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BULLETIN 1
Global Forum for Food and Agriculture puts agriculture at the center of water policy, recognizing FAO’s leadership
Global Forum for Food and Agriculture puts agriculture at the center of water policy, recognizing FAO’s leadership
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©FAO/Lea Plantek
FAO News: 19/01/2026
Berlin, Germany – Agriculture ministers from more than 60 countries meeting at the 2026 Global Forum for Food and Agriculture (GFFA) agreed that addressing water scarcity and competing uses requires placing agriculture at the core of water policy and governance. In the final ministerial communiqué, adopted at the Berlin Agriculture Ministers’ Conference, ministers recognized the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) for its leadership in supporting countries to translate global water and food security commitments into coordinated, on-the-ground action.
The ministers affirmed that, as population growth drives rising food demand while water resources continue to decline, effective water governance has never been more essential for the human rights to water and food.
“This communiqué sends a clear message: water security and food security are inseparable, and agriculture must be at the center of solutions,” said FAO Deputy Director-General Beth Bechdol. “As we move toward the 2026 UN Water Conference, agriculture must remain firmly anchored in the global water agenda — with concrete action that improves water access, governance and resilience for farmers and rural communities.”
Driving political momentum on water and agrifood systems
The GFFA is an annual high-level global platform where agriculture and food policy priorities are shaped. The 2026 edition (14-17 January), organized by the German Federal Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Regional Identity, focused on the theme “Water. Harvests. Our Future.”
At GFFA 2026, FAO brought evidence, country experiences and policy solutions into ministerial and technical discussions. These exchanges demonstrated the importance of sustainable water use in agriculture, integrated land and water management, and inclusive governance to deliver the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
FAO’s Strategic Framework 2022–31 positions water governance as a cornerstone for food security, rural livelihoods and environmental sustainability, calling for more integrated approaches that link water, land and agrifood systems through sound policies and inclusive institutions
The ministers affirmed that, as population growth drives rising food demand while water resources continue to decline, effective water governance has never been more essential for the human rights to water and food.
“This communiqué sends a clear message: water security and food security are inseparable, and agriculture must be at the center of solutions,” said FAO Deputy Director-General Beth Bechdol. “As we move toward the 2026 UN Water Conference, agriculture must remain firmly anchored in the global water agenda — with concrete action that improves water access, governance and resilience for farmers and rural communities.”
Driving political momentum on water and agrifood systems
The GFFA is an annual high-level global platform where agriculture and food policy priorities are shaped. The 2026 edition (14-17 January), organized by the German Federal Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Regional Identity, focused on the theme “Water. Harvests. Our Future.”
At GFFA 2026, FAO brought evidence, country experiences and policy solutions into ministerial and technical discussions. These exchanges demonstrated the importance of sustainable water use in agriculture, integrated land and water management, and inclusive governance to deliver the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
FAO’s Strategic Framework 2022–31 positions water governance as a cornerstone for food security, rural livelihoods and environmental sustainability, calling for more integrated approaches that link water, land and agrifood systems through sound policies and inclusive institutions
Turning competing water demands into solutions for food security
Balancing competing uses for water took centre stage at the FAO-organized GFFA High-Level Ministerial Panel “Finding Constructive Solutions to Competing Uses,” held on 16 January. With agriculture accounting for more than 70 percent of global freshwater withdrawals, panelists called for moving decisively beyond siloed approaches towards integrated management of water, land and soil, backed by coherent governance frameworks, innovation and cross-sectoral cooperation.
FAO also identified priorities to enhance coherence between water governance and agrifood systems, in preparation for this year’s UN Water Conference.
The blue economy was another focus, with FAO contributing to discussions on blue foods, aquatic food systems and aquaculture as drivers of nutrition, resilience and sustainability, while stressing responsible development in line with FAO’s Guidelines for Sustainable Aquaculture.
FAO experts, including Beth Bechdol, Viorel Gutu, Manuel Barange, Lifeng Li and Kazuki Kitaoka, contributed across the programme. FAO also engaged partners at the Cooperation Market, showcasing initiatives that turn policy into impact.
Balancing competing uses for water took centre stage at the FAO-organized GFFA High-Level Ministerial Panel “Finding Constructive Solutions to Competing Uses,” held on 16 January. With agriculture accounting for more than 70 percent of global freshwater withdrawals, panelists called for moving decisively beyond siloed approaches towards integrated management of water, land and soil, backed by coherent governance frameworks, innovation and cross-sectoral cooperation.
FAO also identified priorities to enhance coherence between water governance and agrifood systems, in preparation for this year’s UN Water Conference.
The blue economy was another focus, with FAO contributing to discussions on blue foods, aquatic food systems and aquaculture as drivers of nutrition, resilience and sustainability, while stressing responsible development in line with FAO’s Guidelines for Sustainable Aquaculture.
