The Extreme Rural Poverty Framework, launched on 18 June 2019, provides guidance for FAO’s contribution to addressing extreme poverty reduction. Striving to build consensus on FAO’s role in supporting countries to reach SDG 1, in particular Target 1.1, on eliminating extreme poverty, and SDG 2 on achieving Zero Hunger, the Framework comes to light at a time when global extreme rural poverty remains unacceptably high and hunger is once again on the rise. The lives of approximately 736 million people living below $1.90 depend on collective efforts in promoting holistic rural development and leaving no one behind.

In conjunction with the Framework, FAO has launched the first module in a series of e-learning courses dedicated to Rural Poverty Reduction. The course, Understanding Rural Poverty, addresses key concepts and definitions of rural poverty and how it can best be measured.