This Country Programming Framework (CPF) is the planning and programming tool that translates the FAO Strategic Framework into actions for Maldives for the period 2022–2026. It is conceived in partnership with the government of the Maldives and is intended to support government priorities, planning, implementation and reporting vis-à-vis the 2030 Agenda.

This paper presents four main findings and key recommendations of a dialogue that explored the role of agroecology in increasing resilience to agri-input scarcity in the context of the current global food crisis. It aims to support and feed into the Coalition for food systems transformation through Agroecology (Agroecology Coalition) and contribute to the emergence of a broader framework on multiple pathways for food systems transformation. Its findings reflect the diverse backgrounds, opinions, and areas of expertise of dialogue participants, and are not intended to convey the opinions of the organizing institutions.

The COVID 19 pandemic had important consequences on international trade and food supply chains, which were all the more damaging for countries with import driven economies, such as Bhutan Reliable food provision and economic prospects in Bhutan were hindered by the sudden isolated situation in which the country found itself In particular, the quality and quantity of fresh vegetables, fruits and meat imports were in peril, given the long queues of trucks at the border with India In addition, Bhutan’s tourism and hospitality sector, an important part of its economy, was hit hard by the COVID 19 pandemic, which caused rising unemployment rates, especially in cities, where 77 percent of residents work in the services sector To face the agricultural and economic challenges related to the pandemic, the Government requested the support of FAO to enhance intensive urban and peri urban farming practices and provide greater economic and food security for the population The project was set up to develop urban and peri urban agriculture in 65 converted acres of land, developing the agriculture capacity of young people and laid off employees from the tourism and hospitality sector to produce and supply vegetables to urban markets and ensure alternative streams of income.

Bhutan is facing serious issues with land degradation, driven by unsustainable agricultural practices, such as overgrazing, as well as infrastructure construction lacking adequate environmental measures, including mining This is further problematic because Bhutan is a mountainous country, with existing land degradation problems, such as soil erosion, landslides and severe losses in soil fertility These issues further compound issues with agricultural productivity, the environment and food security and the overall quality of life Furthermore, the country lacks a national soil map and there is very limited data available on soil quality Existing soil data are outdated and scattered among institutions, often having been collected through ad hoc surveys, and fundamental data, such as geographic location description ( of sampling sites, is missing, with limited soil profiles mapped Analytical soil data is crucial for decision making regarding soil fertility, which impacts various key areas, including food security, agriculture, the environment, climate change and sustainable development.