Annexes

18 October

- Announcement on Radio Thailand world service and an interview with He Changchui, ADG/RR on World Food Day celebration (07:00 o’clock news)

- Advertisement in the Bangkok Post

- Advertisement in the Nation

- 20:00 hrs. news report on WFD celebration at FAO Regional Office on all TV Channels - 3, 5, 7, 9, 11 and iTV

- News reporting on CCTV

19 October

- Minister of Agriculture and Cooperatives, Thailand appeared on TV channel 11 on the occasion of WFD

- Thai News Service report

20 October

- Thai News Service report

21 October

- Post Today newspaper article on WFD and this year’s theme

29 October

- An interview with He Changchui, ADG/RR on Radio Thailand world service on the national World Food Day celebration in Thailand (07:00 o’clock news)

- TeleFood video at national WFD celebration, DG’s message

- News on national WFD celebration at Udon Thani on TV channel 5, 18:00 hrs.

2 November

- two hours tape broadcast of the opening of national WFD celebration and concert on TV channel 9, 16:00 - 18:00 hrs.

Thai farmer receives UN awards for improving livelihoods of others

20 October 2004
Thai News Service

Section: General News - United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) has awarded five Asian farmers, including a female Thai peasant, for improving the livelihoods of fellow villagers in their communities, the FAO said in its press release received here on Monday.

Her Royal Highness Crown Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn, who was last week elected as the goodwill ambassador of the UN World Food Programme (WFP), presented the awards to the five Asian farmers at an event marking the celebration of the World Food Day 2004, held at the UN regional headquarters in Bangkok.

These five farmers, who are four women and one man, are recognized for their marvelous agricultural practices and methods in different fields - highland farming, dry land farming, rice farming, fishing, and agro-forestry, said the press release.

19 October 2004
Organisation of Asia-Pacific News Agencies

BANGKOK, Oct 19 (TNA) - The United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) has awarded five Asian farmers, including a female Thai peasant, for improving the livelihoods of fellow villagers in their communities, the FOA said in its press release received here on Monday.

Her Royal Highest Crown Princess Maha Chakri Siridhorn, who was last week elected as the goodwill ambassador of the UN World Food Programme (WFP), presented the awards to the five Asian farmers at an event marking the celebration of the World Food Day 2004, held at the UN regional headquarters in Bangkok.

These five farmers, who are four women and one man, are recognized for their marvelous agricultural practices and methods in different fields - highland farming, dry land farming, rice farming, fishing, and agro-forestry, said the press release.

Mrs. Marasri Singsawak, the 58-year-old Thai awardee, a rice farmer from Thailand’s northern province of Utaradit was chosen for her outstanding achievement in rice farming.

“A meal without rice isn’t really a meal,” said Marasri, adding that she was taught by her parents to respect the tradition and not to neglect the land since she was young.

Marasri had pioneered in growing Hom Mali Rice 105, which once could be grown only in the country’s Northeast.

She owns a small farm land where she has practiced the self-sufficient agriculture advocated by His Majesty King Bhumipol Adulyadej.

She has grown rice, fruits and vegetables, while raising fish and livestock.

FAO also praised Marasri for her relentless role in promoting organic farming in her village, campaigning against the use of pesticides and modern fertilizers.

She led farmers in a food conservation program and built a community rice mill.

Besides devoting her energy in women development, Marasri has also involved in community services to help the disabled and the elderly people, the FAO press release said.

Another female farmer who won the award for her outstanding achievement in highland farming comes from a tiny village of Remi in Bhutan.

Kaka Dema is a 22-year-old highland farmer and a mother of one.

FAO praised Kaka Dema for her pioneership in breaking away from Bhutan’s traditional agriculture by introducing new and various kinds of vegetables and grains into her Himalayan community.

Kaka has earned extra cashes from the surplus of her fresh produces, and has bought in some cows and hens.

She has saved up and plans to buy a bullock for plowing her own land.

Farmers in Bhutan traditionally earn a living by herding animals and growing a few kinds of simple vegetables.

Kaka Dema has set a model for other farmers to survive and prosper their land which sits over 3,000 meters above sea level, said the FAO press release.

