Photograph: G. Bizzarri
Land and water
management
Two of the most important agricultural resources, land and
water, are crucial for the well being of the Asia-Pacific region, which is home
to nearly three-fourths of the world’s agricultural population. However,
Asia-Pacific tillers have to depend on about 28 percent of the world’s
cropland with the land available per person for cultivation being just one-sixth
of the average in the rest of the world.
A growing population is adding to pressure on arable land. To
meet its increasing food needs, the region will have to produce more food
largely from the existing farmlands because there is very little land available
for physical expansion. This can be done only by increasing crop yields and
stepping up cropping intensity.
While new farm technologies can bring about dramatic gains in
crop yields, much depends on the state of land and water resources. A major
problem is land degradation, which is caused in the region largely by water and
wind erosion. A joint study of land degradation in South Asia by FAO, the UN
Development Programme (UNDP) and the UN Environment Programme (UNEP) found that
water and wind erosion respectively damage 25 and 18 percent of the
subregion’s total land. Latest estimates show that in China water erosion
affects 34 percent of the total cultivated land and wind erosion a further 2
percent. In Thailand, approximately 34 percent of the total land area is
affected by water erosion.
Deforestation, excessive use of chemical fertilizers, soil
erosion and excessive extraction of groundwater are major causes of land
degradation in the region.
With more than half of the world’s 30 largest cities
located in the region, rapid industrialization and urbanization are also
responsible for swallowing up and affecting arable land.
Farms in the Asia-Pacific region account for more than half of
the world’s agricultural water use with 60 percent of the world’s
water being consumed by the region in 2000. The region has some of the wettest
and driest spots on earth. The average annual per capita water availability of
about 3 800 m3 - slightly more than half the global average - varies from about
1 500 m3 in the Indian subcontinent to over 9 000 m3 in Southeast Asia and
nearly 16 000 m3 in the Pacific island nations. Moreover, a large part of the
region’s water comes from the annual monsoon rains, with almost 80 percent
of the water flow in the major rivers of South Asia and China being confined to
a few months of the year.
Irrigation systems are not only costly, but they are also
inefficient. It is estimated that up to 60 percent of the water diverted or
pumped for irrigation is not used for plant production. The region must give
priority attention to modernizing water delivery and irrigation
systems.
Countries in the region need conservation techniques to combat
land degradation. Integrated watershed management is one of the best ways of
developing rainfed areas. This has conservation and development aspects,
arresting and reversing land and ecological degradation while producing material
benefits to local communities in the form of food, fodder and forest and
livestock products.
Appropriate technologies should also be adopted to reduce and
prevent soil erosion, which is a serious problem in hilly areas. These include
correct tillage practices, land formation techniques and stabilization
structures. The Integrated Plant Nutrition System (IPNS) to increase soil
fertility can also help in reducing soil erosion.
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Land and water management
Priority areas have been (1) improved management and
sustainable use of land and water resources for food security; and (2) enhanced
livelihoods, with emphasis on supporting improved irrigation systems,
sustainable land management and soil conservation, biodiversity and
fertility.
National round
tables on integrated water resources were convened in Lao PDR, Cambodia and
Myanmar in partnership with the Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the
Pacific (ESCAP). The meetings have contributed to capacity building in the water
sector.
In collaboration with national
institutions, a workshop and project were carried out to promote land evaluation
and land-use planning systems and tools, and to promote sustainable agricultural
systems to address land degradation and desertification, biodiversity
conservation, carbon sequestration and reduced emissions.
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The FAO regional office has launched a new Web site dedicated to
the modernization of irrigation systems - visit www.watercontrol.org.
The Web site focuses on design, performance, operation, management
and upgrading of medium- or large-scale irrigation systems. Tools
for use in the appraisal, benchmarking and upgrading of irrigation
systems for modernization and their upgrading are provided as well
as training materials and programmes on the operation and management,
modernization and benchmarking of irrigation schemes. Training materials
can be consulted online and downloaded from the Web site.
Two projects were carried out
to promote the development of location-specific standards on nutrient
management, and the establishment and implementation of bio-organic fertilizer
standards.
Investment in land and
water (RAP 2002/09) explains the urgent need for arresting and reversing the
decline in investment in land and water development in Asia-Pacific countries.
Irrigation needs about one-third of the US$30.7 billion additional annual
investment required in agriculture in developing countries to ensure food
security.
FAO contributed
significantly to the organization of the World Water Forum held in Kyoto, Japan,
from 16 to 23 March 2003. Keynote addresses were delivered at ministerial
meetings and a number of papers by FAO staff addressed themes such as Water and
Climate; Water Food and Environment; Water, Nature and Environment; Groundwater;
and Agriculture, Food and Water.
How design, management and
policy affect the performance of irrigation projects (RAP 2002/20) is a
contribution to an emerging understanding that physical and institutional
reforms of the irrigation sector should be combined, and that irrigation
management transfer is not only about transferring operation functions but also
governance to the irrigation users and a combination of the two at different
levels. In making its case, the document reviews the decades-old debate over the
causes of inefficiency in irrigation projects, the role of multilateral lenders
such as the World Bank and the Asian Development Bank (ADB) as well as country
experiences from China, Egypt, India, Indonesia, Iran, Malaysia, North Africa,
Pakistan, Sudan and the United States.
In September 2003, an
agreement was signed in Bangkok, Thailand between the Ministry of Agriculture
and Cooperatives (MoAC) and FAO for the introduction and demonstration of new
techniques for the sustainable use of soils for crop production. The project
will introduce appropriate techniques for the rehabilitation and management of
problem soils, particularly in rainfed agriculture.
FAO is providing assistance to
Pakistan for strengthening the extension capacities for community demand-driven
planning for natural resource management in the Azad Jammu and Kashmir region.
An agreement to this effect was signed between Pakistan and FAO in 2003. The
proposed assistance will contribute to reforming the agricultural extension
system to adopt bottom-up planning approaches and to make it more responsive to
community demands.
The objective of FAO’s
ASIACOVER project in Cambodia, China, Lao PDR, Malaysia, Myanmar, Thailand and
Viet Nam (2003-2004) is to collect and standardize existing land cover/land-use
information, to identify gaps where such information is missing and to develop a
strategy to fill these gaps in the future in the context of the joint FAO-UNEP
initiative to establish a Global Land Cover Network. Essential and validated
information on land use and land cover will contribute to improved analysis,
planning and decision-making with regard to food security and poverty
alleviation.
