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Libya and FAO agree on close cooperation

20 November 2009, Rome - Libya and FAO will work closely together over the next five years to strengthen food security and sustainable development in the country.

FAO Summit boosts agriculture to end hunger

18 November 2009, Rome - The three-day World Summit on Food Security ended here today after committing the international community to investing more in agriculture and to eradicating hunger at the earliest date.

Renewed commitment to end hunger

16 November 2009, Rome - 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.

Brazilian university to help in FAO programmes

15 November 2009, Rome - Scientists from a leading Brazilian university will provide their expertise to FAO for its agricultural development programmes in Latin America and African countries under an agreement signed here today.

FAO and IDB in $1 billion agreement

On the eve of the World Summit on Food Security, FAO and the Islamic Development Bank (IDB) announced a $1 billion agreement to fund agricultural development in poor countries that belong to both organizations. It is hoped that the framework agreement, concluded today in Rome by Dr Ahmad Mohamed Ali, President of IDB, and FAO Director-General Jacques Diouf, will help leverage additional resources and bring total investment in the IDB-FAO programme to $5.0 billion by 2012.

World Summit on Food Security opens Monday

13 November 2009, Rome - 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.

Countries buck hunger trend with right policies

November 11 2009, Rome – 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.

Poorest countries still suffer from high food prices

10 November 2009, Rome - 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.

Rice revival gives Kenyan community hope

At the height of the 2008 food price crisis, FAO, through its Initiative on Soaring Food Prices (ISFP), 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.

Uplifting rural Pakistan

9 November 2009, Islamabad /Rome - Just in time for the upcoming planting season, the European Union (EU) 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.

Tanzanian farmers to be nudged towards the market

28 October 2009, Rome - 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.

New study analyses aid support to the Sub-Saharan Africa agriculture sector

Diouf calls for rapid elimination of hunger

16 October 2009, Rome - FAO Director-General Jacques Diouf today called on world leaders to reach a “broad consensus on the total and rapid elimination of hunger” when they gather in Rome for the World Summit on Food Security of Heads of State and Government on November 16-18.

New study analyses aid support to the Sub-Saharan Africa agriculture sector

A new study has been published by the FAO Investment Centre that examines the situation of financial support to agricultural development in Sub-Saharan Africa. The research was undertaken in view of recent renewed commitments to increase aid to Africa within the framework of the Comprehensive Africa Agriculture Development Programme (CAADP). The discussion paper, entitled: “Rapid Assessment of Aid Flows for Agricultural Development in Sub-Saharan Africa,” was originated by FAO as a contribution to the United Nations Millennium Development Goals Steering Group and its MDG-Africa Thematic Group on Agriculture and Food Security. The purpose was to assess the flow of external financing earmarked for agriculture in Sub-Saharan Africa from both official and non-official financiers. While there has been broad agreement by development partners on the need to scale-up their external assistance to agriculture from current levels, information had been lacking on the overall magnitude of current financing levels for agricultural development. The paper provides a preliminary assessment of the flow of aid to agricultural development in Sub-Saharan Africa, using data on Official Development Assistance (ODA) collected from the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) databases, major bilateral and multilateral financing agencies, and two private foundations active in the agriculture sector. Its findings note that trends in ODA show a long-term decline in agricultural ODA to Sub-Saharan Africa. In recent years, however, ODA to the agriculture sector has increased and there has been more financing for agriculture than usually assumed when aid flows from private foundations are included. The paper highlights the need for: balancing short-term food security interventions with long productivity investments; better aid harmonization due to numerous donors in the sector, and the potential problem of absorptive capacity due to low disbursement rates by aid recipients. The paper was prepared by Melissa Brown with inputs from colleagues in the FAO Investment Centre and from OECD. It can be downloaded from: Rapid Assessment of Aid Flows for Agricultural Development in Sub-Saharan Africa.

