Covid-19 stimulated digital solidarity to foster widespread access to publishing content of all kinds, free of charge (or favorable terms, as the case may be). FAO, Food & Agriculture Organization – United Nations agency established in 1945 to combat hunger, ensuring food security (i.e., security of food supply) and promote proper nutrition of the peoples of the world – joins this great initiative by putting online, available to all, an extensive review of his work and knowledge. (1)
Documents and up-to-date information on food and its surroundings
COVID-19, agriculture and food production. Information on how the new coronavirus is affecting agricultural and food production on five continents is available on the FAO website. A list of scientific publishers currently offering free access to information on Covid-19 is also available.
FAO‘s document repository(FAO Document Repository) houses nearly 100,000 documents and publications, downloads of which are freely available in open access. An opportunity to delve into an extensive set of topics ranging from food safety to labeling, food supply chains from farm to fork in different areas and territorial contexts, impacts on societies and peoples, environment and climate change, etc.
The ebook version of many documents is freely available in the document archive, on the preview pages of the publication of interest. Those who cannot perform the downloads due to connectivity limitations can also browse the texts for free on various online platforms (e.g., Smashwords). Print media can be found at major international online bookstores and official FAO distributors.
The David Lubin Memorial Library offers the opportunity to consult journals and databases on the main topics covered by the FAO. This is very useful for those who write essays or other research papers on these topics or are interested in FAO’s historical book collections.
The AGORA program provides free (or favorably priced) access to leading scientific journals and texts aimed at improving the quality of agricultural research, education and training inLow-Middle Income Countries (LMICs).
Visual information aids
FAO’s YouTube channel makes available numerous videos on FAO’s subjects of interest. There are lectures, interviews and much more.
The FAO Video Catalog, which is equally available, offers the possibility of viewing even the oldest archival videos.
The FAO Media Vault is a platform that allows users to download films and summary articles on the work of the FAO. Reuse of documents is subject to credit and copyright terms and conditions.
Over 100,000 high-quality photos both recent and historical are freely available on FAO mediabase. Events, FAO field work and more. Immediate download subject to terms of use and copyright.
Podcasts and online courses
Podcast
in English and French made by FAO, including interviews and success stories, are freely accessible for listening, downloading and sharing.
More than 300 free multilingual courses at the FAO e-learning Academy are then available to those wishing to develop their knowledge and skills. The topics covered are many, sustainable food systems, food safety, child labor, etc. Certified access via digital badge.
For the little ones
Engaging children and youth by showing them the countless works conducted by FAO around the world, that’s how.
FAO Activity books provide young people with food for thought and a glimpse of FAO’s work, including climate change and healthy eating. You can do this with games and colors, to participate in the Building the #ZeroHunger Generation resource portal.
Discovering forests books aimed at teachers, parents and children ages 10-13 offer ideas for creating games to learn while having fun.
YUNGA challenge badges offer ideas for different activities, broken down by age group. The topics are many, from biodiversity to climate change. How to reduce disaster risk, end hunger, etc.
Social media and knowledge dissemination
Social media then offers the opportunity to stay informed and updated h24.
Knowledge sharing is an essential prerequisite for shared growth in a transparent and participatory society. We thank FAO also therefore.
Camilla Fincardi
Notes
(1) FAO, Working or studying from home? FAO has a lot to share, http://www.fao.org/publications/highlights-detail/en/c/1269559/
Graduated in Law at the University of Bologna and in Italian-French law at the Université Paris Nanterre, she is currently enrolled in the Master in Law and Food Safety Consultant at the University of Bologna.