FAO is providing assistance in
Uzbekistan from 2003 to 2005 to demonstrate alternative, profitable and
sustainable forms of agricultural production for small private farmers in the
Autonomous Republic of Karakalpakstan (KK), where water is a scarce and
diminishing resource. The project is introducing drought- and salt-tolerant
crops and assisting farmers in sharing the available irrigation water in an
equitable and efficient manner. Farmers and related government officials are
being trained on drainage management and on-farm irrigation, irrigation
technology, field levelling, water accounting and modification of local farm
machinery for conservation agriculture for small independent farmers in
KK.
Emergency assistance has been
provided by FAO to flood-affected rice farmers in five districts of Sri Lanka.
The May 2003 floods caused severe damage to people, houses and crops. A total of
139 000 families in the target districts were affected. The immediate objective
of the project is to provide emergency assistance to 20 750 farm families in the
form of rice seed, basal and topdressing fertilizer. It is expected that these
farmers will be able to resume rice production on 0.2 ha each.
The Asia Soil Conservation
Network for the Humid Tropics (ASOCON) was formed with UNDP/FAO support in 1989
and became a quasi-legal entity in June 1993. The network structure consists of
a coordinating unit at the Ministry of Forestry (MOF), Jakarta, and national
coordinating committees established by each member country (China,
Indonesia, Malaysia, Papua New Guinea, the Philippines, Thailand and Viet
Nam). National coordinators form the Network Consultative Board (NCB), which
serves as both the steering committee and the policy-forming body. The network
aims to assist its member countries through a programme of information exchange,
regional workshops, expert consultations and learning activities to enhance the
skills and expertise of those responsible for the development and dissemination
of soil and water conservation practices for small-scale farmers. The ultimate
objective is to help small-scale farmers use their land sustainably and
productively.
The Third International
Vetiver Conference was held in Guanzhou, Guangdong Province, in southern China
in October 2003. The theme of the conference was "Vetiver System’s (VS)
application to improve water quality and distribution in the environment".
Topics included application of VS for: runoff control, groundwater recharge,
erosion control and slope stabilization, pollution control and water quality
protection, purification of landfill and mining lactates, earthworks,
stabilization, plant production, extension strategies, and other grasses for
water and soil conservation. The conference was organized to focus on the needs
of users of VS by concentrating on information and site visits to witness
applications and generate discussion to help guide the practitioner.
FAO established an Asian
Network on Problem Soils in 1989 involving 13 countries. The network is
concerned mainly with the rational use, management and conservation of problem
soils within the Asia-Pacific region in a sustainable and environmentally sound
manner. At the same time FAO, in cooperation with ASOCON, is developing a
Framework for Action on Land Conservation in Asia and the Pacific
(FALCAP).
A Regional Workshop on
Agro-ecological Zoning (AEZ) and GIS Applications in Asia with special emphasis
on Land Degradation Assessment in Drylands (LADA), was conducted in Bangkok,
Thailand in November 2003. The workshop was organized by FAO in collaboration
with the Land Development Department of Thailand. The purpose of the workshop
was to promote AEZ/GIS and its application in the assessment, mapping and
monitoring of rural land use and land degradation in relation to food security
in Asian countries, and to develop more applied knowledge, policy instruments,
national capacities and technologies, which would aid in developing more
efficient and sustainable management of land resources, especially in drylands.
Senior land resources and land degradation specialists from 15 Asian countries
attended the workshop.
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Plant production and
protection
Photograph: L. Dematteis
Fertile land and favourable weather conditions make the
Asia-Pacific region a major producer of cereals (rice, wheat and maize),
legumes, vegetables, fruits and industrial crops like rubber, coconut, pepper
and oil-palm. The region produces 90 percent of the world’s rice, which is
Asia’s most important food crop and the staple diet for three-fifths of the
global population. Rice provides more than half the daily dietary energy of over
three billion people in the region.
A number of Asian countries are now self-sufficient in rice
production; the current annual harvest of 524 million tonnes is expected to grow
to 700 million tonnes by 2025. However, the region is adding 51 million rice
consumers to its population annually while the land and water resources that are
available for rice farms are declining steadily; increasing numbers of marginal
farmers in the Asia-Pacific region are depending on degraded
farmlands.
The key to future food security in Asia lies in boosting farm
yields without damaging the natural resource base, reducing the rate of
population increase and diversifying the food basket. FAO is helping to increase
rice outputs in Asian countries where paddy yields are lower compared to the
region’s efficient rice-farming nations.
Also, FAO is encouraging Asian rice farmers to combine their
harvests with new crop types, including hitherto neglected species, vegetables,
fruits, herbs and spices, medicinal plants and cash crops. Crop and farming
system diversification that includes, inter alia, livestock husbandry,
will not only increase food variety, but also help to reduce the environmental,
economic and nutritional risks associated with planting only one type of
crop.
Expanding rice production has, moreover, reduced profits from
paddy farming. FAO advocates farming diversification by rearing livestock,
planting higher value horticultural and cash crops and marketing value-added
products of all commodities as the best protection against falling farm produce
prices. In Asia and the Pacific, higher value crops produce 10 to 15 times the
net returns per hectare of rice. The region produces over 50 percent of the
world’s industrial crops mainly via smallholders. Industrial crops cover
about 20 percent of available land in the region.
Effective plant quarantine measures keep farm pests and
diseases from spreading. Developing countries in the region have to conform to
new international plant quarantine standards being developed under the new world
trade rules. While protecting farm harvests from pests and crop diseases, it is
important to ensure that the methods used do not cause irreparable damage to the
agrarian ecology and human health. The International Code of Conduct for
Pesticide Management, revised in 2001, requires countries to stop subsidizing
pesticide use. FAO is promoting IPM techniques to eliminate the use of expensive
chemical pest killers that are known to be harmful for farms and consumers. In
addition, FAO is encouraging organic farming such as organic coffee, pepper,
vegetables and fruits.
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Plant production and protection
For food and horticultural crops, the focus has been on
cropping systems that promote high value crops; more effective management of
resources in smallholders’ cropping systems; higher productivity and
sustainable crop production in tropical environments; sustainable
intensification of urban and peri-urban agricultural production systems;
integrated crop management; IPM; and support to the International Rice
Commission. For industrial crops, activities targeted the development of
underutilized species; improved cropping systems and crop diversification; IPM;
and support to regional institutions.
Continued support
was provided to the Asia-Pacific Coconut Community and a new project for
controlling the devastating effects of coconut beetle was initiated in Nauru.
The objective of the project is to establish classical biological control of
coconut leaf beetle. It includes the search, collection, identification and
rearing of Brontispa parasitoids in Samoa, where sustainable biological control
has been achieved, and the introduction of these natural enemies to Nauru. A
technically sound, environmentally friendly and farmer-focused IPM strategy with
corresponding participatory training activities will be developed and
implemented.
An on-farm grain storage
project was formulated for Timor-Leste with the support of UNDP/EU. Support was
also provided in reviewing the prospects for industrial crops, the formulation
of a coconut oil project and a feasibility study for palm oil
production.
