I am pleased to announce the release of the SAFA (Sustainability Assessment of Food and Agriculture systems) package, including:



*         SAFA Guidelines (version 3.0) - pp 253



*         SAFA Indicators - pp 271



*         SAFA Tool (User Manual for beta version 2.1.50 - pp 18) and open-source, free software.



These are available from: www.fao.org/nr/sustainability/sustainability-assessments-safa<http://www.fao.org/nr/sustainability/sustainability-assessments-safa>



The SAFA 5 years-long journey has been a precious learning experience and the outcome today is a collective one; thanks again to the many partners, practitioners, collaborators and colleagues.



Next year will be exiting with the application of the Guidelines through the beta version of the SAFA Tool. A database will be developed to collect feedback and increasingly, provide much needed information. With some of you, we are getting organized to also develop a SAFA application for smallholders, accessible through cell phones. More ideas are cropping among partners; for example, SAFA has already inspired the New Zealand Sustainability Dashboard, as well as The Sustainability Monitoring and Assessment RouTine (SMART). It is very encouraging to see the SAFA community growing and innovating.



I wish you all a restful season's holiday and may next year bring you all warmth and light.



Nadia El-Hage Scialabba
Senior Officer (Environment and Sustainable Development)
Natural Resources Management and Environment Department
Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations
Viale Terme di Caracalla
00150 Rome, Italy
Tel: 39 06 5705 6729
Fax: 39 06 5705 3064
E-mail: [log in to unmask]<mailto:[log in to unmask]>
Website: www.fao.org/nr/sustainability<http://www.fao.org/nr/sustainability>


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