PR 96/30 - CONVENTION ON BIOLOGICAL DIVERSITY

FAO AND SECRETARIAT OF THE CONVENTION ON BIOLOGICAL DIVERSITY AGREE ON CLOSE COOPERATION

ROME, 24 July -- The UN Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) has agreed to cooperate closely in the implementation of the Convention on Biological Diversity, which it sees as an important contribution to food security, FAO said today.

Agreement came at a meeting between Calestous Juma, Executive Secretary of the Secretariat of the Convention, and FAO Director-General Jacques Diouf at FAO Headquarters to discuss concrete contributions FAO can make to implementation of the Convention. Because biodiversity is essential for agricultural crops, livestock, forests and edible fish to continue to adapt to changes in climate, diseases and pests within a wide range of farming and eco-systems, it is important for the achievement of household, national and global food security.

The Conference of parties to the Convention on Biological Diversity has recognized that the special nature of agricultural biological diversity, its distinctive features and problems, will require distinctive solutions in implementing the Convention.

To ensure close and mutually satisfactory cooperation, FAO has proposed a framework agreement between the Organization and the Convention Secretariat. The agreement will be elaborated at subsequent meetings, FAO said.