FAO experts, including Beth Bechdol, Viorel Gutu, Manuel Barange, Lifeng Li and Kazuki Kitaoka, contributed across the programme. FAO also engaged partners at the Cooperation Market, showcasing initiatives that turn policy into impact.
See https://www.fao.org/newsroom/detail/global-forum-for-food-and-agriculture-puts-agriculture-at-the-center-of-water-policy--recognizing-fao-s-leadership/en
BULLETIN 2
EFSA Reaffirms Safety of Bayer’s GM Soybean MON 87769 for Continued Use in EU
EFSA Reaffirms Safety of Bayer’s GM Soybean MON 87769 for Continued Use in EU
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January 21, 2026
The Panel on Genetically Modified Organisms of the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA GMO Panel) has released the results of the scientific risk assessment for the renewal application for the stearidonic acid-producing genetically modified (GM) soybean MON 87769. The application, submitted by Bayer CropScience, covers the continued authorization of soybean MON 87769 for food and feed uses within the European Union, excluding cultivation.
The EFSA GMO Panel evaluated the post-market environmental monitoring reports, post-market monitoring reports, updated bioinformatics analyses, relevant scientific publications, additional studies provided by the applicant, and updated bioinformatics analyses. The GMO Panel assessed these data for possible new hazards, modified exposure, or new scientific uncertainties identified during the authorization period and not previously assessed in the context of the original application.
The Panel concluded that the evidence presented in the renewal dossier GMFF-2023-21253 shows no new risks associated with soybean MON 87769. Assuming the DNA sequence remains identical to the originally assessed event, the Panel found no new hazards, modified exposure, or scientific uncertainties that would alter the conclusions of the original risk assessment.
For more information, read the Scientific Opinion in the EFSA Journal.
SCIENTIFIC NEWS
Candidate genomic regions underlying capsule shattering in sesame revealed by multi-model GWAS and field-based phenotyping
Mohammed Elsafy, Wafa Badawi, Ahmed Ibrahim, Elamin Hafiz Baillo, A. H. Abu Assar, Haftom Brhane, Umer Mahmood, Prabin Bajgain, Tilal Abdelhalim & Mahbubjon Rahmatov
Theoretical and Applied Genetics; January 20 2026; vol. 139; article 42
Mohammed Elsafy, Wafa Badawi, Ahmed Ibrahim, Elamin Hafiz Baillo, A. H. Abu Assar, Haftom Brhane, Umer Mahmood, Prabin Bajgain, Tilal Abdelhalim & Mahbubjon Rahmatov
Theoretical and Applied Genetics; January 20 2026; vol. 139; article 42
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Abstract
Capsule shattering in sesame is a major agronomic constraint that reduces yield stability and limits mechanized harvesting efficiency. To address this challenge, 200 genetically diverse sesame genotypes from Sudan were genotyped using genotyping-by-sequencing (GBS) and evaluated for three consecutive seasons under field conditions for shattering type (ST), type of capsule beak (TCB), and bicarpellate capsule shape (BS). The resulting phenotypic and genotypic data were integrated into a multi-model genome-wide association study (GWAS) framework (BLINK, FarmCPU, and MLMM) to elucidate the genetic architecture of capsule-shattering traits. Two marker-trait associations (MTAs) were consistently identified across the GWAS models, comprising Chr1_19419575 associated with the TCB and Chr2_15649330 linked to ST. Additional MTAs, including Chr8_31466064 for ST and Chr8_19392181 and Chr8_30292484 for TCB, were also detected in this study, further highlighting the complex genetic regulation of capsule traits. Allelic effect analysis further validated the functional role of key allelic variants at Chr2_15649330 and Chr8_31466064, demonstrating significant differences in shattering responses among genotypic subgroups. In silico functional enrichment analysis using a candidate gene approach identified 68 homologous genes associated with pod shattering in Brassica napus, of which FLZ3, RZF1, MKK5, and COR27 showed distinct expression patterns that correlated with shattering susceptibility during pod development. These results provide new insights into the genetic regulation of capsule shattering, providing valuable targets for marker-assisted selection and development of sesame cultivars with enhanced resistance to shattering.
See https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s00122-026-05151-7
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Figure: Candidate gene identification and functional categorization related to pod shattering in sesame. a Genomic mapping of candidate genes on sesame chromosomes (Chr1, Chr2, and Chr8) surrounding significant SNPs identified through GWAS. Homologous genes were identified based on annotations from A. thaliana, focusing on genes related to pod shattering and seed release. b Functional classification of the identified candidate genes based on their roles in biological processes related to pod dehiscence. Genes were grouped into five categories: cell wall modification, stress/PCD regulation, starch metabolism/dehydration, hormonal regulation, and dehiscence/pod maturation. The right panel illustrates a conceptual model linking gene function to the physiological stages of pod shattering: drying, tension buildup, dehiscence, and seed release