Technical assistance was
provided to China, Thailand, Viet Nam, Indonesia and other countries on
diversification and farming systems’ development. This assistance has
brought about a shift from the production of cereals and traditional non-food
crops (rubber, jute and cotton) into high value commodities such as fruits,
vegetables, herbs and spices, medicinal plants, livestock and
aquaculture.
An upgraded soil analysis
facility for rice and maize production in the Democratic People’s Republic
of Korea (DPRK) has resulted in cost-effective fertilizer use recommendations. A
bio-organic fertilizer standard has been established in Lao PDR, contributing to
better quality fertilizer for farmers.
Rural
Asia-Pacific: Inter-disciplinary strategies to combat hunger and poverty. The
rice-based livelihood-support systems (RAP 2002/12) identifies sustainable
strategies to yield more food, incomes and livelihoods in line with the vision
of eradicating hunger and rural poverty in the Asia-Pacific rice lands over the
next three decades. The publication examines the potential of the wide range of
rice-based farming systems in the region to meet the food and livelihood
security demands that will be made on them in the coming decades. It outlines a
menu of interdisciplinary strategies and interventions to enable the rice-based
systems to live up to the challenge and the role that FAO can play.
From farmer field school to
community IPM: Ten years of IPM training in Asia (RAP 2002/15) is a
comprehensive account of IPM as a farmer-centred and local needs-responsive
approach, which was developed on the rice farms of Southeast Asia to tackle the
risks arising from excessive pesticide use promoted by the green revolution. The
publication includes step-by-step instructions on organizing and running
farmers’ field schools along with detailed case studies of farmers’
field schools in Southeast Asia as well as several personal experiences of
farmers who gained from the programme. A separate section outlines the IPM
programme activities in Bangladesh, Cambodia, China, Indonesia, Nepal, Sri Lanka
and Viet Nam.
The lychee crop in Asia and
the Pacific (RAP 2002/16) provides a comprehensive account of the origin,
distribution, production and trade of different species of this commercially
important fruit crop that is cultivated mainly in Bangladesh, China, India,
Nepal, Thailand and Viet Nam. These countries produce more than 1.8 million
tonnes of the about two million tonnes of lychee crop cultivated annually in
Asia, which accounts for over 95 percent of the world lychee harvest.
The Technical Consultation on
Biological Risk Management in Food and Agriculture met in Bangkok, Thailand in
January 2003. The aim was to consult governments on the possibilities to
harmonize, where appropriate, methods of risk analysis to enhance capacity
building, where needed, particularly in developing countries and countries with
economies in transition and to establish an official information exchange system
on biological risk management in food and agriculture ("biosecurity"). FAO has
established a Priority Area for Interdisciplinary Action on Biosecurity to
coordinate this process within the organization.
The first regional
consultation of the FAO project Capacity building in biosafety of genetically
modified crops in Asia, which was convened in Bangkok in July 2003,
identified country-specific strengths and weaknesses relating to national
capacities, including legislation, regulations and policies for the biosafety of
GM crops. It also addressed the prioritization of the support needed in
enhancing the biosafety capacities of the participating countries.
Pacific PestNet: Meeting
plant protection needs in the 21st century (2003-2005): The objective of the
project is to develop and promote an effective e-mail network ("PestNet") among
Pacific Island countries (PICs) by effectively addressing farmers’ plant
protection needs and enhancing delivery of pest diagnoses, quarantine
information and advice to farmers. PestNet will facilitate the identification of
pests and diseases by means of digital photos, which are to be linked to
existing databases such as EcoPort. Relevant training on pest identification and
database management will be provided and a participatory rural appraisal (PRA)
survey will assess farmers’ perceptions and needs in the participating
countries. FAO’s assistance will contribute to improving plant protection
decision-making at the farm level through better access by farmers to
demand-driven services for the identification and control of crop pests and
diseases.
The 7th
international IFOAM organic trade conference and the seminar on production and
export of organic fruit and vegetables in Asia (jointly convened by FAO, IFOAM
[International Federation of Organic Agriculture Movements] and Green Net from
Thailand) were conducted from 1 to 10 November 2003 in Bangkok. The plenary
sessions, workshops and seminars addressed a broad spectrum of important themes
necessary for the further development of organic markets. In addition to
numerous presentations and discussions surrounding the Organic Guarantee System
and the movement’s efforts to harmonize standards and certification, the
conference also emphasized the importance and benefits of interlinking fair
trade and organic agriculture.
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Animal production and
health
Millions of rural households in Asia-Pacific countries depend
on domesticated animals for food, draught power and income. The region has 30
percent of the world’s livestock species. Though livestock food products
are still not a significant part of the diet in developing Asia-Pacific
countries, consumption is growing rapidly.
Developing Asian countries now have the world’s highest
growth rates of production and consumption of food derived from livestock. Meat
production in the region grew from about nine million tonnes in 1961 to more
than 90 million tonnes by the end of the twentieth century. Small farmers
account for the bulk of the livestock production, combining this with cropping
and other agricultural activities.
Traditionally, income from the sale of milk, meat, manure and
other basic livestock products has protected small farmers from the shock of
crop failure and provided a steady livelihood for marginal farmers who do not
have other agricultural resources. Ownership of livestock also helps to
alleviate hunger among the poor. Possession of livestock, which feed on open
grazing lands, allows the rural poor to take advantage of common property
resources to earn income. Livestock also provide a substantial amount of draught
power on Asia-Pacific farms. According to one estimate in 1985, the 30 million
draught animals then in use on Asia’s small farms did work equivalent to
the same number of tractors.
The considerable growth in the region’s poultry and pig
meat industries - the latter accounted for 55 percent of all meat production in
2000 - is promoting a shift from pasture-based production systems to feed
cropping. Some countries have to depend on feed imports to meet the needs of the
livestock industry.
Prevention, control and eradication of communicable livestock
diseases are central to FAO’s livestock development priorities. Some animal
diseases can also be transmitted to humans such as the Nipah virus, which
devastated Malaysia’s pig industry and claimed more than 100 human lives in
1998 and 1999. A number of emerging diseases with the potential to infect humans
have been identified in the past ten years.
Over the past 25 years, developing Asian countries have
introduced several exotic livestock species in a bid to increase productivity.
However, most of these introductions - usually through crossbreeding - have not
been successful. Reasons range from increased feed consumption, lower
reproductive rates and greater disease susceptibility of the new breeds, to the
debts of local farmers who are unable to repay loans taken to procure the exotic
species.
