In view of the upcoming International Year of Fruits and Vegetables (IYFV) to be observed in 2021, the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) and the World Health Organization (WHO) organized the FAO/WHO International Workshop on Fruits and Vegetables 2020. The aim was to review global evidence surrounding the effectiveness of interventions and the policy, programmatic and scientific advances in the decades since the Joint FAO/WHO Workshop on Fruit and Vegetables for Health (Kobe, Japan, 2004). The overall goal of the FAO/WHO International Workshop on Fruits and Vegetables 2020 was to develop evidence-based, actionable recommendations for future policies, laws, regulations and programmes aiming to improve F&V consumption, production and value chains.

FAO and the World Health Organization (WHO) recommend a daily fruit and vegetable (F&V) intake of at least 400 grams/adult. However, low F&V intake has become a global public health problem. The promotion of F&Vs in the International Year of Fruits and Vegetables emphasizes unprocessed or minimally processed F&Vs, which are highly beneficial to health. However, processing can improve food safety, especially from microbiological contamination, and reduce loss and waste. Conversely, F&Vs which are highly processed can undermine the health benefits of F&V consumption.

Global fruit and vegetable (F&V) production and consumption are significantly below the threshold needed to meet the FAO and World Health Organization (WHO) recommended F&V intake. In 2017, approximately 4 million premature deaths globally were attributable to insufficient F&V consumption. Globally, very few policy actions specifically promote F&V consumption beyond school-based interventions. Communication and behavior change interventions are insufficient on their own. International evidence suggests that fiscal policies, and policies and programmes that increase access to fresh F&Vs through mobile produce markets can be effective in increasing F&V consumption.

This catalogue aims to improve the dissemination and outreach of FAO’s knowledge products and overall publishing programme. By providing information on its key publications in every area of FAO’s work, and catering to a range of audiences, it thereby contributes to all organizational outcomes. From statistical analysis to specialized manuals to children’s books, FAO publications cater to a diverse range of audiences. This catalogue presents a selection of FAO’s main publications, produced in 2021 or earlier, ranging from its global reports and general interest publications to numerous specialized titles. In addition to the major themes of agriculture, forestry and fisheries, it also includes thematic sections on climate change, economic and social development, and food safety and nutrition.

Policies with a focus on fruits and vegetables (F&Vs) need special consideration because of the high perishability and susceptibility of F&Vs to waste and loss, high labour demand, yield variations, and high consumer prices. Factors that limit the availability and affordability of F&Vs include low production and productivity, the loss of agrobiodiversity, inadequate technology, logistics and infrastructure, weak organizational, business and technical skills, and inefficient market linkages across the supply chain. Many value chains for F&Vs need improvements, investments and shortening as well as gender-responsive approaches, including gender-sensitive investments, to achieve better producer prices, lower risk and higher quality, especially for small farmers.

The 2021 Annual Report – Plant Production and Protection provides in-depth information, key facts and figures from the FAO Plant Production and Protection Division (NSP).

The International Year of Fruits and Vegetables 2021 (IYFV), as declared by the UN General Assembly in Resolution A/RES/74/244, aims at raising awareness of, directing policy attention to, and sharing good practices on the nutritional and health benefits of fruit and vegetable consumption, the contribution of fruit and vegetable consumption to the promotion of diversified, balanced and healthy diets and lifestyles, and reducing loss and waste of fruits and vegetables. This background paper outlines the benefits of fruit and vegetable consumption, but also examines the various aspects of the fruit and vegetable sector from a food systems approach: from sustainable production and trade to loss and waste management. This paper provides an overview of the sector and a framework and a starting point for discussion for the Year, highlighting the interlinkages of stakeholders and key issues to be considered for action during the IYFV.