In 2020, the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic triggered an increase in the number of migrants returning to their countries of origin. A significant proportion of these returnees moved back to rural areas. In this context, assisting returnees in the process of reintegration has become a key priority for stakeholders, both in terms of immediate and medium- to long-term support. This toolkit aims to support local stakeholders and actors in agrifood systems to integrate rural returnees into programmes and other initiatives to develop the agrifood sector. It provides resources to design and implement programmes and projects to facilitate the reintegration of returnees in rural areas. The ultimate objective is to coordinate these reintegration efforts with larger rural development and rural transformation efforts and stimulate mutually reinforcing outcomes that support the achievement of sustainable livelihoods and well-being for local populations. The publication also includes a variety of tools to guide stakeholders during all phases of the programme cycle in the designing and implementing interventions that align with the recommendations given in the forthcoming publication, Global lessons learned on sustainable reintegration in rural areas study report, which was commissioned by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) and produced by Samuel Hall.

For many OECD countries, how to ensure the safe and dignified return to their origin countries of migrants who do not have grounds to remain is a key question. Sustainable Reintegration of Returning Migrants: A Better Homecoming reports the results of a multi-country peer review project carried out by the OECD, with support from the German Corporation for International Cooperation (GIZ) on behalf of the Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ).

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 2023 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.

In the context of a global pandemic, many migrants returned to their rural areas of origin, both from cities within their own countries and from abroad. While return migration can be an opportunity, this presented considerable challenges for many migrants and government stakeholders without adequate knowledge, policy and mechanisms in place to support sustainable rural reintegration. In the past, greater attention has been paid to reintegration in cities. This report takes a step in addressing that gap, assessing lessons learned and best practices in supporting sustainable reintegration specifically in rural areas. The aim of the global lessons learned report is to provide a roadmap for collective action in support of returnees in rural areas and rural communities across a range of development settings. At a time when the COVID-19 pandemic continues to impact mobility, and with an eye to future disruptions that the world may face, there is an opportunity to support rural environments as spaces of protection and inclusion for returnees.

In the light of the urgent need for cooperative and collaborative action against trafficking, this publication presents examples of promising practice from around the world relating to trafficking interventions. It is hoped that the guidance offered, the practices showcased and the resources recommended in this Toolkit will inspire and assist policymakers, law enforcers, judges, prosecutors, victim service providers and members of civil society in playing their role in the global effort against trafficking in persons. The present edition is an updated and expanded version of the Toolkit published in 2006.

Migration for work is an important livelihood option for many households in Tajikistan due to limited job opportunities. Remittances from migrant workers significantly supplement the country’s foreign currency reserves, but the economic crisis and worldwide shutdown induced by the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) have caused international migration flows to fall, and remittances are projected to decline significantly. This publication reviews the state of international migration out of Tajikistan and identifies the impact of COVID-19 on the movement of people and migrant workers, in particular. It also reviews international best practices and proposes appropriate predeparture programs, post-return services for Tajik migrants, and ways to address migrate worker issues related to the pandemic.

Many African migrants residing abroad nurture a hope to one day return, at least temporarily, to their home country. In the wake of economic crises in the developed world, alongside rapid economic growth in parts of Africa, the impetus to ‘return’ is likely to increase. Such returnees are often portrayed as agents of development, bringing with them capital, knowledge and skills as well as connections and experience gained abroad. Yet, the reality is altogether more complex. In this much-needed volume, based on extensive original fieldwork, the authors reveal that there is all too often a gaping divide between abstract policy assumptions and migrants’ actual practices. In contrast to the prevailing optimism of policies on migration and development, Africa’s Return Migrants demonstrates that the capital obtained abroad is not always advantageous and that it can even hamper successful entrepreneurship and other forms of economic, political and social engagement.