Two more female farmers who won the awards are from China and Indonesia.

FAO awarded Tou Shenglian, a 30-year-old mother of two, for her outstanding achievement in dry land farming. Tou was originally from Ningxia Huizu autonomous region in northwestern China.

She later moved to live with her husband in Xinji, the most arid area in China with only 300 millimeters of rain each year.

FAO said Tou has set an example of new innovation by using plastic sheet in trapping moisture in the dry land, and has successfully grown corn, vegetables and grasses for her sheep.

The award for outstanding achievement in agro-forest went to the 38-year-old Onah Lasmanah from Indonesia, who helped creating a sustainable forest ecosystem in her village of Cimaragas on the island of Java, where farmers had faced with drought and soil problems due to deforestation.

Onah planted mahogany trees on waste land near her village as a community forest fro everyone to care for.

She grows rice, vegetables, medicinal plants and other crops on the space of land between the trees.

She raises free range chicken and livestock which have brought into the community extra income and a sustainable way of agriculture, said the FAO press release.

FAO also gave the award of outstanding achievement as a Pacific fisher to the 64-year-old Uhotau Pasisi from Niue, an island in the South Pacific.

Uhotau Pasisi was praised for his leadership in sustainable fishing.

As a grandfather of six, he has been a fisherman for 45 years.

He has conserved and improved the livelihoods of others by encouraging young men and women to fish as a mean to support families, communities, and to conserve it as an important part of their culture and lifestyle. (TNA)-E110, E002.

PROTECTING BIODIVERSITY FOR FOOD SECURITY

By Chen Hong

18 October 2004
China Daily

18 October 2004
Business Daily Update

Saturday marked this year’s World Food Day, an annual occasion marked by the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) of the United Nations in 1981 to improve public awareness on worldwide malnutrition.

China recognized World Food Day with exhibitions and public education activities.

But two prizes won by Chinese scientists recently added extra colour to the anniversary.

On October 6, a paper presented by Zhu Youyong, a professor from Yunnan Agricultural University, and his team won first prize in the rice agronomy category - study of the soil rice is grown in - in the International Year of Rice Global Scientific Contest.

On October 14, Yuan Longping, China’s “father of hybrid rice,” shared this year’s World Food Prize with Ghanaian biologist Monty Jones for their work in producing high-yield rice.

The two prizes demonstrated the ability of Chinese scientists in the international arena and the achievements of numerous Chinese researchers in their work to improve the quality and availability of food for the world.

The accomplishment of Chinese scientists is actually a result of heavy pressure to ensure the country’s own food security.

Feeding China - which has the world’s largest population - was once a huge headache for the government.

China is hard-pushed to do so, having to feed 20 per cent of the world’s people with less than 10 per cent of the global total cultivated farmland.

While the Chinese Government makes all necessary efforts to feed its people, mistaken beliefs and doubts from the international community are never really silenced, despite over-blown concerns in Lester R. Brown’s book “Who will feed China” long having been proved wrong by the solid figures in China’s grain output.

Since the late 1990s, China has been able to feed its people with the grain it produced. And in 2003, the total output of grain in China was 430.7 million tons, allowing China to become a net exporter of corn and rice as well as satisfying its own demands.

Chinese agro-scientists, with Yuan Longping as their best representative, and efforts to promote their work have meant China has successfully found the way to feed its people.

At the same time, the country is sharing its own technology of cultivating high-yield hybrid rice with other rice-growing countries, like Viet Nam and India.

Chinese people can thus mark World Food Day with pride in contributing in this way to easing hunger across the world.

However, China still has a bit to do in protection of biodiversity, a theme of World Food Day 2004.

As the FAO has advocated, we depend on biodiversity for food supply.

Were it not for biodiversity, the high-yield hybrid rice would not have had the power to lift the output per hectare by more than 30 per cent.

The biodiversity of plants, whether used or not in agricultural production, is the basis of sustainable growth for agriculture, which has to cater to the needs of the growing population.

China has not done as much as it should to preserve biodiversity.

Neither has it become widely perceived among the public or officials that certain life forms with unique traits have incalculable values so biodiversity should be protected for the country’s strategic interests both at present and in the future.

