News and Press Releases
Qu Dongyu of China was elected Director-General of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) today.
Qu Dongyu received a total of 108 votes out of 191 cast, constituting a majority in the first round.
The election took place during the 41st session of the FAO Conference (22-29 June 2019), the highest governing body of the Organization.
Qu Dong Yu, who was born in 1963, is currently Vice Minister of...
Robust and coordinated action needed to save Asia-Pacific’s forests – new UN FAO report
18.06.2019 Incheon
Forests in the vast Asia-Pacific region are facing a serious threat as primary forest cover is now only 19 percent of total forest area – the lowest level of any region worldwide, a major gathering of forestry stakeholders heard today.
Some 2,000 delegates are participating in Asia-Pacific Forestry Week, which is co-organized by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) and the Korea Forest Service, at Incheon in...
Solomon Islands’ forestry management project moves to next phase
17.06.2019 Malaita, Solomon Islands
The Integrated Forest Management (IFM) Project in the Solomon Islands is moving into the next phase with an inception workshop with provincial government heads and relevant agencies of Malaita Province which was held in Auki recently.
Undersecretary Technical, Ministry of Environment, Climate Change, Disaster Management and Meteorology, Chanel Iroi said. “The objective of the inception workshop is basically to facilitate the process, to provide information within the project to all relevant...
FAO and Korea Telecom team up to advance digital agricultural innovation
Partnership to focus on digital technologies for agrifood and engaging youth in smart farming and agribusiness
13.06.2019 Rome
The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) and Korea Telecom (KT) today agreed to work together to create more opportunities for youth to engage in smart farming and other forms of agricultural innovation and entrepreneurship.The agreement was signed by FAO Director-General José Graziano da Silva and KT Chief Executive Officer Chang-Gyu Hwang at a ceremony on the side-lines of FAO's inaugural International Seminar on Digital Agriculture Transformation. The...
Foodborne illnesses in Asia-Pacific ‘needlessly’ sicken 275 million annually and threaten trade
07.06.2019 Bangkok, Thailand
The Asia-Pacific region has a poor track record when it comes to preventing foodborne illnesses, resulting in the deaths of 225,000 people each year, the UN’s Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) said today, during an event marking the first World Food Safety Day.
“Worldwide, each year, unsafe food or water kill more people than HIV, AIDS, malaria and measles combined, and it’s now time that everyone takes this issue more seriously,”...
Asia-Pacific revenues and livelihoods threatened as billions lost annually to illegal, unreported, unregulated fishing – UN FAO
05.06.2019 Bangkok, Thailand
More coordinated action is needed to stamp out illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing in Asia and the Pacific – activities that result in estimated losses to the region of some USD 5 billion annually, the UN’s Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) said today.
FAO has been responding to the growing problem of IUU fishing by working with governments worldwide encouraging them to accede to the Port State Measures Agreement (PSMA),...
Healthy diets vital for progress in Lao PDR, say UN food agencies
FAO, IFAD and WFP conclude three-day visit to see nutrition programmes
16.05.2019 Vientiane
The heads of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) and the World Food Programme (WFP) today concluded a joint visit to the Lao People's Democratic Republic (Lao PDR) with a call for greater investment in nutrition. FAO Director-General José Graziano da Silva and WFP Executive Director David Beasley made the three-day visit, together with the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD)'s Sub-regional Director Thomas Rath, to raise awareness...
FAO and the Republic of Korea to bolster Zero Hunger efforts in Asia-Pacific
UN agency inaugurates its office in Seoul
14.05.2019 Seoul
The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) and the Republic of Korea (South Korea) have joined forces to bolster Zero Hunger efforts in the Asia-Pacific region, and strengthen their collaboration in South Korea where the UN agency opened today its first office.
"I am delighted by the prospect of this partnership arrangement leading to even deeper cooperation in a wide range of areas where the Republic of Korea...
Making its mark – FAO and EU support the development of Afghanistan’s first Geographical Indication System
09.05.2019 Kabul
The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) and the European Union (EU) have joined forces to support the development of the first ever Geographical Indication (GI) system in Afghanistan.
Thanks to this new agreement, the Afghan Government will be able to set up a national GI system that will help to facilitate increased income generation for smallholder producers and agribusinesses in the prioritized GI value chain.
The joint FAO-EU...
After worst harvest in ten years, 10 million people in DPR Korea face imminent food shortages
UN report finds worryingly low food consumption, limited dietary diversity and families being forced to cut meals or eat less
03.05.2019 Pyongyang/Rome
A United Nations food security assessment in the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (also known as North Korea) has found that following the worst harvest in 10 years, due to dry spells, heatwaves and flooding, about 10.1 million people suffer from severe food shortages, meaning they do not have enough food until the next harvest.
The aggregate 2018/19 food crop production is estimated at 4.9 million metric tons, which is the...