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Speaking at his monthly briefing for the media, Hiroyuki Konuma, FAO Assistant Director-General and Regional Representative for Asia and the Pacific announced that the Organization’s  Food Price Index, released today from FAO Headquarters in Rome “averaged nearly 216 points in April 2013, up more than 2 points (1.0 percent) from its revised March value of 213 points and from April last year.” “At that level,” said Konuma, “ the index is...

Assuming a return to more normal weather patterns, Asian rice production in 2013 could rise by 2.2 percent, or 15 million tonnes, to 677.5 million tonnes, or 451.7 million tonnes, milled basis, according to the FAO Rice Market Monitor (RMM), published today on the Organization’s website. Globally FAO foresees production in the forthcoming 2013 season to rise by 2.1 percent to 746.7 million tonnes, 497.7 million tonnes, milled, some 16 ...

The United Nations launched the Zero Hunger Challenge in Asia and the Pacific here yesterday evening before heads of governments and UN agencies as well as ministers and national leaders. Speakers called on governments, farmers, scientists, business, civil society and consumers to join in the struggle to end hunger in the region where a majority of the world’s undernourished people live. “We cannot rest while so many people go hungry in...

In a traditional "Ava" Welcoming Ceremony in Matautu, Lefaga, the Chiefly traditional matai title of Tagaloaletoa Ole Malae Ole Toto was bestowed on FAO Director General, Jose Graziano da Silva. Minister of Agriculture and Fisheries, Hon. Le Mamea Ropati Mulia, who hails from Matautu, Lefaga village, opened the ceremony and introduced to the village their new chief. Convoking a blessing on the day's proceedings, Reverend Esaloma Fatilua told the gathering of...

Efforts to end hunger and fight the effects of climate change in the Pacific Islands will hinge on the success of sustainable development, including wise use of oceans and fisheries, FAO Director-General José Graziano da Silva told ministers from the region today. “There can be no truly ‘green economy’ without a ‘blue economy’, one that makes the sustainable development of oceans and fishery resources a priority,” Graziano da Silva said. “The importance...

Containment of the A(H7N9) influenza virus in China, which has been confirmed in 34 people, including nine who died, will require the implementation of strong biosecurity measures. Unlike other influenza strains, such as highly pathogenic avian influenza H5N1, the new virus is difficult to detect in poultry, because it produces almost no signs of disease in birds, Hiroyuki Konuma, FAO Assistant Director-General and Regional Representative for Asia and the Pacific...

FAO Assistant Director-General and Regional Representative for Asia and the Pacific Hiroyuki Konuma today briefed Ambassadors and senior embassy officials from some 25 FAO member countries with embassies in Bangkok on the new FAO Director General’s Medium Term Plan (MTP) 2014-17 and the Programme of Work and Budget (PWB) 2014-15. The MTP and PWB will be presented to FAO’s governing Conference in June 2013 for adoption. The document refocuses FAO’s strategic...

The promotion of underutilized indigenous food crops such as Sago palm, which has a high starch yield potential and grows in swamps and wetlands with minimal competition from other food crops for land and water use, is of growing importance as the developing world is headed towards serious future food security challenges in alleviating widespread chronic hunger, Hiroyuki Konuma, FAO Assistant Director-General and Regional Representative for Asia and the Pacific...

The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations announced today that earlier this week it designated the Harbin Veterinary Research Institute (HVRI), in the Heilongjiang Province of the People’s Republic of China (PR China), as the FAO reference centre for animal influenza. The designation of FAO reference status, awarded by the FAO Director General, is based on a competitive selection and evaluation process. It is an outcome of many...

First forecasts for the 2013 wheat harvest point to production increasing to 690 million tonnes – 4.3 percent up on 2012. This would be the second largest crop on record, according to the latest issue of FAO’s quarterly Crop Prospects and Food Situation report (CPFS). While the production increase is expected mostly in Europe, prospects for the 2013 wheat crop in the Far East are generally favourable with output expected to...