So biodiversity protection has come just in time to remind the authorities, scientists and the public of the direction they should work towards.

Burmese premier notes efforts to improve food security, biodiversity

17 October 2004
BBC Monitoring Asia Pacific

Burmese Prime Minister Gen Khin Nyunt has pledged to cooperate with the international community on food security in an address to mark World Food Day in Rangoon. In his address, broadcast by Burmese radio, he said Burma’s goals included domestic food sufficiency, expansion into international markets and the implementation of the Five Rural Development Tasks which cover issues such as rural transport, health and education standards. He noted that 70% of the Burmese population depend on agriculture, livestock, fishery and forestry sectors for their livelihoods, and that the government has prioritized development in these areas accordingly. The following is an excerpt from a report by Burmese radio on 16 October

A ceremony to mark World Food Day was held at the International Business Centre on Prome Road, in Yangon [Rangoon] at 0800 [local time] today. Prime Minister Gen Khin Nyunt addressed the ceremony. He said: The World Food Day is being observed every year on 16 October which is the anniversary of the foundation of the Food and Agriculture Organization [FAO]. Today, the occasion is being commemorated all over the world with the theme designated by the FAO: Biodiversity for Food Security. The objective of that theme is to highlight the importance of biodiversity in making nutritious food sufficiently available in the long run and ensuring people with a happy and healthy life.

We believe that food security and freedom from starvation are the most fundamental rights of humankind, and therefore, pledge to cooperate with the international community to ensure that the people of the world share these rights equitably. However, an FAO report said that around 840 million people in the world are still suffering from hunger and malnutrition. Global efforts so far have not been enough to realize the goal set by the World Food Summit and related millennium development plans to reduce the number of the hungry by half by 2015. Myanmar [Burma], on its part, has resolved to attain that goal either individually or with the cooperation of international organizations. In this connection, Myanmar would like to affirm that it has already taken measures to eliminate hunger and ensure food sufficiency in cooperation with the international community.

As Myanmar is working steadfastly to realize its national economic goals based on agriculture, it has laid down relevant strategies, given priority to developing the farming, livestock breeding, and forestry sectors and ensuring all-round development of rural areas. Since the livelihood of about 70 per cent of Myanmar’s population of 53 million is dependent on the agriculture, livestock and fishery, and forestry sectors, the government has prioritized the performance and production of these sectors and that has greatly contributed to food security and economic development.

Presently, Myanmar’s goal for its agriculture sector is food sufficiency domestically and expansion into markets internationally. Successes are deservedly being achieved thanks to our endeavours. Our rice production has significantly increased. We are making full use of our natural resources for regional and global food security, and we have set objectives and are carrying them out by way of introducing high-quality and high-yielding strains and mechanization of traditional farming. Our agriculture researchers are being encouraged to do their best and they are evidently doing their utmost to produce good quality high-yielding paddy strains.

Thanks to the development measures initiated and due to the encouragement that the state has been providing to the livestock breeding sector, which is linked to the agriculture sector, there have been substantial production increases in that sector. Livestock breeding is an important source for domestic food supply and income generation as well as for traditional farming. We are, therefore, giving priority to the development of livestock breeding and necessary measures have been undertaken with the assistance of the IAEA [Joint FAO/IAEA (International Atomic Energy Agency) Division of Nuclear Techniques in Food and Agriculture] to increase the breeding rate of cattle. At the same time, we are also seeking assistance from regional and international organizations, including the FAO, for the prevention of avian flu. To prevent foot-and-mouth diseases which are affecting the livestock sector, the government has cooperated with the UNDP [United Nations Development Programme] and the FAO, in setting up laboratories to produce vaccines.

The forestry sector will be explained briefly now. Myanmar is not only rich in cultural and traditional values but also endowed with abundant natural resources, including forests. As more than half of the country is covered with forests, Myanmar is one of the most forest-covered countries in the Asia and Pacific region. The livelihoods of more than 70 per cent of the population who live in rural areas are, in one way or another linked, to forests and forestry products. In other words, the forestry sector plays a pivotal and significant role in the socioeconomic development of the people. Myanmar is well-known in the world for managing its forests on a scientific, systematic, and sustainable basis for over a period of 150 years. The Myanmar Forest Law of 1992 highlights Myanmar’s intent to fully protect Myanmar’s forests, preserve and protect the natural environment and biodiversity, extend reserved forests, and preserve natural lands.