Livestock development is also threatened by the disappearance
of indigenous breeds. Every week, the world loses two breeds of domestic
animals, according to a joint study by FAO and UNEP. The Asia-Pacific region is
home to 99.6 percent of the world’s buffalo breeds; other common livestock
comprise pigs (56.3 percent), goats (62.7 percent), chickens (46.4 percent) and
ducks (85.3 percent). Some livestock species risk extinction, in particular the
H’mong cattle of Viet Nam, which numbered only 14 000 head in
2001.
The coming years are a critical period for livestock
production in Asia and the Pacific. Poorly planned animal-breeding strategies
and the loss of indigenous breeds threaten the region’s ability to meet
future food and livelihood demands. At the same time, the growing demand for
livestock products now offers the opportunity to launch a new food revolution to
reduce poverty and hunger among small farming households that constitute 80
percent of all farming families in Asia and the Pacific.
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Animal production and health
Priorities encompassed economic and environmental
sustainability; food safety; risk analysis of marginalizing smallholder farmers
from market opportunities; threats related to the spread of transboundary and
zoonotic diseases (and concomitantly the development of newly emerging diseases
generated by high animal density and international trade in live animals and
livestock products); and the alarming loss of domestic animal
diversity.
The threat of
endemic diseases, pests and newly emerging diseases - resulting in food
shortages, destabilization of markets and periodically triggering trade barriers
- was addressed jointly by FAO and the World Organisation for Animal Health
(OIE), particularly in the context of FAO’s Emergency Prevention
System for Transboundary Animal and Plant Pests and Diseases (EMPRES) through
the preparation of the Asia component of the Global Framework for the
Progressive Control of Foot and Mouth Disease and other transboundary diseases.
RAP 2002/01 - Manual on the diagnosis of nipah virus infection in
animals, contains information on the emergence of the virus and provides
general principles and detailed instructions for dealing safely with it. It
includes information on risk assessment in field investigations, safety
procedures during field and laboratory investigations, all aspects of control
and eradication along with guidelines for action by the pig industry and
governments to keep the virus out. A series of appendices list hands-on safety
instructions and essential safety equipment.
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FAO supports the Animal Production and Health Commission for Asia
and the Pacific (APHCA) - visit http://www.aphca.org
- and the South Asia Rinderpest Campaign. The 27th session
of APHCA was convened in Lahore, Pakistan in August 2003. Recent APHCA
publications issued by the FAO-RAP are: Some issues associated
with the livestock industries of the Asia-Pacific region. (RAP
2002/06); A basic laboratory manual for the small-scale production
and testing of 1-2 Newcastle disease vaccine (RAP 2002/22); The
livestock industries of Thailand (RAP 2002/23); Report of the
26th Session of the Animal Production and Health Commission
for Asia and the Pacific (APHCA) (RAP 2002/24).
FAO’s Domestic Animal
Diversity Information System (DAD-IS) assists in the conservation and promotion
of animal genetic diversity. In the State of the World’s Animal Genetic
Resources process, country report preparation and convening of regional meetings
are essential. Regional meetings identify regional needs for animal genetic
resources and aim at reaching agreement on priorities for action at the regional
level, in accordance with major production system characteristics. The regional
office also publishes the quarterly Asian livestock on the
Internet.
A regional training workshop
was convened in Fiji to assist the PICs in the preparation of their country
reports as inputs for the State of the World’s Animal Genetic
Resources.
The potential loss of animal
diversity was addressed under the umbrella of FAO’s Global Strategy for the
Management of Farm Animal Genetic Resources. Member countries have agreed to
prepare country reports as input to the first report on the State of the
World’s Animal Genetic Resources.
A consultation, jointly
organized by FAO and the International Feed Industry Federation in Bangkok in
April 2002, discussed changes in livestock systems; enhanced requirements for
protein in the tropics and the potential of ruminants on limited protein intake
to utilize available forage; food safety issues related to animal feed derived
from biotechnology crops, including GMOs; current issues relating to the use of
animal by-products in feed; adaptation of European laws and regulations on
animal feed use, to conditions in developing countries and countries in
transition. Presentations were made by animal production and health experts on
developments and issues relating to livestock production, protein supplies and
the feed industries of selected countries including Australia, Botswana, China,
India, Japan, Malaysia, New Zealand, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Tanzania, Thailand,
Turkey, Viet Nam and countries of the EU.
Under the Livestock,
Environment and Development Initiative (LEAD), three pilot studies in China,
Thailand and Viet Nam were conducted to assess the impact of industrial
livestock production on the environment and the area-wide integration of
specialized crop and livestock activities; they have led to the formulation of a
World Bank/ Global Environment Facility (GEF) project. LEAD is also
investigating the impact of changes in the formal market on poor and small-scale
producers.
In the Pro-Poor Livestock
Policy Initiative (PPLPI), the social consequences of the transformation of the
livestock sector were addressed. The potentials and constraints of small-scale
dairy production for poverty reduction were studied in Bangladesh, India and
Pakistan. PPLPI contributed to the reform of livestock services in the Indian
states of Andhra Pradesh and Orissa.
In December 2003, FAO
published the preliminary results of the first livestock census ever conducted
in Afghanistan. Data covered around three million families. The project was
carried out by FAO and funded by the Government of Italy. The results show that
there are 3.7 million cattle, 8.8 million sheep, 7.3 million goats, 1.6 million
donkeys, 180 000 camels, 140 000 horses and 12.2 million poultry. Comparisons
with earlier livestock surveys showed that the number of farm animals per family
had plummeted. The number of families without livestock has increased from 11.4
to 14.4 families per community due to the drought. The number of cattle per
family has fallen from 3.7 in 1995 to 1.22 in 2003, while the number of sheep
decreased sharply from 21.9 to 2.9 over the same period. The final results of
the Afghan livestock census are expected early in 2004. They will contain
detailed results from household and gender surveys.
The Yak, second edition
(RAP 2003/ 06) traces briefly the development of this animal and then describes
in some detail its characteristics and performance and its products. There is
also a discussion of the more recent research and development projects that may
provide a basis for improvements in yak performance and in the utilization of
rangelands. The research and development may also lead to a wider distribution
for the yak and to the better utilization of yak products.
Eighty-two piglets were
airlifted from the United Kingdom to Bhutan in September 2003, during a
significant logistic operation carried out by FAO. The nucleus for a
pig-breeding programme in land-locked Bhutan, all the piglets survived the
journey and arrived in good health. The importation of live piglets was needed
as pigs in Bhutan are largely in-bred and their numbers are too small to act as
a resource for an expanded breeding programme. The importation of animals of
both sexes of three different breeds will allow the development of adequate
breeding schemes and enhancement of the pig genetic resources of the country.
Funded by FAO within the context of a technical cooperation programme for
improving food security and rural income, the project aims to improve food
production and access to animal proteins in Bhutan.
