http://www.fao.org/news/newsroom-home/en/ News from the UN Food and Agriculture Organization en PMK RSS Newsfeed Export (pmk_rssnewsexport) running on Typo3 CMS 4.3.0 http://blogs.law.harvard.edu/tech/rss 2009 FAO FAO-Newsroom@fao.org (FAO-Newsroom) FAO-Newsroom@fao.org (FAO-Newsroom) FAO has started an emergency support scheme for 600 people to quickly clear irrigation canals in and around the epicentre of the January 12 earthquake in Haiti to save bean and maize crops. FAO-Newsroom@fao.org (FAO-Newsroom) http://www.fao.org/news/story/en/item/39935/icode/http://www.fao.org/news/story/en/item/39935/icode/ Sun, 07 Feb 2010 23:00:00 GMT Finland and FAO have agreed to help countries develop land administration systems to improve tenure security and land governance in rural and urban areas. The $2.4 million project will help FAO member countries to test and adopt low-cost open source technology. The project will help countries test and adopt low-cost open source technology for the benefit of land records maintenance. FAO-Newsroom@fao.org (FAO-Newsroom) http://www.fao.org/news/story/en/item/39792/icode/http://www.fao.org/news/story/en/item/39792/icode/ Thu, 04 Feb 2010 23:00:00 GMT Extreme winter weather in Mongolia, with temperatures plunging to -50°C, has killed 1.7 million head of livestock and risks making 21 000 herder families food insecure. FAO is appealing for some $6 million dollars in order to provide relief. FAO-Newsroom@fao.org (FAO-Newsroom) http://www.fao.org/news/story/en/item/39634/icode/http://www.fao.org/news/story/en/item/39634/icode/ Mon, 01 Feb 2010 23:00:00 GMT Illegal fishing damages fisheries and undermines the livelihoods of the communities that depend on them. Fraudulent product substitution and false documentation are often used to get illegally caught fish to market. An unknown percentage of seafood on the shelves simply isn't what's it's purported to be. FAO recently held a workshop to look at how forensic science can be used in fisheries enforcement. FAO-Newsroom@fao.org (FAO-Newsroom) http://www.fao.org/news/story/en/item/38957/icode/http://www.fao.org/news/story/en/item/38957/icode/ Sun, 31 Jan 2010 23:00:00 GMT The Haitian government has issued a blueprint for international aid in the agricultural sector for the next eighteen months. It is one of the cornerstones of the government’s strategy to rebuild the country following the January 12 earthquake. FAO-Newsroom@fao.org (FAO-Newsroom) http://www.fao.org/news/story/en/item/39523/icode/http://www.fao.org/news/story/en/item/39523/icode/ Fri, 29 Jan 2010 09:00:00 GMT Consumers have begun to demand more information about the health, safety and environmental characteristics of the food they eat. In turn, food producers are putting a greater focus on consumers' wants and needs, and labels are becoming increasingly important. A new book on food labelling aims to help producers mark goods more accurately and assist shoppers in making the healthiest choices. FAO-Newsroom@fao.org (FAO-Newsroom) http://www.fao.org/news/story/en/item/39451/icode/http://www.fao.org/news/story/en/item/39451/icode/ Thu, 28 Jan 2010 11:00:00 GMT With the rescue operation now underway in Haiti the country and the aid effort should simultaneously move to the urgent support of food production, agricultural rehabilitation and reconstruction, said FAO Director-General Jacques Diouf. FAO-Newsroom@fao.org (FAO-Newsroom) http://www.fao.org/news/story/en/item/39290/icode/http://www.fao.org/news/story/en/item/39290/icode/ Wed, 20 Jan 2010 23:00:00 GMT FAO appeals for support to farmers to give the country a future and stave off further hunger after the devastating earthquake. Around 80 per cent of Haitians are involved in agriculture but they do not have the necessary expertise and equipment and FAO estimates around half of Haiti's population is undernourished. FAO-Newsroom@fao.org (FAO-Newsroom) http://www.fao.org/news/story/en/item/39087/icode/http://www.fao.org/news/story/en/item/39087/icode/ Fri, 15 Jan 2010 23:00:00 GMT FAO Director General expresses sadness and solidarity over Port-au-Prince tragedy. FAO to boost agricultural production to try and stall increases in hunger in Haitian capital and elsewhere. FAO-Newsroom@fao.org (FAO-Newsroom) http://www.fao.org/news/story/en/item/39044/icode/http://www.fao.org/news/story/en/item/39044/icode/ Thu, 14 Jan 2010 23:00:00 GMT Finding the living, curing