PR 96/10 - EUROPEAN CONFERENCE WILL DISCUSS FOOD SECURITY

FAO REGIONAL CONFERENCE FOR EUROPE WILL DISCUSS FOOD SECURITY, WORLD FOOD SUMMIT AND ENVIRONMENTAL PROBLEMS

Rome, 25 April - Ministers of Agriculture and senior officials from more than 50 countries will attend the Regional Conference for Europe of the UN Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), to be held in Tel Aviv 29 April to 3 May.

Food security issues in the region and the preparation of the FAO World Food Summit of Heads of State and Government in Rome in November 1996 are the main topics for discussion. The Conference will be preceded by a Consultation for Non-Governmental Organizations on the World Food Summit on Sunday, 28 April.

The Regional Conference for Europe is a biennial gathering of ministers of agriculture from the 40 member countries of FAO in the European region, and around 10 observers, among them the United States, Russia, Ukraine and Canada. The Conference is organized in cooperation with the UN Economic Commission for Europe.

The Conference will also discuss environmental problems in Europe with particular focus on the Mediterranean area. Several countries in the region are affected by soil degradation, scarcity of water and desertification, therefore strategies for water utilization and resource conservation and their sustainable use are needed, according to FAO.

Note: The Regional Conference for Europe is open to media representatives. Conference documents in English and French are available upon request. For further information please contact the FAO Press Office, tel: 0039-6-5225 2523/3105.