In Bangladesh a training
programme for the small-scale dairy sector has been underway since August 2003.
The objective is to develop short-term, tailor-made training courses at the
Savar Dairy Farm of the Ministry of Feed and Livestock (MoFL) for persons and
organizations involved in milk production, collection, processing and marketing
in the small-scale sector to improve efficiency and quality throughout the farm
to consumer milk chain. Low-cost technologies for collecting milk from remote
rural areas and for efficient small-scale processing of milk and traditional
dairy products are being promoted. An action plan will be elaborated to sustain
and commercialize future training activities and for the expansion of the
approach to other regions. Small-scale milk producers, collectors and processors
will be able to improve milk production representing a promising way to raise
family income and improve food security.
Protection against
rinderpest and other major diseases of farm livestock through emergency
preparedness planning and new vaccine technology is a project being
conducted in Nepal. The objective is to build up the technical capacities of the
veterinary field services to increase their emergency preparedness by means of
improved contingency planning and disease detection, surveillance, reporting and
data storage/ management. The dialogue between Nepal, India and China with
respect to transboundary animal disease early warning and early reaction will be
strengthened. Strengthening national veterinary services will contribute to
improved animal disease control and thus improved livelihoods of poor livestock
farmers.
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Fisheries
Fish and rice constitute the traditional diet of most Asian
and Pacific people. Per caput fish consumption ranges from the world’s
highest level in the Maldives to among the lowest in Pakistan and parts of
northern India. In the Pacific, subsistence fisheries make an important
contribution to often high levels of per caput supplies. Fish provide nutritious
food, employment and income for millions of people. In 1998, capture fishery
production from this region accounted for half of the world’s production,
and the production from aquaculture reached 88 percent of the global aquaculture
production of fish and shellfish.
The fishery sector thus plays a valuable role for food
security in most countries in the region. However, in general, marine fishery
resources are exploited fully (for example in the Gulf of Thailand, the Bay of
Tonkin and the Bay of Bengal) and many heavily fished stocks will need to be
rehabilitated. It is unlikely that future demands from an increased population
in the region will be met from the seas. Aquaculture, and to a lesser extent
inland fisheries, may provide considerable opportunities for further development
to increase fish production, but the region will probably need to rely more on
imports of fishery products for its future supplies.
For many countries in the region, the central issue remains
that of management and sustainability of the marine resources. Generally,
coastal resources are overfished severely by an overcrowded small-scale fishery
sector. In these domains, catch rates, fish size and quality and, in some cases,
fisherfolk incomes, are declining. Conflicts between small-scale fisheries and
trawlers in the coastal zones are frequent and fishery management is
complicated. Increasingly, partnerships between local communities and the
central government are evolving to develop community-based fishery management
systems for local resources. The prime concern is the need to increase the
supply of fish and the economic benefits from fishing by the introduction and
enforcement of better management.
Aquaculture is an increasingly important supplier of food and
sustainer of food security in many Asian countries. Considerable benefits may be
gained by the better integration of aquaculture into overall rural and
agricultural development programmes. Also, the supply of fish from aquaculture
could be increased by the wider application of technological advances and better
management of fish health. Diversification and genetic improvement of cultured
species needs to be promoted, together with a wider application of
semi-intensive production systems. Governments and FAO are addressing these
issues by promoting appropriate policies and programmes. The implementation of
the Code of Conduct for Responsible Fisheries remains the primary goal for FAO
in Asia and the Pacific. The Code raises awareness from top officials to local
fisherfolk, creating a responsible fishery system that stands on the principles
of protection for living aquatic resources, environmental and coastal areas.
Central to a responsible fishery system is the development of fishery and
aquaculture techniques, as well as conservation measures, in complementation
with enhanced food security and food quality, by all people engaged in the
industry.
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Fisheries
The thrust has been on the sound management and sustainable
use of resources in fisheries and aquaculture; responsible aquaculture
development; and the conservation of marine and inland fisheries’ resources
within the framework of the FAO Code of Conduct for Responsible Fisheries via
the strengthening of regional institutions and international
collaboration.
On 20 February
2003 FAO announced that aquaculture is growing more rapidly than all other
animal food-producing sectors; its contribution to global supplies of fish,
crustaceans and molluscs had increased from 3.9 percent of total production by
weight in 1970 to 27.3 percent in 2000, according to FAO’s State of World
Fisheries and Aquaculture 2002 report (SOFIA). The contribution from aquaculture
increased further to 29 percent in 2001. SOFIA, presented at the 25th
session of FAO’s Committee on Fisheries (COFI), stated that global fish
production remains pushed by aquaculture. COFI is the only global technical
forum for debating international fisheries’ issues.
Commissioned by FAO-RAP, a
review of inland capture fisheries in eight Southeast Asian countries showed
that statistics about the sector are underestimated severely and fail to give an
adequate idea of its real importance. The actual production from inland capture
fisheries in these countries is likely to be at least three times as much as
that reported for freshwater aquaculture production. RAP 2002/11 provides a
regional overview of statistics’ collection and reporting methods used, the
sources of error in the official statistics, other constraints to data
collection and recommends strategies for improvement. A second section reviews
the current state of inland capture fisheries’ statistics in the eight
countries that were reviewed.
RAP 2002/13 Pacific Island
fisheries: regional and country information reviews small-scale commercial
and subsistence fisheries, which are crucial for the national economies, food
security and rural livelihoods in the Pacific. A regional overview provides
detailed information about fisheries in the subregion as issues of coastal
fisheries’ management. There are detailed country profiles with national
fisheries’ data, an overview of marine and inland fisheries and aquaculture
and utilization of the catch. Development prospects, the institutional
arrangements and international issues relevant to the sector are also
reviewed.
Inland capture
fisheries make a valuable contribution to food security in many parts of the
world and especially in the Mekong Basin. However, the contribution that inland
fishery resources make to rural livelihoods is often unknown or underestimated
due to a lack of basic production and consumption information. Accurate
information on the contribution of inland fisheries is essential for responsible
development. To address these concerns an ad-hoc expert consultation was
convened in September 2002 with the overall objective of improving the state of
knowledge in inland capture fisheries in the subregion. Key uses of accurate
information identified by the meeting were: (1) to determine the status and
trends of the fishery and the environment; (2) to assess correctly the value of
inland fisheries; (3) to allocate appropriate resources to the inland
fisheries’ sector; and (4) to fulfill international obligations. New
approaches for the improvement of inland capture fishery statistics in the
Mekong Basin. Ad-hoc expert consultation (RAP 2003/01) details these
issues.
