The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) has just launched an action to help countries better develop priority agricultural products. The objective is to boost the value chains of special agricultural products to ensure food security, improve nutrition, increase incomes and preserve the environment.

The Global Action for Green Development of Specialty Agricultural Products: One Country, One Priority Commodity (OCOP) aims to develop green and sustainable value chains for special agricultural products, helping smallholder farmers and families to take full advantage of a global market and ultimately help transform current agri-food systems and achieve the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). According to the FAO, Special Agricultural Products (SAPs) are those that possess unique qualities and particular characteristics associated with geographical locations and cultural heritages, which can contribute significantly to ensuring food security and healthy diets, to supporting farmer livelihoods and economic growth while protecting the environment and biodiversity. SAPs include all kinds of agricultural products, recognized (or having the potential to be recognized) as symbolic national or local agricultural products, but have not fully benefited from agricultural and rural development programs to the extent of staple crops commonly grown crops (e.g. rice, wheat, corn, soy and potato).