To rehabilitate the Pegu Yoma, a five-year Pegu Yoma Greening Project (2004-05 to 2008-09), which is considered as one of the priorities of the state, has been laid down. A total of almost 200,000 acres of various types of trees and plants will be grown under this project. For prevention of the environmental degradation of the central dry zone of Myanmar, a 30-year integrated plan (2001-2002 to 2030-2031) was formulated. Since 1994, plantations covering 269,230 acres were established and natural forests covering 1.1m acres have been put under systematic protection. Weather conditions in the region have changed as a result and local people can now cultivate crops. Four more districts have been added to the nine-district greening zone project which started in 1994 and the dry regions in the 13-district project have started to turn green.

In addition, Five Rural Development Tasks aimed at developing the rural areas which are home to the majority of the nation’s people were implemented starting in 2002 in accordance with the guidance of Head of State Sr Gen Than Shwe. The project covers development of rural transport, improving the health and education standards of the rural people, developing the rural economy, including the agriculture and livestock breeding business, and supplying irrigation and hygienic potable water. The project is being systematically implemented with the collaboration of government departments, volunteers, social organizations, and the local people.

In addition, Myanmar has been making strenuous efforts to conserve biodiversity and replenish the endangered species of the country. As Myanmar is committed to protecting and preserving sustainable development and natural resources, Myanmar has keenly participated in international conventions such as the UN Convention on Biological Diversity and the Framework Convention on Climate Change in 1994, and the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Flora and Fauna (CITIES) in 1997. Accordingly, Hukawng region in northernmost of Myanmar was designated as Hukawng Tiger Reserve.

Since biodiversity is the key in fighting hunger and malnutrition, it is essential for all countries in the world to join hands and act in concert with the slogan, Biodiversity for Food Security, so as to help feed the present and future generations. Hence, to free the people of the world from deprivations like hunger and poverty and achieve a world that is, united, equitable, and sufficient in food, the world community is urged to strive with a sense of equality and without social distinction in accordance with the

PGR News
Pohnpei World Food Day Agricultural Fair a Success
Lois Englberger, Pohnpei.

Over 500 people gathered Friday 15 October at the Spanish Wall Baseball Field to celebrate World Food Day along with a diversity of local food crops, an amazing display of huge yams, and presentations of the Art, Essay, and Healthy Cooking Competitions, following the theme: Island Foods - Grow and eat yellow varieties for health and wealth.

The activity was organized by the World Food Day Committee and Island Food Community of Pohnpei, with Pohnpei Agriculture of Economic Affairs, College of Micronesia-FSM, Departments of Education and Health, Head Start, Attorney-General’s Office, and CSP.

Over $4500 in prize money was presented to farmers, competing in 50 categories with 288 entries and displaying 17 varieties of bananas, including 14 yellow-fleshed varieties having great health benefits: Karat Pako, Karat Pwehu, Karat Kole, Mangat, Ihpali, Kudud, Karat en Iap, Utin Iap, Utimwas, Taiwang, Akadahn, Akadahn Weitahta, Utiak, and Utin Kerenis. The high value of these yellow-fleshed varieties was emphasized by the high prizes ($50, $40, and $30 for first, second, and third prizes compared to $15, $10, and $5 for the corresponding prizes for the common varieties (Utin Ruk, Utin Menihle, and Inasio). Participants in the five categories of yellow-fleshed giant swamp taro varieties competed for the same high prizes as the carotenoid-rich banana varieties.

Emeren Manasa and Moses Edgar pulled in the highest prizes of the Fair, $245 each, as their whopper single vine (oahnoapwoat) 245-pound Kehp en Peniou yams tied for 1st Prize. The yam prizes were awarded by weight, at $1/pound. Kesia Paulino with her 220-pounder and Welson Peter with his 170-pounder won 2nd and 3rd Prize ($220 and $170). Welson Peter and Leon Sizumu tied for 1st with their Kehp en Dol en Wai yams, weighing 154 and 155 pounds, Emeren Manasa was 2nd with a 150-pounder and Iumy Gilemete came in 3rd with a 145-pounder. Kesia Paulino won the Master Exhibitor award, taking over $500 of prizes in categories from Karat Pako, Mangat, Inahsio, Mwahng Pwiliet, papaya, karertik, coconut, bele, squash, pumpkin and Chinese cabbage.