the sick and burying the dead are the first priorities in Haiti following Tuesday's terrifying earthquake. But over the coming weeks and months people will need to be fed and it is crucial that the priority of boosting agricultural production in the country does not get forgotten in the rubble and chaos. FAO-Newsroom@fao.org (FAO-Newsroom) http://www.fao.org/news/story/en/item/39014/icode/http://www.fao.org/news/story/en/item/39014/icode/ Wed, 13 Jan 2010 23:00:00 GMT According to a new FAO report, grasslands have vast untapped potential to mitigate climate change by absorbing and storing CO2. Pastures and rangelands represent a carbon sink that could be greater than forests if properly managed. FAO-Newsroom@fao.org (FAO-Newsroom) http://www.fao.org/news/story/en/item/38916/icode/http://www.fao.org/news/story/en/item/38916/icode/ Tue, 12 Jan 2010 23:00:00 GMT Tea prices reached record levels this year but should ease in 2010 as weather patterns returned to normal in the main tea-producing regions of Asia and Africa. The FAO Tea Composite price, the indicative world price for black tea, reached a high of $3.18 a kilogramme in September amid droughts in India, Sri Lanka and Kenya, underpinned by increased demand. FAO-Newsroom@fao.org (FAO-Newsroom) http://www.fao.org/news/story/en/item/38315/icode/http://www.fao.org/news/story/en/item/38315/icode/ Tue, 22 Dec 2009 09:00:00 GMT A panel of independent experts convened by FAO has issued recommendations regarding proposals to limit international trade in several commercially exploited aquatic animals under the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES). The proposals relate to several shark and coral species and Atlantic bluefin tuna. FAO-Newsroom@fao.org (FAO-Newsroom) http://www.fao.org/news/story/en/item/38195/icode/http://www.fao.org/news/story/en/item/38195/icode/ Mon, 14 Dec 2009 12:00:00 GMT Marine capture fisheries already facing multiple challenges due to overfishing, habitat loss and weak management are poorly positioned to cope with new problems stemming from climate change, a new FAO study suggests. Small island developing states-which depend on fisheries and aquaculture for at least 50% of their animal protein intake-are in a particularly vulnerable position. FAO-Newsroom@fao.org (FAO-Newsroom) http://www.fao.org/news/story/en/item/38060/icode/http://www.fao.org/news/story/en/item/38060/icode/ Thu, 10 Dec 2009 23:00:00 GMT Recognizing the importance of monitoring greenhouse gas emissions in climate change mitigation, FAO and Brazil’s National Institute for Space Research (INPE) signed an agreement today, to work together in the field of emissions measuring and reporting. FAO-Newsroom@fao.org (FAO-Newsroom) http://www.fao.org/news/story/en/item/38161/icode/http://www.fao.org/news/story/en/item/38161/icode/ Thu, 10 Dec 2009 14:00:00 GMT Global food prices are on the ascent again with the FAO Food Price Index registering four straight monthly rises. However market conditions are different from those that triggered the food price crisis that started two years ago, according to FAO's new Food Outlook report. FAO-Newsroom@fao.org (FAO-Newsroom) http://www.fao.org/news/story/en/item/38040/icode/http://www.fao.org/news/story/en/item/38040/icode/ Wed, 09 Dec 2009 08:00:00 GMT Driven largely by awareness of marine resource depletion and vulnerability of their coastal communities, six countries today signed on to a Spanish grant of $19.5 million aimed at improving livelihoods and the future of millions of small-scale fishers. FAO-Newsroom@fao.org (FAO-Newsroom) http://www.fao.org/news/story/en/item/38138/icode/http://www.fao.org/news/story/en/item/38138/icode/ Tue, 08 Dec 2009 23:00:00 GMT Finland is the first country to contribute to a $60 million FAO programme to support climate change mitigation in agriculture in developing countries. The multi-donor programme aims to promote sustainable low-emission agriculture in developing countries over the coming five years, in partnership with countries and other relevant organizations. FAO-Newsroom@fao.org (FAO-Newsroom) http://www.fao.org/news/story/en/item/38029/icode/http://www.fao.org/news/story/en/item/38029/icode/ Tue, 08 Dec 2009 09:00:00 GMT Bananas are expected to resist the impact of the global financial crisis more than other agricultural commodities, according to an FAO report. A separate report calls for more action