News archive 2012

World food prices in March remained virtually unchanged from their February levels, according to the latest release of FAO's Food Price Index, published today. The Index averaged 216 points in March, compared to 215 in February.

The UK's Department for International Development has signed an agreement with FAO to support an innovative new global partnership that will improve the agricultural statistics available to governments and farmers around the world.

150 years ago an insect plague nearly wiped out France’s wine industry and spurred countries to begin collaborating to stop plant pests from spreading via international trade. That eventually led to the creation of an international plant protection treaty which in 1952 was upgraded and placed under FAO’s care. Sixty years later, the International Plant Protection Convention is still going strong and looking ahead to the challenges of the future.

Increasing agricultural production is one of the keys to fighting hunger and poverty. But investments in agriculture and rural development may fall short of their goals if they fail to take into account social circumstances that affect livelihoods and food security. FAO has released a new series of guides designed to boost the effectiveness of such investments.

Governments attending the 32nd FAO Regional Conference for Latin America and the Caribbean have reaffirmed their commitment to eradicating of hunger during the 32nd FAO Regional Conference. During the weeklong gathering, regional representatives also discussed the challenges of food and agriculture and defined the priorities of FAO regional work for the next two years.

The “Professional Football Against Hunger” campaign is coming to hundreds of European football stadiums with the message that action is needed now to avert a humanitarian disaster in the Sahel region of Africa, where a food and nutrition crisis caused by drought, chronic poverty, high food prices, displacement and conflict is affecting millions of people.

The results of a new FAO global Teak Resources and Market Assessment conducted in 60 tropical countries show that natural teak forests are declining worldwide and that the quality of natural grown teak wood is deteriorating. On the other hand, the survey also reveals that planted teak forests are increasing in area and - when good management practices are applied - producing high quality wood.

FAO has appealed for $50 million to cover the funding gap for priority agricultural and pastoral activities in the Horn of Africa before and during the next planting season. The funding is needed to give farmers and pastoralists the means to improve their livelihoods and build resilience to any future shocks.

Producing enough food to feed the world's growing population will require the sustainable use of water, the world's "most critical finite resource," said UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon during a ceremony at FAO to mark World Water Day. Each March 22, the UN-Water partnership celebrates the Day as a way to focus public attention on the need to sustainably manage the world's freshwater resources. The theme of the Day this year is "Water and food security".

Urgent action is required to control a major outbreak of foot-and-mouth disease and prevent its spread throughout North Africa and the Middle East, with potentially serious implications for food security in the region. With vaccines urgently needed, international and regional organizations are at the ready to assist in developing a regional prevention, preparedness and action plan.