As we mark FAO’s 80th anniversary, we are launching a special series from September to 16 October of stories that inspire change—stories of resilience, innovation, and hope. They tell of lands restored, biodiversity cherished, and oceans cared for; of collaboration that strengthens communities and nourishment that brings dignity and resilience.
At the heart of these stories are the farmers, fishers, innovators, and communities who are finding sustainable ways to cultivate, process, and share food. Through their actions, today’s challenges are met with determination, blending tradition with innovation—ultimately paving the way for a better tomorrow.
Amidst craggy peaks and rolling highland plateaus characteristic of the Lesotho’s terrain, there is a remote town in the mountains of Maseru District where Mabitsoane Diholo goes every day to work on her farm. The humble potato is her main crop, but humble no longer describes its place in her life.
An effort revolutionizing national outlook and women’s economic roles
Lush with rainforests and cocoa plantations, the island country of Sao Tome and Principe is rich in biodiversity but faces increasing forest and land degradation due to agricultural expansion, changes in land use and the impacts of climate change.
Kichwa women and their ancestral agricultural knowledge have sustained food security and self-sufficiency in this region of Ecuador for centuries. Their farms, locally known as chakra, were recognized in 2023 by FAO as a Globally Important Agricultural Heritage System (GIAHS).
In Düzce, Türkiye, 32 percent of youth are unemployed. Many opt to move to the city in search of work. Beekeeping offers young people an alternative path and income opportunities in rural areas.
Where young beekeepers turn passion into opportunity and preserve rural life
Initially seeking a different path, Ryoujin returned to Jeju and decided to become a haenyeo (or sea woman) like her mother and grandmother before her.
The haenyeo are famed for their free-diving fishing, venturing into the ocean, using only their breath, skill and memory.