to halt banana and plantain diseases. FAO-Newsroom@fao.org (FAO-Newsroom) http://www.fao.org/news/story/en/item/38013/icode/http://www.fao.org/news/story/en/item/38013/icode/ Sun, 06 Dec 2009 23:00:00 GMT Farming practices that capture carbon and store it in agricultural soils offer some of the most promising options for early and cost-effective action on climate change in developing countries, while contributing to food security. FAO-Newsroom@fao.org (FAO-Newsroom) http://www.fao.org/news/story/en/item/37840/icode/http://www.fao.org/news/story/en/item/37840/icode/ Mon, 30 Nov 2009 23:00:00 GMT In animal health circles, it's the equivalent of the Apollo 11 moon landing: some time in the next 18 months, FAO jointly with the World Organisation for Animal Health and other partners will officially declare one of the most devastating animal diseases known to man, rinderpest, as eradicated. It will be the first time in history that humankind has succeeded in killing off an animal disease. FAO-Newsroom@fao.org (FAO-Newsroom) http://www.fao.org/news/story/en/item/35548/icode/http://www.fao.org/news/story/en/item/35548/icode/ Sun, 29 Nov 2009 23:00:00 GMT Climate change is projected to impact heavily on agriculture, forestry and fisheries in the Pacific islands, leading to increased food insecurity and malnutrition. FAO urged governments and donors to immediately start implementing robust and action-oriented climate change adaptation plans for all Pacific islands. FAO-Newsroom@fao.org (FAO-Newsroom) http://www.fao.org/news/story/en/item/37758/icode/http://www.fao.org/news/story/en/item/37758/icode/ Wed, 25 Nov 2009 23:00:00 GMT A new treaty that aims to close fishing ports to ships involved in illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing has been approved by FAO's governing Conference. Once it enters into force, it will be the first ever legally binding international treaty focused specifically on this problem. FAO-Newsroom@fao.org (FAO-Newsroom) http://www.fao.org/news/story/en/item/37627/icode/http://www.fao.org/news/story/en/item/37627/icode/ Tue, 24 Nov 2009 23:00:00 GMT The Conference of FAO's 192 Members has agreed to enlarge and strengthen FAO's Committee on World Food Security (CFS) clearing the way for the creation of a stronger global governance of food security. It has also approved FAO's budget for the next biennium. FAO-Newsroom@fao.org (FAO-Newsroom) http://www.fao.org/news/story/en/item/37643/icode/http://www.fao.org/news/story/en/item/37643/icode/ Mon, 23 Nov 2009 23:00:00 GMT Libya and FAO will work closely together over the next five years to strengthen food security and sustainable development in the country. FAO-Newsroom@fao.org (FAO-Newsroom) http://www.fao.org/news/story/en/item/37575/icode/http://www.fao.org/news/story/en/item/37575/icode/ Thu, 19 Nov 2009 23:00:00 GMT FAO has signed agreements with the Governments of Barbados, Egypt and Tunisia to increase the capacity of the UN agency's decentralized offices to respond to the needs of member countries in a timely and effective manner. FAO-Newsroom@fao.org (FAO-Newsroom) http://www.fao.org/news/story/en/item/37592/icode/http://www.fao.org/news/story/en/item/37592/icode/ Thu, 19 Nov 2009 23:00:00 GMT The three-day World Summit on Food Security ended here today after committing the international community to investing more in agriculture and eradicating hunger at the earliest date. FAO Director-General Jacques Diouf, who hosted the event, said the Summit marked "an important step towards the achievement of our common objective - a world free from hunger". FAO-Newsroom@fao.org (FAO-Newsroom) http://www.fao.org/news/story/en/item/37465/icode/http://www.fao.org/news/story/en/item/37465/icode/ Wed, 18 Nov 2009 01:00:00 GMT World leaders convened at FAO Headquarters for the World Summit on Food Security today unanimously adopted a declaration pledging renewed commitment to eradicate hunger from the face of the earth sustainably and at the earliest date. FAO-Newsroom@fao.org (FAO-Newsroom) http://www.fao.org/news/story/en/item/37421/icode/http://www.fao.org/news/story/en/item/37421/icode/ Mon, 16 Nov 2009 14:00:00 GMT On the eve of the World Summit on Food Security, the governing bodies of the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) and the World Food Programme (WFP) have all approved a strategy for collaboration between the three