Experts from eight countries
met in Bangkok in February 2002 to share experiences and discuss ways of making
aquaculture an effective tool for poverty alleviation in the region. The
consultation - jointly organized with the Network of Aquaculture Centers in
Asia-Pacific (NACA) - responded to the growing awareness within the aquatic
resource sector of the need to address poverty more directly. The session noted
that user-friendly aquaculture technologies for the poor are largely in place
and aquaculture development for poverty alleviation should focus on the
effective extension of low-cost technologies, appropriate management practices
and securing access and control to the poor.
Myanmar aquaculture and
inland fisheries (RAP 2003/8) reports the outcome of two missions, one to
coastal areas and one to inland areas, fielded by FAO-RAP, NACA and the
Australian Centre for International Agricultural Research (ACIAR). The purpose
of the missions was to review the status of aquaculture and small-scale inland
fisheries; to identify areas for technical assistance related to the sustainable
development of coastal and inland aquaculture and management of aquatic
resources; and to identify immediate assistance opportunities. The report
includes the findings of the missions as well as conclusions and recommendations
in support of the long-term sustainability of fishery resources in
Myanmar.
Collaborative activities with
regional partners (NACA, Southeast Asian Fisheries Development Center [SEAFDEC],
Mekong River Commission [MRC] and Worldfish Centre) included a regional donor
consultation on the Role of Aquaculture and Living Aquatic Resources (the
Philippines), the Second International Symposium on the Management of Large
Rivers for Fisheries (Cambodia), a regional seminar on Accessing and Meeting
Requirements of Markets for Aquaculture Products (the Philippines) and a
regional workshop on Use of International Mechanisms for the Control and
Responsible Use of Alien Species in Aquatic Ecosystems (China).
FAO provided technical and
financial assistance in organizing the collaborative FAO-ASEAN Strategic
Planning Workshop on Harmonization of Standards for Shrimp Import-Export in
Thailand from 4 to 6 November 2003 in Bangkok.
Shrimp aquaculture production
in India boomed between 1990 and 1995 when it reached 97 500 tonnes, but
decreased to 54 500 tonnes in 1997, mainly due to a viral disease epidemic,
caused by the White Spot Syndrome Virus. The objective of the project Health
management of shrimp aquaculture in Andhra Pradesh (2003-2004) is to assist
the Department of Fisheries in Andhra Pradesh in effectively managing the
disease epidemic, creating national capacities for emergency preparedness,
empowering rural farmers by providing tools for better self-management of
farming systems, improving the quality of hatchery produced postlarvae, and
establishing overall better management practices and integrated coastal area
management for the future sustainability of shrimp aquaculture. FAO’s
assistance will contribute to reducing economic losses and sustaining the shrimp
aquaculture production in Andhra Pradesh.
The project Poverty
alleviation through improved aquatic resources management in Asia
(2003-2005) has been established to identify aquatic resource management
issues impacting on the livelihoods of the poor; monitor and evaluate different
management approaches; extend information; network within and between sectors
and countries; and help with learning and communications to support agencies and
institutions to (a) utilize existing and emerging information more effectively;
(b) better understand poor people’s livelihoods; and (c) enable poor people
to exert greater influence over policies and processes that impact on their
lives. The project will contribute to enhancing the livelihoods of rural people
through the improved management of aquatic resources.
The 69th Meeting of
the APFIC Executive Committee was held from 15 to 17 December 2003 in Pattaya,
Thailand. The main agenda reviewed the future direction of the Asia-Pacific
Fishery Commission (APFIC). Specifically, the committee considered the potential
of APFIC’s future role as a Regional Consultative Forum and the value of
this to the member countries.
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Forestry
Photograph: Thomas Enters
Covering one-quarter of the world’s land area, the
Asia-Pacific region is home to about 15 percent of the world’s 3.8 billion
hectares of forest. The green cover has to meet the diverse environmental,
economic, cultural and social needs of more than half the world’s
population who live in these countries. Asia’s forests provide food,
fodder, fuelwood, timber and livelihoods to hundreds of millions of people. The
forests also sustain one of the world’s richest storehouses of
biodiversity.
The forestry sector provides formal and informal employment
for millions of people and continues to act as a food reserve in times of
hardship. Forests play an important role in supporting agriculture in the mainly
rural Asian nations by protecting watersheds and water quality. Furthermore
forestry is a significant contributor to export earnings in many
countries.
In recent decades, many countries in Asia and the Pacific have
realized the importance of forests and there is growing awareness of and
commitment to sustainable forest management and public involvement in forest
management decisions. This has resulted in a significant impact on forest
conservation, and the problem of destructive logging practices is being
addressed in several countries.
The use of plantation forests to substitute for wood from
natural forests is increasing with Asia-Pacific countries leading the world in
forest plantation development. However, deforestation continues because of weak
regulations and law enforcement, and continuing incentives for competing land
uses; juxtaposed with forest degradation, wasteful use and sharp inequalities in
the distribution of forest benefits, these are serious problems that require
novel solutions and joint action by all those with an interest in forests.
Forest crime and corruption are also serious threats to the region’s
forests.
Many countries in the region are now decentralizing forest
management into the hands of local communities that are directly in touch with
the forests. This fundamental shift from large-scale government forestry to
small-scale, community-based forestry management - often called devolution - is
proving increasingly to be an effective way of using forests sustainably and
conserving biodiversity.
A key concern is the sustainable use of wood and non-wood
forest products. FAO gives high priority to the production, trade and marketing
of these products to support livelihoods in the rural areas of Asia and the
Pacific.
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Forestry
Improved management, sustainable development and productive
use of forests and forest resources for food security and improved rural
livelihoods have received considerable attention. In line with the FAO Strategic
Plan for Forestry and guidance provided by the Asia-Pacific Forestry Commission
(APFC), priority was attached to better forest management and harvesting;
balancing wood supply and demand; reforming forestry institutions; strengthening
national forest policies and institutions; and improving forestry
statistics.
In tropical
forests, reduced impact logging (RIL) has been tested and applied on a small
scale for more than a decade. Various timber-producing countries in Asia and the
Pacific have recognized its potential for advancing SFM. Yet many questions
remain and the lack of sound and appropriate information continues to impede the
widespread application of RIL. Applying reduced impact logging to advance
sustainable forest management (RAP 2002/14) helps fill this critical
information gap. The publication reflects an important milestone in the efforts
to improve forest management in the region.
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FAO supports the APFC - visit http://www.apfcweb.org
- established in 1949 as a forum for advising and taking action on
key forestry issues pertinent to the region. The APFC has developed
a Code of Practice for Forest Harvesting in Asia-Pacific to reduce
negative impacts and enhance the sustainability of forest resources.
The Code guides countries in drafting national harvesting codes. Increased
political commitment for the expanded application of sustainable forest
harvesting practices in the region is evidenced by the formal endorsement
by ASEAN of the Code of Practice for Forest Harvesting in Asia-Pacific.
