of work for FAO in Europe and Central Asia for the next two-year period. It will consider the reports of recent session of FAO regional commissions on agriculture, forestry, and fisheries and aquaculture. The Members will also be informed on the Regional Symposium on Sustainable Food Systems for Healthy Diets in Europe and Central Asia, and on FAO support to achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals in the region.

The main sessions will be complemented by several side events covering topics including gender and migration in Central Asia, food losses and waste, and organic agriculture.

The Conference will conclude on Friday 18 May with a field visit to an agricultural facility in Voronezh, followed by adoption of the final report.

Twitter hashtag: #ERC31, #ZeroHunger

On FAO Flickr

• 16 May: ERC31 – Day 1 Morning Session:  Opening of the Conference – Statements
• 16  May: ERC31 – Day 1 - Part 2 – Food Loss and Waste Reduction and the Zero Hunger Challenge Side Event  
• 16 May: ERC31 – Day 1 Part 3 - Ministerial Session / Regional and Global Policy and Regulatory Issues
• 17 May: ERC31 – Day 2 Morning Session – Programme and Budget Matters, Other Matters
• 17 May: ERC31 – Day 2 Afternoon Session – Commissions’ Reports
• 18 May: ERC31 – Closing and Report Adoption

• FAO Regional Conference for Europe: web-streaming from Voronezh
• Europe and Central Asia's quest to achieve Zero Hunger is threatened by poverty and climate change
• Recipe for a new food system: waste less, go digital, care for the planet
• Agrifood sector in Europe and Central Asia rated ‘innovative’ and ‘inclusive’
• Civil society seeks to influence future of agriculture in Europe and Central Asia