agencies. FAO-Newsroom@fao.org (FAO-Newsroom) http://www.fao.org/news/story/en/item/37459/icode/http://www.fao.org/news/story/en/item/37459/icode/ Mon, 16 Nov 2009 00:00:00 GMT Scientists from a leading Brazilian university will provide their expertise to FAO for its agricultural development programmes in Latin America and Portuguese-speaking African countries. FAO-Newsroom@fao.org (FAO-Newsroom) http://www.fao.org/news/story/en/item/37339/icode/http://www.fao.org/news/story/en/item/37339/icode/ Sun, 15 Nov 2009 02:00:00 GMT On the eve of the World Summit on Food Security, FAO and the Islamic Development Bank announced a $1 billion agreement to fund agricultural development in poor countries that belong to both organizations. The agreement comes at a critical moment, when the international community recognizes it has neglected agriculture for many years. FAO-Newsroom@fao.org (FAO-Newsroom) http://www.fao.org/news/story/en/item/37341/icode/http://www.fao.org/news/story/en/item/37341/icode/ Sun, 15 Nov 2009 01:00:00 GMT FAO Director-General Jacques Diouf begins a 24 hour hunger strike to call for action to end the scourge of hunger and in solidarity with the one billion humans who suffer chronic malnutrition. He called on "people of goodwill everywhere" to join him in a worldwide hunger strike this weekend. UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon has announced he will be joining the strike on Sunday. FAO-Newsroom@fao.org (FAO-Newsroom) http://www.fao.org/news/story/en/item/37338/icode/http://www.fao.org/news/story/en/item/37338/icode/ Fri, 13 Nov 2009 23:00:00 GMT The World Summit on Food Security is set to open on Monday 16 November to give a new momentum to the fight against hunger and malnutrition affecting 1.02 billion people. Pope Benedict XVI will deliver a keynote speech while UN Secretary-General Ban Ki Moon and FAO Director-General Jacques Diouf will also address the Summit. FAO-Newsroom@fao.org (FAO-Newsroom) http://www.fao.org/news/story/en/item/37300/icode/http://www.fao.org/news/story/en/item/37300/icode/ Thu, 12 Nov 2009 23:00:00 GMT With privatization, globalization and the transformation of the food chain from the farm to the table, the importance of the private sector has increased, said FAO Director-General Jacques Diouf addressing an international private sector forum on food security. FAO-Newsroom@fao.org (FAO-Newsroom) http://www.fao.org/news/story/en/item/37194/icode/http://www.fao.org/news/story/en/item/37194/icode/ Thu, 12 Nov 2009 15:00:00 GMT On the eve of the World Summit on Food Security, FAO is calling for a day-long, worldwide hunger strike this weekend to show solidarity with the one billion people living in chronic hunger. FAO-Newsroom@fao.org (FAO-Newsroom) http://www.fao.org/news/story/en/item/37232/icode/http://www.fao.org/news/story/en/item/37232/icode/ Wed, 11 Nov 2009 18:00:00 GMT Rising global hunger figures mask the fact that 31 out of 79 countries monitored by FAO have registered a significant decline in the number of undernourished people since the early nineties. FAO wants to see the lessons learned repeated. FAO-Newsroom@fao.org (FAO-Newsroom) http://www.fao.org/news/story/en/item/37193/icode/http://www.fao.org/news/story/en/item/37193/icode/ Tue, 10 Nov 2009 23:00:00 GMT Food prices in poor countries that are net importers of food still remain stubbornly high despite a good 2009 world cereal production, FAO warned today in its latest Crop Prospects and Food Situation report. The report was published ahead of the Rome World Summit on Food Security. FAO-Newsroom@fao.org (FAO-Newsroom) http://www.fao.org/news/story/en/item/37127/icode/http://www.fao.org/news/story/en/item/37127/icode/ Sun, 08 Nov 2009 23:00:00 GMT Just in time for the upcoming planting season, the European Union put in motion a major effort to turn the tide of rising hunger in Pakistan. Partnering with FAO, quality seed and fertilizer were distributed to almost 100 000 farmers, hit hard by last year’s food price hikes. FAO-Newsroom@fao.org (FAO-Newsroom) http://www.fao.org/news/story/en/item/37090/icode/http://www.fao.org/news/story/en/item/37090/icode/ Sun, 08 Nov 2009 23:00:00 GMT At the height of the 2008 food price crisis, FAO, through its Initiative on Soaring Food Prices, launched a series of one-year input supply projects to help vulnerable farmers grow more food and earn more money. In Kenya, where civil unrest, drought