Adelino Lorens, Pohnpei Chief of Agriculture/Chairman of the Island Food Community of Pohnpei, presided as Master of Ceremonies. He stated that this was the first state Agricultural Fair in many years and that the event attracted great attention, particularly the great size of the yams, despite the yam disease. He added, “The event was a success in showing the local food crops. Farmers are now already planning for next year!” During the official program the keynote speaker Iso Salvador Iriarte strongly encouraged people to produce and eat local foods, pointing out that despite people’s thinking that ice cream is good for the sick, he knows that it can make a person sick. Elementary students Consuela Abraham from Saladak, and Janice Kapriel from Seinwar, read their winning essays and winning art entries were displayed, from Headstart to 8th Grade.

The Cooking Competition section was a flurry of activities, with 12 participants and 20 entries. The COM-FSM Pohnpei Campus Hotel Restaurant Management students made a sweep of prizes in the restaurant category, displaying beautifully presented Pandanus Muffin Delights, Taiwang Banana Bread, Karat Banana Sorbet, and Mangrove Crab Swamp Taro Volcanoes. Pelihda Walter, Yunis Hedgar, Delse Ernest, and Merlain Abraham won 1st Prizes respectively in the Karat, Taiwang, Giant Swamp Taro, and Local Food Open categories.

Funding support was provided by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, United Nations hildren’s Fund, Sight and Life, Australian Embassy, Secretariat of the Pacific Community, Pacific Agricultural Plant Genetic Resources Network, and the Pacific German Regional Forestry Program.

DPRK Observes World Food Day.

16 October 2004
Organisation of Asia-Pacific News Agencies

Pyongyang, October 16 (KCNA) - Various events have taken place in the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea to mark the World Food Day, October 16. On this occasion the DPRK government has conducted activities to make all the people aware of the importance of food in human life and encourage them to pay deep concern to solving the food problem. In an interview with KCNA Jong Sun Won, secretary general of the DPRK National Committee of FAO, said: Various lecture meetings and seminars on the theme of “Biodiversity for Food Security” put forth by FAO this year have taken place in the country’s major rice and potato producers, universities of agriculture and other agriculture-related institutions. Mass media, too, will observe the day. Such FAO cooperation projects as the Paekma-Cholsan Waterway project, conservation farms, sea culture modernization projects and food security projects have been visited by working people of various social strata and students.

The material and technical aid of the FAO, World Food Program, International Fund for Agricultural Development, etc. has helped solve the food problem in the country.

FAO celebrates World Food Day

15 October 2004
Organisation of Asia-Pacific News Agencies

FAO celebrates World Food Day THE Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) in cooperation with Lao Government, held a celebration to mark World Food Day last Thursday. World Food Day falls on 16 October, and has been celebrated annually since its establishment 59 years ago. This year, the theme of the celebration was “Bio-diversity for Food Security”. It focuses on how combinations of multiple quality foods can help people lead active and healthy lives. The celebration was attended by Minster of Agriculture and Forest Sieng Saphengthong and officials from various ministries and NGOs. Lao PDR is ranked one of world’s top ten centres in terms of bio-diversity. The Lao people make extensive use of this diversity in agriculture, which is the most important economic sector in the country, according to FAO’s press release. In Laos, the most important crop is rice.

