FAO Regional Office for Asia and the Pacific

News and Press Releases

FAO and the Republic of Korea join forces to reduce foodborne antimicrobial resistance
Government to provide $10 million in support of Codex Alimentarius work to contain and reduce foodborne antimicrobial resistance
20.07.2021 Rome
FAO and the Republic of Korea join forces to reduce foodborne antimicrobial resistance
The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) and the Republic of Korea, through its Ministry of Food and Drug Safety (MFDS), today signed a new Framework Arrangement which establishes overarching terms and conditions that will govern the cooperation through voluntary contributions and facilitate future negotiations between MFDS and FAO. The Arrangement focuses on food safety and standard setting, and contains a Contribution Arrangement which will help to simplify...
Myanmar: A race to avoid increasing food insecurity
Millions of people in Myanmar are expected to become hungry over the coming six months as food insecurity is predicted to rise sharply and plunge the country into a food crisis. In the wake of political and financial instability, an increasing number of people are facing uncertainty as job losses continue, food prices increase, and its currency depreciates. Acting now is critical before the crisis escalates to a devastating point. June...
Invasive disease and illness linked to consumption of raw freshwater fish in Southeast Asia
The consumption of raw freshwater fish, a staple diet for millions of people in many parts of Southeast Asia, is coming under closer scrutiny after the detection of a foodborne hazard in several countries of the region, prompting a warning by food safety experts at the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) of the United Nations and others. An invasive disease, known as Group B Streptococcus (GBS) Streptococcus agalactiae linked to the...
Global Environment Facility approves FAO-led projects in Cambodia, Thailand and Viet Nam
Eight countries will benefit from projects designed to support climate resilience and biodiversity, and combat land degradation and unsustainable fishing
18.06.2021 Rome
Global Environment Facility approves FAO-led projects in Cambodia, Thailand and Viet Nam
The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) today welcomed approval from the Global Environment Facility (GEF) for five FAO-led projects in eight countries, totaling more than $46.6 million in funding.  The decision was made during the 60th GEF Council Meeting and the 30th Least Developed Countries Fund Council Meeting.   The latest projects will address critical environmental challenges - such as land degradation, biodiversity loss, unsustainable fishing and climate change...
Asia-Pacific Regional Food Systems Dialogue – a call to action
Bold new thinking and decisive action will be needed to reshape and re-engineer food systems in Asia and the Pacific to make them more responsive, more dynamic and more equitable to meet the nutritional and other needs of the most populous -- yet most undernourished -- region of the world, a specially convened high-level meeting heard today.  The Asia-Pacific Regional Food Systems Dialogue was organized by six United Nations agencies in...
On World Food Safety Day, everyone from growers to supply chains to consumers across Asia and the Pacific must adopt a One Health approach to ensure food is safe to consume
More than 600 million people, or 1 in 10, fall ill and 420 000 die each year from eating food contaminated with bacteria, viruses, parasites, toxins or chemicals. Most of the deaths are among the poor and young. Low and middle-income countries could save up to USD 95 billion annually with better food safety measures. When food is not safe, it is not food. It does not provide nourishment but...
FAO Members call for action against food loss and waste in the world’s hungriest region – Asia and the Pacific
Food loss and waste is a major issue in the Asia and Pacific region and coordinated, strategic actions are needed to address the impact it is having on climate change, food security, and the region’s overall economy. This was the conclusion of 18 Member countries during a virtual consultation convened by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) during a two-day series of discussions. According to FAO’s most...
Soil biodiversity, an important topic for the Pacific Islands
Fighting loss of soil biodiversity is key to global food security and the achievement of more than half of the Sustainable Development Goals.The critical role soil biodiversity has globally, and particularly  here in the Pacific cannot be emphasised enough. A healthy soil is uniquely capable of providing essential terrestrial ecosystem services includng carbon sequestration and water quality.   FAO,  the Scretariat of the Pacfic Community (SPC) and the Secretariat of the...
Ensuring biodiversity for systematic and sustainable food systems transformation
As the world prepares for transformations to its food systems in order to feed a growing planet, nutritiously and in an environmentally sustainable way, maintaining biodiversity will be a critical element in that equation, a panel of experts meeting in the Asia-Pacific region heard today. A virtual consultative meeting was convened on the eve of International Day for Biological Diversity, considered a timely opportunity to share innovative ideas and consider new...
FAO’s Asia-Pacific Emergency Centre for Transboundary Animal Diseases prepares five year plan to be ready for next wave of zoonotic diseases
As the SARS-CoV-2 Pandemic continues to claim lives, ruin the health and livelihoods of millions across the Asia-Pacific region, particularly in South Asia at present, a team of veterinary scientists, epidemiologists, sociologists and other One Health experts is beginning a two week session to map out a five year plan on how to predict, prevent and – if necessary – combat the next animal-to-human potential pandemic.  The multi-disciplinary team at FAO’s...