To support countries in their
efforts to encourage forest plantation development, FAO coordinated a series of
national studies on the impacts of incentives for private sector establishment
and management of plantations. A workshop was held in March 2002 in Manila,
bringing together forestry experts and FAO specialists to discuss the national
studies. The results of the studies including a regional overview were presented
at the 19th APFC session, which was convened in Mongolia in August
2002 (for details see RAP 2002/21).
Information on involving
communities in fire management is still scarce, widely scattered and only slowly
emerging. Communities in flames: Proceedings of an international conference
on community involvement in fire management (RAP 2002/25) provides
first-hand insights into community-based forest fire management. The strength of
the publication lies in the diversity of the contributions and the recognition
that the role that communities can play is not overstated. Other stakeholders,
including the government and the private sector, must also play a substantial
role in forest fire management.
Giants on our hands:
Proceedings of the international workshop on the domesticated Asian elephant
(RAP 2002/ 30) is the outcome of the first ever international workshop on
domesticated elephants conducted by FAO-RAP. The workshop defined the situation
of domesticated elephants; identified priority areas of work, especially on
registration and laws; developed workplans for each identified priority area;
and developed a networking mechanism. The publication should serve as a useful
source of information and a good reference guide for elephant managers,
specialists, NGOs and donors seeking opportunities to improve the management and
utilization of Asian elephants.
Under the National Forest
Programme Facility, capacities were strengthened for implementing effective
forest policies and programmes. The Facility established partnerships with
China, Indonesia, Mongolia, the Philippines and Thailand.
Practical guidelines for
the assessment, monitoring and reporting on national level criteria and
indicators for sustainable forest management in dry forests in Asia (RAP
2003/05) is a comprehensive instruction book on collecting and assembling
national level information and reporting. The guidelines provide tools or
detailed information on (a) formulating aspects to be assessed for each
individual indicator; (b) describing how to obtain, compile and process the
relevant information; (c) identifying the means used for data collection; and
(d) periodicity of measurement and measurements to be used. In addition, a
format is provided for reporting on each individual assessment aspect and for
monitoring the indicators using the information collected in two or more
subsequent assessments.
Concerned with the severity of
forestry problems, a number of countries in the region have implemented numerous
forest rehabilitation projects to bring back the forests. While much knowledge
and experience have been gained from these initiatives, they have not been
widely publicized or adopted. There is an urgent need to bring this
understanding to the natural resource managers and policy-makers so that
appropriate action is taken and supporting policies are adopted. Bringing
back the forests. Policies and practices for degraded lands and forests:
Proceedings of the international conference (RAP 2003/ 14) is a collection
of some of the most valuable papers that have been produced recently on the
subject.
Phase II of The Forestry
Research Support Programme for Asia and the Pacific (FORSPA) concluded in 2002.
FORSPA, established by FAO in 1991, was designed to assist research institutions
in the Asia-Pacific Region to strengthen their science and technology
capabilities in forestry research. Phase II was funded by the
Netherlands’ government.
A Forestry and wildlife
regulations project is ongoing in Kazakhstan (2003-2004). The objectives of
the project are to assist the government in designing regulations for the Forest
Code and the Wildlife Law and to strengthen national capabilities for the proper
enforcement of the laws and regulations, with a view to creating an appropriate
legal framework for the sound management of forests and wildlife. The end
results will be two sets of detailed regulations on forestry and wildlife for
the effective implementation of the new Forest Code and the new Wildlife Law. A
technical study on the C&I for SFM will also be prepared and national
capacities will be enhanced to support the enforcement of forestry and wildlife
legal instruments.
Forest resources in Mongolia
are scarce and increasingly susceptible to insect pest infestations. It is
estimated that if no immediate action is taken the country will lose around 30
percent of its forest resources within the next decade. The objectives of
Emergency measures for control of Siberian caterpillar and other major forest
pests (2003-2005) are a) to reduce the pest population to an economically
acceptable level by providing some of the necessary spray equipment and a
limited amount of biological pesticide sufficient to spray the most heavily
infested, high value forest and to cover the hire of fixed-wing planes for spray
operations; and b) to strengthen the national capacity to contain future pest
outbreaks through in-country training on IPM and pesticide application. It is
expected that the pest population will be reduced substantially and national
capacities to control future pest outbreaks will be strengthened.
Strengthening the
institutional capacity of the Samoa Forestry Division (SFD) to effectively plan
and manage forest resources. The objective of this project is to improve the
institutional capacity of the SFD to plan and manage the country’s forest
resources on a sustainable basis effectively. The development of an appropriate
forestry information system is foreseen for SFD staff. Special emphasis will be
given to monitoring aspects and to the application of tools to improve forest
planning and decision-making processes. The capacity to assess and update
information on the country’s forest resources to ensure its sustainable
management will be strengthened.
FAO and partner organizations
convened a workshop and study on assisted natural regeneration (ANR) in the
Philippines in April 2002 to highlight the potential and opportunities of ANR as
a restoration strategy. The workshop underscored the importance of ANR in the
broader context of SFM and the potential for cost-effective rehabilitation of
forestlands through more aggressive implementation of ANR. Advancing assisted
natural regeneration (ANR) in Asia and the Pacific (RAP 2003/19) includes
selected papers dealing with the technical, environmental and social dimensions
of ANR, as well as papers describing country initiatives.
In collaboration with partner
organizations, FAO organized international conferences on community forestry and
community-based forest fire management. Pro-poor approaches to forest management
for food security and poverty alleviation were promoted through support to the
model forest approach and community forestry. A series of seminars on managing
forests to help alleviate poverty were organized in China, India and Republic of
Korea.
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Agricultural support
systems
Deregulation, liberalization and globalization of trade in
agricultural products under the new World Trade Organization (WTO) regulations
have a considerable impact on domestic agricultural producers in the region.
Small farmers need support not only to be more productive, but also to make
their produce more marketable in order to enhance their incomes.
In the present era of globalization there is a critical need
to strengthen the capabilities of small farmers to move from subsistence
production to agricultural enterprises. Commercializing small farmers is a very
complex process involving the cultural and psychological settings of the farmers
themselves as well as the economic and market-oriented performance of the
agricultural sector through increased efficiency of the farms and the private
and public providers of related support services.
To effectively build the capacity of small resource-poor
farmers to adopt market-oriented farm production generally will require some
form of group action for the identification of appropriate commercial enterprise
activities; relevant business management principles and practices; methods to
add value and market agricultural products; and access services such as rural
and microfinance.
To accomplish this aim, FAO-RAP promotes market-oriented farm
production and support to small farmers. It also works with the private sector
to provide agricultural inputs to rural areas, and to develop efficient
marketing chains for diverse agricultural products to meet both rural and urban
needs.
