By Manoela Pessoa de Miranda, Secretary of the FAO Commission on Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture, and Ella Wooden, Technical Officer, FAO

Biodiversity for food and agriculture is the foundation of resilient agrifood systems. It underpins food security, nutrition and rural livelihoods at a time when climate change, biodiversity loss and growing food demand are converging into unprecedented challenges.

Against this backdrop, the Second Session of the Ad Hoc Expert Team on Biodiversity for Food and Agriculture, held from 30 June to 2 July 2026, at FAO headquarters in Rome and online, represented an important milestone in preparing the second edition of The State of the World’s Biodiversity for Food and Agriculture, expected to be launched in 2031.

The meeting brought together experts from across regions to shape the scope, content and reporting process for what will become the most comprehensive global assessment of biodiversity for food and agriculture.

Building on the first global assessment

The first edition, published in 2019, provided a landmark global assessment of biodiversity for food and agriculture and highlighted the genes, species, and ecosystems that underpin agrifood systems, as well as the mounting pressures threatening this rich diversity. It also demonstrated that biodiversity for food and agriculture extends well beyond the species managed in crop and livestock production, forestry, fisheries and aquaculture, to wild species used for food and agriculture and the myriads of pollinators, soil organisms and countless other organisms that sustain the ecosystem functions and services that underpin production.

The second edition of the assessment will update this global picture while examining progress made since the first assessment. It will take stock of the status and trends of biodiversity for food and agriculture, analyze key drivers of change, and review the measures countries are taking to promote its conservation and sustainable use, and the fair and equitable sharing of benefits derived from the use of genetic resources. It will provide insights into the policies, monitoring systems, knowledge management, capacity development, and financing that enable action on biodiversity for food and agriculture. It will also examine the critical role of Indigenous Peoples, producers, and local communities as custodians of biodiversity for food and agriculture.

A country-driven process

As with previous State of the World reports prepared under the Commission on Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture, the assessment will be built on information provided by countries. During its meeting, the Expert Team reviewed information sources that may be used in the preparation of the report and revised a draft questionnaire that will guide national reporting.

Discussions focused on ensuring that the questionnaire is clear, relevant, and feasible for countries to complete. Particular attention was also given to identifying existing indicators that can contribute to the assessment, minimizing unnecessary reporting burden on countries.

The meeting also highlighted a persistent challenge facing many countries: limited capacity for biodiversity monitoring, data management, and reporting. Participants noted that financial, technical, and institutional constraints continue to affect the availability and quality of data needed for global assessments. Strengthening monitoring systems, improving access to information, and supporting countries in data collection and analysis will therefore be essential to the success of the assessment process.

Supporting implementation through improved evidence and participatory approaches

The preparation of the assessment is closely linked to the implementation of the Framework for Action on Biodiversity for Food and Agriculture. During its meeting, the Expert Team also finalized draft voluntary guidelines to support implementation of the Framework for Action. Participants underscored that robust reporting and assessment processes can serve a dual purpose: tracking progress while also identifying successful approaches, emerging needs, and remaining gaps that can inform future action.

Voices of non-state actors

A strong message emerging from the Expert Team meeting was that the assessment on biodiversity for food and agriculture must reflect the knowledge, experience, and contributions of the people who manage and depend on it every day.

The Expert Team recommended the inclusion of a dedicated chapter in the assessment on the roles of non-state actors, including how producers, Indigenous Peoples, local communities, women, youth, and businesses are contributing to the planning, implementation, and monitoring of sustainable management approaches for biodiversity for food and agriculture.

Meeting participants repeatedly highlighted these groups as key custodians of biodiversity for food and agriculture. Their knowledge, innovations, and practices provide practical solutions for conserving and sustainably using biodiversity, and fair and equitably sharing the benefits derived from the use of genetic resources, while supporting livelihoods, improved nutrition and food security.

Responses to country reporting questionnaires may not always capture the perspectives of non-state actors. To address this, the Expert Team requested FAO to explore ways to gather information directly from international and regional organizations representing non-state actors to contribute to the report.

Looking ahead

Across all agenda items of the meeting, common priorities emerged. Participants stressed the need for improved data and monitoring systems, enhanced coordination across sectors, greater investment in capacity development, and adequate financial resources to support both implementation and reporting.

The second edition of the State of the World’s Biodiversity for Food and Agriculture will go beyond updating existing information. It will identify emerging trends and strengthen the evidence base, taking into account different knowledge systems, to inform and support policy action. Producing a global assessment of this scale is necessarily a collaborative effort. Countries’ and non-state actors’ efforts to report high-quality information will build the knowledge needed to conserve and sustainably use the biodiversity that underpins food security, nutrition and livelihoods for future generations.

The outcomes of this meeting will inform the deliberations of the Commission on Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture, when it meets in April 2027.