News

Thailand, 07 Mar 2005 -- Bangkok – In the aftermath of the Indian Ocean tsunami, the surge for infrastructure and housing reconstruction requires vast supplies of wood. If not managed appropriately, this demand could adversely affect the remaining forests irrevocably, an FAO statement warned today.The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) today called for attention to forests in the tsunami-affected countries which “are at risk of over-exploitation to meet immediate needs and [more...]

Thailand, 28 Feb 2005 -- Socio-economic considerations vital for ensuring livelihoods and access to food and resourcesBangkok – The very survival and livelihoods of coastal communities should take centre place in rebuilding fishing and aquaculture in tsunami-affected Asian countries, FAO warned today.During a workshop at the FAO regional office in Bangkok, a consortium* of fisheries agencies presented a draft blue print for the rebuilding and rehabilitation of fisheries and aquaculture communities and livelihoods in tsunami-affected [more...]

Viet Nam, 25 Feb 2005 -- Ho Chi Minh City, Viet Nam – An international conference on avian influenza in Asia has expressed major concern about the bird flu situation in the region. Chief Veterinary Officers from 28 countries called upon governments in the region and the international community to make the fight against the lethal virus a top priority and to commit more financial resources to national and regional anti-bird flu campaigns. […] Animal and [more...]

23 Feb 2005 -- New South-South Cooperation agreement signedRome - The Philippines will send 28 experts and technicians to six Pacific Island countries, the UN Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) said yesterday at the signing ceremony of a new South-South Cooperation agreement. FAO's South-South Cooperation Programme is a global initiative that aims to strengthen cooperation among developing countries at different stages of development to improve agricultural productivity and ensure access to food for all. [more...]

Viet Nam, 23 Feb 2005 -- Ho Chi Minh City/Bangkok - Containing the bird flu virus to the greatest extent possible and reducing the risk of infection in poultry and farmed free-range ducks will help to prevent a global human influenza pandemic, the UN Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) said today. “It is in the interest of both developed and developing countries to invest in the control and containment of avian influenza. Our objective is to [more...]

21 Feb 2005 -- Replacement boats and equipment should be appropriate to local conditionsBangkok/Rome – A harmful build-up of excessive fishing capacity must be avoided in the countries hit by the tsunami, FAO warned today.Excessive capacity was a serious problem in some of the region's coastal fisheries prior to the disaster -- a problem that reconstruction should avoid reproducing, according to FAO’s Fisheries Department,."Clearly, fisheries in the affected countries are in need of extensive [more...]

Viet Nam, 16 Feb 2005 -- Regional conference on avian flu to be held in Viet Nam Bangkok/Rome - The international community needs to step up the battle against bird flu in affected Asian countries in order to avoid a potential global human influenza pandemic, the UN Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) and the World Animal Health Organisation (OIE) said today. The virus continues to circulate in poultry, and specifically in wetland ducks in Asia, FAO [more...]

the Lao People's Democratic Republic, 10 Feb 2005 -- Vientiane - With a grant of $850 000 provided by New Zealand, FAO will assist Cambodia, Lao PDR and Viet Nam over the next three years to improve food safety and quality by reducing the prevalence of food-borne diseases and enhance exports of food products from the three countries. During a ceremony today at the ministry of health attended by Bounkouang Phichit, vice minister of health, Leena Kirjavainen, FAO representative [more...]

25 Jan 2005 -- Bangkok­ - Basic equipment, supplies and technical assistance for fishing and crop production will be provided on an urgent basis to thousands of poor families in six provinces in southern Thailand who lost their production assets and means of income as a result of the December 2004 tsunamis, an FAO statement said today.An FAO emergency project is adding-on to the efforts of the Thai government for a rapid re-establishment of [more...]

06 Jan 2005 -- Many millions of farmers and fisher folk in coastal areas affected by the disasterBangkok/Jakarta - The UN Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) today launched an urgent appeal for $26 million for farmers and fisher folk hit by the South-Asian tsunami disaster, the agency said on the occasion of the international disaster summit in Indonesia. Funds are needed to finance emergency rehabilitation projects over the next six months.“The tsunami tidal waves [more...]