The FAO Podcasts, a multilingual audio series produced by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, addresses pressing global issues including hunger, poverty, agriculture, and sustainability. With content available in English, Spanish, and French, our dedicated audio team ensures these vital conversations are accessible to a global audience. Our three distinct formats - the concise FAO Brief, insightful FAO Talks, and the deeply human documentary pieces - serve as your…
In this special episode, Chief Economist Maximo Torero and David Laborde, Director of the Agrifood Economics and Policy Division, unpack the key findings of The State of Food Security and Nutrition in the World (SOFI) 2026. Global hunger has declined for the third consecutive year, but progress remains uneven across regions and is fragile. Meanwhile, a healthy diet is 25% more expensive than it…
Global food markets are facing increasing pressure from conflict, climate extremes, economic uncertainty, and supply chain disruptions. Yet despite these shocks, global food markets often recover quickly and regain their equilibrium. But the resulting food price spikes can have severe consequences for food security, underscoring the importance of international cooperation. In this episode of The…
The Strait of Hormuz crisis is disrupting global energy and fertilizer markets. For the hundreds of millions already living in extreme poverty, the effects could be severe. In this episode, Ben Davis, Director of FAO's Rural Transformation and Gender Equality Division, and Marco Knowles, Senior Policy Officer in the same division, make the case for social protection as a more effective response…
In this episode of The Work We Do , we speak with Manuel Barange, FAO Assistant Director-General and Director of the Fisheries and Aquaculture Division, about the realities behind fisheries, aquaculture and the future of aquatic foods.i Manuel breaks down the latest findings from The State of World Fisheries and Aquaculture 2026 , including the growing role of aquatic foods in global nutrition and…
Sarah Cahill is the Secretary of Codex Alimentarius, the international body that develops the food standards behind much of what we eat, how it is labelled, and how it moves across borders. In this episode of The Work We Do , Sarah joins us in the Situation Room to discuss the past, present and future of Codex. We explore how Codex helped countries come together around scientific evidence to…
In this episode of The Work We Do, we speak with Lynnette Neufeld, Director of FAO's Food and Nutrition Division, about the complex realities behind today's nutrition challenges. The conversation explores the double burden of malnutrition, where undernutrition and obesity can coexist within the same country, community, household or even individual. We also discuss why healthy diets costs more and…
The Strait of Hormuz has been effectively closed since February 28. As of May 18th, 2026, it remains shut. The chokehold on global energy and fertilizer supplies keeps expanding through agrifood systems worldwide. In this special episode of The Work We Do, we discuss the short, medium, and long-term structural policy solutions to the global agrifood impacts of the closure of the Strait of Hormuz.
In this episode of The Work We Do, we sit down with Charles Spillane, Chief Scientist at FAO. Charlie traces how his upbringing on a farm in Ireland and an early interest in science fiction shaped his techno-optimistic worldview and his belief in the power of science and innovation to improve society. He discusses why scientific advances often fail to reach smallholder farmers, what it takes to…
The Strait of Hormuz has been effectively closed since 28 February. As of 13 April, vessels are still not moving in meaningful numbers. The last ships to leave before the blockade are now reaching their destinations, meaning the real supply gap is only beginning to materialise . Key messages: • Before the conflict began, the strait carried 30-35% of global crude oil, 20% of natural gas, and up to…
In this episode, we sit down with David Laborde, Director of the Agrifood Economics and Policy Division at the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations. David shares his journey as a trade economist and how it has shaped his approach to today's agrifood systems. We discuss the role of trade in food security and the true cost of the food we consume. We also dive into the art of…