and high food, fuel and input prices have left poor families even more vulnerable, this assistance has given one community hope for a better future. FAO-Newsroom@fao.org (FAO-Newsroom) http://www.fao.org/news/story/en/item/36909/icode/http://www.fao.org/news/story/en/item/36909/icode/ Thu, 05 Nov 2009 23:00:00 GMT The twin battles to improve food security for a growing world population and contain climate change can be fought on the same front - the world's farmland, FAO said in a new report. FAO-Newsroom@fao.org (FAO-Newsroom) http://www.fao.org/news/story/en/item/36894/icode/http://www.fao.org/news/story/en/item/36894/icode/ Thu, 05 Nov 2009 10:00:00 GMT Senior Managers of FAO, IFAD and WFP met ahead of the World Summit on Food Security to determine how to maximize each agency's expertise and comparative advantage so their combined efforts better serve the world's 1.02 billion hungry people. FAO-Newsroom@fao.org (FAO-Newsroom) http://www.fao.org/news/story/en/item/36959/icode/http://www.fao.org/news/story/en/item/36959/icode/ Wed, 04 Nov 2009 23:00:00 GMT Significant amounts of the food produced in developing countries is lost after harvest thereby aggravating hunger. FAO stresses that with adequate investment and training food losses could be drastically reduced. FAO-Newsroom@fao.org (FAO-Newsroom) http://www.fao.org/news/story/en/item/36844/icode/http://www.fao.org/news/story/en/item/36844/icode/ Sun, 01 Nov 2009 23:00:00 GMT FAO is to provide the United Republic of Tanzania with advisory support for farmers that will help them better respond to market opportunities and thus heighten food security. FAO-Newsroom@fao.org (FAO-Newsroom) http://www.fao.org/news/story/en/item/36774/icode/http://www.fao.org/news/story/en/item/36774/icode/ Tue, 27 Oct 2009 23:00:00 GMT FAO has begun widespread consultations over international guidelines on governance of tenure to land and other natural resources such as water supplies, fisheries and forests. FAO-Newsroom@fao.org (FAO-Newsroom) http://www.fao.org/news/story/en/item/36230/icode/http://www.fao.org/news/story/en/item/36230/icode/ Mon, 26 Oct 2009 23:00:00 GMT Ground control operations are in progress against an infestation of desert locusts in Mauritania. As long as there are no heavy rains the infestations should be eliminated by early December. FAO-Newsroom@fao.org (FAO-Newsroom) http://www.fao.org/news/story/en/item/36712/icode/http://www.fao.org/news/story/en/item/36712/icode/ Sun, 25 Oct 2009 23:00:00 GMT FAO has published a toolbox on the right to food, designed to provide countries, institutions civil society and other stakeholders with a series of effective instruments they can use to assert the right to adequate food as a basic human right. FAO-Newsroom@fao.org (FAO-Newsroom) http://www.fao.org/news/story/en/item/36513/icode/http://www.fao.org/news/story/en/item/36513/icode/ Fri, 23 Oct 2009 07:00:00 GMT FAO's governing Council has unanimously approved the creation of a new regional fisheries management body for the Central Asia and Caucasus region. FAO-Newsroom@fao.org (FAO-Newsroom) http://www.fao.org/news/story/en/item/36626/icode/http://www.fao.org/news/story/en/item/36626/icode/ Thu, 22 Oct 2009 22:00:00 GMT African Swine Fever has reached St Petersburg in Russia causing concern that the deadly pig virus could spread to the European Union, Eastern Europe and Central Asia. FAO-Newsroom@fao.org (FAO-Newsroom) http://www.fao.org/news/story/en/item/36622/icode/http://www.fao.org/news/story/en/item/36622/icode/ Wed, 21 Oct 2009 22:00:00 GMT Faced with rising world hunger and unacceptable poverty and in response to calls for greater coherence and coordination, members of the FAO Committee on World Food Security (CFS) have agreed on a wide-ranging reform. FAO-Newsroom@fao.org (FAO-Newsroom) http://www.fao.org/news/story/en/item/36446/icode/http://www.fao.org/news/story/en/item/36446/icode/ Tue, 20 Oct 2009 10:00:00 GMT For the first time worldwide, free and ready-to-use high-resolution satellite data is now available to monitor forests and help reduce emissions from deforestation and forest degradation. The monitoring system has been launched by FAO and other partners as part of the Global Forest Resources Assessment. FAO-Newsroom@fao.org (FAO-Newsroom) http://www.fao.org/news/story/en/item/36408/icode/http://www.fao.org/news/story/en/item/36408/icode/ Mon, 19 Oct 2009 22:00:00 GMT