In terms of crop area, it represents 80 per cent of the agricultural landscape and in terms of food energy, it accounts for about 80 per cent of total calories intake for most people. According to research data, there are more than 3,000 varieties of cultivated, wild and weedy rice from the provinces. Glutinous ‘ sticky rice, ‘ the major staple of the Lao diet, accounts for 85 per cent of the varieties. On the other hand, livestock and poultry form an important source of protein and energy to complement the rice-based diet, while foods gathered from the forest provide vitamins and body-protection nutrients. Over 700 species of wild plant are exploited for food and other uses in the Lao PDR. Of the more than 1,400 species of wild animal identified in the country, 90 percent are used in some way by local people. Aquatic life provides another essential protein food source, making up 43 percent of total animal product consumption. Conserving agro-biodiversity requires joint efforts by the government and international development partner, in order to preserve the environment, provide education, expand action research and ensure commitment to allocate resources. FAO has been leading the development of a national agro-biodiversity programme for the Lao PDR with multiple partners. Many Lao people still suffer from hunger and micronutrient deficiencies. Studies have indicated that just under half of children suffer from chronic malnutrition and 13 per cent of adults are chronically undernourished. We need to do more to provide home gardening, food preparation, food handling and food safety advice for men and women, boy’s and girl, and to included basic nutrition in all training and extension curricula, from village literacy programmes all the way to college 0 level education. We need to keep in mind the World Food Summit’s objectives and the Millennium Development Goals - to reduce the number of hungry people and have all the people of the Lao PDR free from hunger by 2015. Conserving biodiversity is a key ally in our efforts to fight hunger and malnutrition, and to promote food security, balanced nutrition and healthy livelihoods. Speech by Minster of Agriculture and Forest Sieng Saphengthong on World Food Day - Lao PDR is one country in the Southeast Asian region that has many forests with an ecological diversity that covers an area of 205 million ha. Laos is also abundant of natural resources - there is still a big area of cultivating land, many rivers and their tributaries constitute the main source of living for many plants, animals and various aquatic animals which is the basic resources for the socio-economic development and plays an important role in contributing to the GDP. The forest and fauna and flora also play a contributing role in food supply, bringing more revenue to the population, providing energy and creating places of living for not less than 80 percent of the rustic population who live nearby these resources. The wetland area covers 945 ha. All these mentioned elements constitute the fishery habitat for various aquatic animals such as traditional fishes, frogs, turtles, shells etc. which represent more than 50 percent of high protein food for the local consumption of the Lao population. Furthermore, the Lao PDR is also abundant in plants, wild and water animal species and we can count between 8,000 -11,000 plant species, 166 species of reptiles, 700 species of birds, 247 species of mammals and 1,200 species of traditional fishes in the Mekong River. The Government of the Lao PDR always attaches great importance to the sustainable development and the protection of environment. It has set up its political guidelines that the socio-economic development should be carried out parallel with the economic growth, the socio-cultural development and the protection of environment, the natural production should be transformed into goods production, the productivity should be increased parallel with the restoration of land, water sources, forests, in order to ensure the abundance of these resources and the sustainable protection of the environment. Furthermore, the Government has also applied the hand-over policy of the land and forest which will be conducted along with the agricultural production, the livestock farming, the reforestation, the protection of the forest and the promotion of sustainable use of wildlife, fauna and flora. The Lao multiethnic people will be ready, confident and easy to access, when ‘needed, and will have the security from the foodstuff consuming. In order to manage efficiently the Agriculture and Forest work, the government of the Lao PDR has enacted different laws such as the Forestry Law, the Law on Water and Water Resources, the Law on land and the Law on Agriculture and different decrees to be used as reference to implement the Government’s policy. Furthermore, the Government has also set up a strategic plan for the development of Agriculture and Forests, Biodiversity, Research, and Human Resources to be accomplished by 2020. Moreover, it has defined the area of 20 biological natural reserves, in addition to two linked areas that covers 3.31 million ha, or 14 percent of the total area of the country. The foodstuff production in the Lao PDR has so far been developed in terms of quality and quantity. The agricultural production is increasing. Nevertheless, the consequence of flooding on the annual rice yield was serious. It covered 17,140 hectares out of the total flooded area of 50,200 ha or 2.8 percent of 596,000 hectares of the total rice cultivated area. The disaster regions are the middle-part regions - Vientiane province, Vientiane Capital, Borlikhamxay, Khammouane, Savannakhet and Champassack provinces. This year’s flooding also had consequences to the irrigation infrastructure in different regions, killing a lot of animals and causing damages to a considerable number of fish farming. Furthermore, there was the outbreak of bird flu in 46 farms in three provinces - Vientiane Capital, Savannakhet and Champassak provinces where 155,000 fowls were killed, The spread of coffee berry borer in Paksong district, Champassak Province in an area of 8,741 ha including 109 villages has an impact on the national economy and some businesses in the region as well. To reverse these losses, the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry has defined some measures and some specific projects in advance in order to focus on the increase of the yield during the dry season, giving the priority to prevent and stop the spread of avian flu and thus the poultry and the coffee production could rapidly return to normal. Moreover, many experts were sent on ground to provide assistance to the population in order to increase the dry season yield. Nevertheless, due the limited budget of the Government, support and assistance have been sought from various economic organs within the country.

