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Over 80 participants, from 12 Asia-Pacific nations, gathered at the First Regional Forum for People and Forests, convened in Hanoi, Vietnam, from 18-20 August 2009. The participants concluded that local people hold the key to healthy forests and agreed on "Call for Action", for including forest-depended communities in the battle against climate change. For more information and detailed coverage on the forum please visit: www.recoftc.orgMore information at:http://www.recoftc.org/site/fileadmin/docs/Events/CF_Forum/Regional_forum_presentations/Call_Action.pdf

THE FIRST REGIONAL FORUM FOR PEOPLE AND FORESTS Carbon Financing and Community Forestry (18-20 August)Hanoi - Local communities could hold the key to forest-related climate change efforts in Asia-Pacific, a regional forum concluded this morning. Carbon markets, enabling developed countries to offset carbon emissions by paying for the protection of forests, may offer a new possibility to slow or even reverse forest destruction.However, Dr Yam Malla, Executive Director of RECOFTC...

MEDIA ADVISORY Hanoi - 2009 is a crucial year for global efforts to address climate change, with the hope that an ambitious and effective mitigation and adaptation agreement will be forged at the United Nation’s Climate Change Conference in Copenhagen this December.Deforestation and forest degradation contribute some 20 percent of global greenhouse gas emissions. Forest-related mitigation measures are now recognized to be amongst the most practical and cost-effective measures to...

Bangkok -- Compared to 2008, current forecasts for global paddy production over the on-going 2009 season point to a mere 0.3 percent expansion to 689 million tonnes (460 million tonnes, milled rice). Despite prospects of virtually no growth, a replication of the 2008 results over the on-going 2009 paddy season would still stand out as an excellent performance, representing an outstanding 4 percent increase from 2007, according to the latest...

Vientiane - The Government of Lao PDR is currently developing a comprehensive legislation for fisheries and aquaculture. In support of this, FAO, in collaboration with four international technical organizations have developed a Legislative Review of Fisheries and Aquaculture in the Lao PDR, which is now available online.The Government of Lao PDR recognized the need for a national legal framework to be developed to enable the effective management of fisheries and...

Vientiane - - - Traditional Lao 'ghost paper', used in religious rituals for hundreds of years, is about to get a modern makeover, allowing artisans to increase their income and break into international markets.The paper made from bamboo is produced and sold by households in Ban Namchang, Bokeo Province, who each earn around 74 500 kip/year from selling the ghost paper."Through the project Enhancing Agriculture Competitiveness of Rural Households in...

Bangkok, 15 June 2009 - - - Food security is a standing agenda on the ASEAN agenda. Over the years, regional initiatives and projects – such as the ASEAN Food Security Reserve Board, the East Asian Emergency Rice Reserve (EAERR) project, and ASEAN Food Security Information System (AFSIS) project – have been initiated and implemented to support national food security initiatives and address food security at the regional level.At last...

Bangkok - Asian farmers and agrifood supply chains are set to benefit from latest initiatives to support products registered with Geographic Indication (GI) to enter global markets, including the EU.During joint FAO-EC-DIP regional meetings in Bangkok this week, representatived from 16 countries in Asia-Pacific drew up action plans aimed at empowering Asian and Thai producers to apply for GI in other countries to protect their products and turn them into...

BANGKOK – Responding to the spread of infectious diseases from animals to humans, the United States and Royal Thai Governments, in collaboration with the United Nations’ Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), today launched Asia’s first training program for veterinarians to become “disease detectives,” specialists who trace and control animal diseases that could possibly spread to human beings. The Field Epidemiology Training Program for Veterinarians (FETPV) is the first program of...

Joint media advisory from The Delegation of the European Commission to Thailand, the Department of Intellectual Property, Thai Commerce Ministry, and the Food and Agricultural Organization (FAO) of the United NationsDate: Thursday, 11 June 2009Time: 09:00 Opening ceremony09:40 Press conferenceVenue: Imperial China, 3rd Floor, The Imperial Queen’s Park HotelWorld-wide, affluent consumers are familiar with foods produced far away – such as French Champagne, German Black Forest ham, Hungarian paprika and...