Addis-Ababa, Ethiopia –The African Union Commission and the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), urged African governments to proactively employ science, technologies and innovations – especially biotechnologies – to address food insecurity and malnutrition challenges facing the continent.

Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia - Smallholder farmers in the world’s hungriest and most populous region need greater access to  biotechnologies to improve food and nutrition security and fight poverty, the UN’s Food and Agriculture Organization said today.

Debate and sharing of knowledge at FAO-hosted symposium

Rome - FAO is committed to bring the debate on agricultural biotechnologies to regions and family farmers from around the world to improve knowledge, build trust and achieve some level of consensus, the UN agency's Director-General José Graziano da Silva said today.

Graziano da Silva meets civil society delegation at agricultural biotechnologies symposium

Rome - FAO is hosting the international symposium on agricultural biotechnologies to provide a neutral forum aimed at promoting debates, dialogues and exchanges of information, the UN agency's Director-General, José Graziano da Silva, said today in a meeting with civil society representatives.

Tools to help fight hunger and to improve food systems - FAO symposium

Rome - Much more must be done to ensure that family farmers, especially those in developing countries, have access to agricultural biotechnologies that can make their activities more productive and sustainable in the face of major challenges such as climate change and population growth, FAO Director-General José Graziano da Silva said today.

International symposium at FAO: 15-17 February 2016

Rome - Over 400 scientists, representatives of government, civil society, the private sector, academia, farmers' associations and cooperatives are set to participate in the FAO-hosted international symposium "The Role of Agricultural Biotechnologies in Sustainable Food Systems and Nutrition"from 15-17 February 2016.

FAO survey shows 25 countries blocked imports after finding traces of GMOs.

Rome - The increased production of genetically modified crops around the globe has led to a higher number of incidents of low levels of GMOs being detected in traded food and feed, FAO said today.
 

From breeding to bugs, a new FAO publication looks at biotechnologies at work in small-scale crop, livestock and fish production.

Rome - A new FAO publication calls for greater national and international efforts to bring agricultural biotechnologies to smallholder producers in developing countries. The publication, "Biotechnologies at Work for Smallholders: Case Studies from Developing Countries in Crops, Livestock and Fish", asserts biotechnologies can help smallholders to improve their livelihoods and food security.

Participation of small farmers and producers in decision making process is needed

Guadalajara, México - Agricultural biotechnologies in developing countries should address the specific needs of smallholders and, to do so, should encourage their participation and that of all stakeholders in the decision making process, the participants of an international technical conference held in Guadalajara, Mexico stated today.

Mexico conference takes stock of conventional biotechnology applications in food and agriculture

Guadalajara, Mexico - The focus of modern and conventional biotechnologies should be redirected so as to benefit poor farmers in poor countries and not only rich farmers in rich countries, FAO said today.

FAO publishes study on marker-assisted selection

Rome -The biotechnology tool of marker-assisted selection (MAS) has raised high expectations for increasing genetic progress through breeding. Some experts have even argued that the application of MAS could “revolutionize” the way varieties and breeding stock are developed.

New FAO publication on agricultural genetic resources.

Rome - Developing countries should be enabled to fully exploit biotechnology tools, when appropriate, in order to stop the decline of agricultural biodiversity and to use their wealth of genetic resources in a sustainable way, according to FAO.

FAO calls for systematic assessment of genetically modified trees.

Rome - Research and applications of biotechnology in forestry are advancing rapidly, FAO said today.

Research being conducted on GM crops and traits more relevant for food security.

Rome - Several developing countries now have well-developed biotechnology programmes; they are approaching the leading edge of biotechnology applications and have significant research capacity, according to a new FAO assessment on the status of research and application of crop biotechnologies in developing countries.

FAO expert consultation recommends guidelines and methodologies.

Rome - A consultation of experts convened at the UN Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), recommended that any responsible deployment of Genetically Modified (GM) crops needs to comprise the whole technology development process, from the pre-release risk assessment, to biosafety considerations and post release monitoring.

Director-General Jacques Diouf outlines his views on use of biotechnology

Rome -- FAO Director-General Dr Jacques Diouf has sent the following letter to NGOs in response to their criticism of FAO's recent State of Food and Agriculture report.

A new tool to help determine if a genetically modified plant is a weed.

Rome -- New guidelines for determining if a living modified organism (LMO) poses a hazard to plants have been published by FAO.

Only a few countries are benefiting so far - food crops of the poor need more attention.

Rome -- Biotechnology holds great promise for agriculture in developing countries, but so far only farmers in a few developing countries are reaping these benefits, FAO said in its annual report 'The State of Food and Agriculture 2003-04', released today.

Biotechnology - the gap between poor and rich countries is widening.

Rome -- The promises and potential of biotechnology are not equally shared between developed and developing countries, the FAO Assistant Director-General, Louise Fresco, said in a statement issued today.

JOHANNESBURG - Countries in Southern Africa whose populations are facing a devastating drought should carefully consider current scientific knowledge before rejecting food aid containing genetically modified organisms (GMOs), Dr. Jacques Diouf, Director-General of the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), said.