Biodiversity for food security

By R. Sundaram in Erode
27 October 2004
The Hindu

WORLD FOOD Day was observed on October 16. Every year, Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) assigns a theme for the day and work towards achieving it. The theme for 2004 was ´Biodiversity for Food Security’.

The Mysore Rural Development Agency (MYRADA) Krishi Vigyan Kendra celebrated the day at its Thalamalai Training Centre ´Arivalayam’ on October 16.

The reason behind choosing the venue was to make people conserve their staple food Ragi and encourage them to grow crops like Thinai, Cumbu, Samai and minor millets which had good scope for cultivation in the hilly tract of Thalawady.

The head of the Kendra, P. Alagesan, explained the importance of the World Food Day and also delivered a lecture on the importance of raising crops like Ragi in the hill area.

The Regional Director of Save Grain Campaign, Chennai, Chellappa, spoke about the measures to be taken in the post-harvest season to prevent grain loss. The Assistant Professor, Department of Millets, TNAU, Nirmala Kumari, in her special address, spoke extensively about the nutrient content and various recipes that could be prepared with minor millets. The Agricultural Officer of the Kendra, Suresh, spoke about the need to preserve biodiversity. A mini expo was also conducted in which various minor millets and their recipes were displayed. Hundreds of tribal farmers participated.

Embassies

Bhutan

HE Lyonpo Chenkyab Dorji, Ambassador

Canada

Roger Belanger, Counsellor (Commercial)

China

Zhang Wanhai, Counsellor and Permanent Representative to ESCAP

France

Isabelle Miscot (Ms), First Secretary

Holy See

HE Archbishop Salvatore Pennacchio, Apostolic Nuncio

India

HE L. K. Ponappa (Mrs), Ambassador

Iran

HE Mohsen Pak Aein, Ambassador

Japan

Jiro Usui, Counsellor & Deputy Permanent Representative to ESCAP Yoshitake Tsuzuki, First Secretary

Kazakhstan

Saken Seidualiyev, Chargé d’Affaires ai

Korea, DPR

Kim Chol Nam, Counsellor and Permanent Representative to ESCAP

Lao PDR

Souvanna Phouyavong, Counsellor and Deputy Head of Mission

Mongolia

HE Luvsandorj Dawagiv, Ambassador

Myanmar

U Myint Soe, Minister Counsellor

Nepal

Yadav Khanal, Chargé d’Affaires ai

Philippines

Stephanie Beatriz O Valera (Ms), Second Secretary and Consul (Cultural)

Sri Lanka

HE J. D. A. Wijewardena, Ambassador

A. L. S. Khan, First Secretary and Deputy Permanent Representative to ESCAP

Viet Nam

Truong Thi Dac (Mrs), First Secretary and Deputy Permanent Representative to ESCAP

United Nations

ICAO

Lalit B. Shah, Regional Director

UNDP

J. K. R. England, UN Resident Coordinator and UNDP Resident Representative

UNFPA

Jayanti Tuladhar, Advisor on RH/FP, Management Information System and Logistics

UNHCR

Bhairaja Panday, Deputy Regional Representative

UNICEF

Inese Zalitis (Ms), Representative, UNCEF Office for Thailand

UNIDO

Khac Tiep Nguyen, Industrial Development Officer

UPU

Vinod Dhamija, Regional Advisor

WFP

Kenro Oshidari, Deputy Regional Director

WHO

William L. Aldis, Representative to Thailand

World Bank

Ian Porter, Country Director