Agriculture and Food Systems

The Agriculture and Food Systems Group (RAP-AFS) brings together a range of core technical expertise and works towards the fulfillment of its vision and mission in addressing:

• food security and nutrition in rural and urban areas;
• sustainable agricultural and food production systems;
• crop diversification and production;
• risk reduction from plant pests and pesticides, including plant phytosanitary threats; promoting ecological approaches and integrated pest management for plant pest and pesticide management;
• veterinary services and related systems such as livestock service delivery, livestock extension and advisory services, reference laboratory networks and reporting and surveillance systems to improve animal health and enhance disease prevention and control;
• agribusiness development and market linkages;
• reduction of losses and waste in the food chain;
• issues of competitiveness and income generation of small and medium agro-enterprises;
• competitive value chains for food, including food safety and risk-based management;
• sustainable crop and livestock production;

The group  also provides  support to:

• the Global Plan of Action on Plant Genetic Resources;
• knowledge platforms such as Emergency Prevention System for Food Safety (EMPRES), the Global Framework for the Progressive Control of Transboundary Animal Diseases (GF-TADs), Emergency Centre for Transboundary Diseases (ECTAD), Global Early Warning System for Major Animal Diseases, including Zoonoses (GLEWS), Federal College of Animal Health (FCEMS), Codex Alimentarius Commission (CODEX) and the International Dairy Federation (IDF);
• the “One health” approach for control and prevention of emerging infectious diseases (EIDs);
• regional networks  such as Asia Dairy, regional surveillance and laboratory networks, Animal Feed Manufacturers Association (AFMA), Asia Pacific Rural and Agriculture Credit Association (APRACA), Network for Development of Agricultural Cooperatives (NEDAC).

The group hosts two technical commissions:  The Animal Production and Health Commission for Asia and the Pacific and Asia and Pacific Plant Protection Commission.