Farmers in the region also need assistance to reduce heavy
postproduction losses and add value to their produce. FAO is assisting
Asia-Pacific countries to develop postproduction loss prevention programmes and
agro-processing technologies, especially for cereals and horticultural crops.
The aim is to enhance rural employment and incomes through the development of
agro-industries, value-added products and the full utilization of raw
materials.
FAO helps to enhance rural employment and income opportunities
both on and off farm; promotes a diversified and integrated market-oriented
farming system approach for sustainable development; and enhances the managerial
capacities of the smallholders in support of commercial agriculture through
improved agricultural extension strategies.
Rural and microfinance are increasingly important tools of
rural and agricultural development in Asia and the Pacific. FAO promotes viable
rural banking, savings and agricultural credit schemes as tools to alleviate
poverty. However, lack of proper administration, recording and accounting
systems to process the huge number of transactions associated with this type of
finance, is a common problem.
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Agricultural support systems
The main thrust has been on rural finance juxtaposed with
the increasing need for microfinance; the development of legal and regulatory
procedures for national microfinance institutions; the development and upgrading
of market information services; market-oriented production for small
farmers’ households; the integration of rural areas in national and global
markets; the judicious use of mechanization in agriculture; postharvest
management; and value added through agroprocessing.
In collaboration
with GTZ, FAO Bangkok acts as the global development and support centre for the
MicroBanking system, currently in use in more than 1 100 offices worldwide. The
MicroBanking System (MicroBanker) is a retail banking software product designed
and developed by FAO for small- to medium-sized financial institutions. It is a
unique software system that combines high performance features - real time
transaction processing and integrated operation - and low cost computer hardware
requirements. The MicroBanker is an integrated package consisting of the
following modules: Loans, Savings Accounts, Current Accounts, Shares Accounts
(for credit unions and cooperatives), Time Deposits, Customer Information and
General Ledger. The new Windows-based version, called MBWin, is the system of
choice for many rural finance and microfinance institutions. Six training
courses were held for participants from Africa, Asia and Europe, and the
software upgrade with added functionalities for group technologies is used by
institutions such as the Grameen Bank in Bangladesh. In addition, five
specialized training courses were held and 38 experts were trained in the
installation of the system. A total of 70 systems have been installed in seven
countries and promotional seminars were held in two other countries.
FAO assisted with the
establishment of the Instituiço de Micro-Finanças de Timor Leste
(IMFTL) through technical assistance and training for MBWin and a head
office-based Management Information System (MIS). The IMFTL engages in
group-based microfinance, employing Grameen technologies and also provides
microfinance services to individuals. During the project, three branches were
opened, more than 29 staff were trained, branch procedures, savings and loan
products were designed and manuals prepared. The IMFTL mobilized more than one
million US dollars in savings within 15 months.
FAO maintains
close collaboration with development partners dealing with rural and
microfinance such as the Asia-Pacific Rural and Agricultural Credit Association
(APRACA), the Association of Food and Agricultural Marketing Agencies in Asia
and the Pacific (AFMA) and ESCAP.
A project entitled Capacity
building in farm management, marketing and agribusiness for young farmer groups
is underway in Tonga. The objective of the project is to assist the
ministry’s extension programme and the Future farmer project in the
capacity building of young farmers’ groups and to enhance the recognition
of the important role young farmers have for the future development of the
agricultural sector. A wide range of training courses for extension workers and
young farmers is being conducted and appropriate training material is being
produced and made available. A national marketing and distribution network will
be strengthened by relevant training on market data storage and analysis as well
as by the supply of computer equipment. It is expected that extension staff,
participating Peace Corps Volunteers and selected members of young farmers’
groups will apply relevant farm management tools for farm business analysis and
will have improved knowledge and skills for the marketing of fresh
products.
To overcome land shortages in
Nepal, the most appropriate way to increase feed production seems to be planting
of winter fodder, e.g. fodder oats, in irrigated areas after the paddy rice
harvest. The objective of the project Capacity building for fodder oat
technologies (2003-2005) is to build up the necessary technical capacity of
technicians, extension staff and farmers in fodder oats’ (and accompanying
forage legumes) technology to identify better multi-cut oat cultivars; to
prepare and demonstrate fodder oat management packages, including haymaking, on
farmers’ fields; and to assure seed supply through local production.
Strengthening national services and farmers’ technical skills in fodder oat
management and seed production will contribute to improved availability of
livestock feed, particularly during the critical winter period and thus improved
livelihoods of poor farmers.
Rising agricultural production
since the 1980s has not only increased the cropping area and crop yield in
Jiangsu Province, China, but also the volume of crop straw, mainly wheat and
paddy rice straw. Due to a shift in rural energy structure, an increasing amount
of straw residues is not utilized anymore but burnt in the fields or discarded
to rivers and roadsides. The objective of the project Promotion of advanced
straw utilization technologies in Jiangsu province (2004-2005) is to
introduce, demonstrate and extend advanced on-farm technologies for efficient
straw utilization such as conservation agriculture, recycling-straw-to-soil,
feeding-straw-to-livestock and growing mushrooms on straw medium. Technical
training for village-level technicians and farmers is being conducted to enable
them to adopt key techniques and to increase their awareness of the harmful
effects of the improper treatment of surplus straw. Appropriate straw
utilization techniques will contribute to increasing crop production and
farmers’ incomes while at the same time reducing straw
surpluses.
In 2003, Empowering
vulnerable groups through training on village level food processing assisted
Cambodia in the social and economic integration of vulnerable groups of women,
disabled persons, demobilized soldiers and their families into rural community
life, through the improvement of their micro-enterprise management and marketing
skills as well as the provision of vocational training and job opportunities.
This has led to enhanced employment generation and income of vulnerable groups
by processing and adding value to agricultural crops.
Despite unprecedented rates of
economic growth, food insecurity remains a major challenge for many countries in
Asia-Pacific. Although the output of food grains and other agricultural
commodities in many of these predominantly agricultural countries has recorded
impressive gains, the incomes of small and marginal farmers have failed to
improve to desired levels. Rural poverty and food insecurity at the household
level remain pronounced, despite pervasive government interventions in
agricultural markets. Apart from internal challenges, the countries of the
region also face challenges posed by rapid changes in the international trade
and economic environment. FAO brought together a mini roundtable meeting to seek
the views of member countries and to establish priorities for its programme of
work in agricultural marketing for the next few years. Participating countries
were China, India, Indonesia, Republic of Korea, Nepal, the Philippines
and Thailand. AFMA also participated. Proceedings of the mini roundtable
meeting on agricultural marketing and food security (RAP 2003/02) outlines
the outcome of the two-day roundtable meeting, including the main conclusions
and recommendations that emerged.
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