Serbia takes initial steps to establish Grain Warehouse Receipts system

In June 2009, the Warehouse Receipts Law of the Republic of Serbia was approved. Grain Warehouse Receipts (GWR) systems allow local grain farmers and agribusiness entrepreneurs to access short-term credit from banks by depositing grain in certified warehouses and using it as collateral. With more short-term credit available, farmers do not need to sell their crop immediately after harvest, when prices are typically at their lowest, to buy inputs for the next year. To ensure the successful implementation of the system, the Government of Serbia has required a focused technical assistance programme to elaborate policy directions for the development of the system and to train key stakeholders. The FAO Investment Centre has been involved in providing technical assistance in the area of GWR for more than a decade under FAO’s cooperation programme with the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD), which helps to establish such systems in transition countries by financing technical assistance and by providing credit lines to local banks that use the systems. As a first step to implement the new law in Serbia, the FAO Investment Centre agreed with the Serbian Ministry of Agriculture to support a study tour to Bulgaria for key Serbian stakeholders. Bulgaria is one of the countries in the region that has successfully implemented a GWR system. The tour, involving Serbian warehouse inspectors and government representatives in Bulgaria, took place from 28 September to 2 October 2009. Its purpose was to present to the participants the experience of the Bulgarian system with a special focus on the activities of the National Grain Service of Bulgaria which is the licensing and inspection body. The participants were introduced to all components of the system and the management process – licensing, inspection, indemnity fund, and operational bookkeeping of the licensed warehouses. Highlights of the tour included visiting the headquarters of the Bulgaria National Grain Service and licensed public warehouses in the Bulgarian cities of Vratza, Popovo and Varna. More information on this knowledge exchange experience is provided in the following audio interviews: 1. Krasimir Kiriakov, President of VOCA Consult, Bulgaria, FAO consultant and expert on warehouse receipt systems (mp3: 2min31sec) 2. Milan Djakov, the Director of the Indemnity Fund, Serbia (mp3: 2min 36sec)

Economic crisis is devastating for the world's hungry

14 October 2009, Rome - The sharp spike in hunger triggered by the global economic crisis has hit the poorest people in developing countries hardest, revealing a fragile world food system in urgent need of reform, according to a report released today by FAO and the World Food Programme (WFP).

On horizon 2050 - billions needed for agriculture

Net investments of $83 billion a year must be made in agriculture in developing countries if there is to be enough food to feed 9.1 billion people in 2050, according to an FAO discussion paper published today. Agricultural investment thus needs to increase by about 50 percent, according to the paper prepared for the High Level Experts’ Forum on How to Feed the World in 2050, Rome 12-13 October 2009. Some 300 top international specialists will attend the meeting. Required investments include crops and livestock production as well as downstream support services such as cold chains, storage facilities, market facilities and first-stage processing.

2050 – Africa’s food challenge

28 September 2009, Rome - The recent positive performance of agriculture in sub-Saharan Africa indicates a break with the past and the outlook for the sector is improving. However “concerted and purposeful policy action” is required to maintain the momentum, according to a new FAO discussion paper.

2050: A third more mouths to feed

23 September 2009, Rome - Producing 70 percent more food for an additional 2.3 billion people by 2050 while at the same time combating poverty and hunger, using scarce natural resources more efficiently and adapting to climate change are the main challenges world agriculture will face in the coming decades, according to an FAO discussion paper published today.

Escalating hunger in Eastern Africa

21 September 2009, Rome - Poor 2009 crop prospects in the Horn of Africa following below-average rains, combined with conflict and displacement are aggravating an already serious food insecurity situation in the region, FAO said today.

Saudi Arabia to fund FAO World Food Security Summit

30 July 2009, Rome - Saudi Arabia has decided to meet the costs, estimated at $2.5 million, of the upcoming World Summit on Food Security to be held at FAO Headquarters in Rome from 16 to18 November 2009, FAO announced today.

Europe backs fight against rising hunger

22 July 2009, Rome/Brussels - At a time when over one billion people are undernourished worldwide, Europe steps up its support to farmers hardest hit by the economical slowdown and high food prices, FAO said today, welcoming a € 75 million ($105 million) donation from the European Union (EU) to help poor countries boost agricultural production.

Food prices in many countries remain very high

16 July 2009, Rome - Domestic food prices in developing countries remain high despite a sharp decline in international prices and overall good cereal harvests, FAO warned today in its latest Crop Prospects and Food Situation report.

Benin: rice offers new hope

15 July 2009, Rome - Will Benin be self-sufficient in rice one day? Experts at FAO are forecasting just that, and going so far as to say that in time - probably as soon as 2011 - this West African country will even export its surplus rice output. A two-pronged strategy based on intensifying production and marketing of high quality seeds is behind the predicted «miracle».

FAO welcomes G8 Food Security Initiative

10 July 2009, L’Aquila - FAO Director-General Jacques Diouf today welcomed the G8’s $20 billion Food Security Initiative as an encouraging policy shift in favour of the poor and hungry.

Call for stronger anti-hunger system

6 June 2009, St Petersburg/Russia - FAO Director-General Jacques Diouf called today for a strengthened global governance system for world food security. Those aspects of the international trade system that have resulted in more hunger and poverty also have to be changed, he said.

Global food supply gradually steadying

4 June 2009, Rome – With the second-highest recorded cereals crop expected this year and stocks replenished, the world food supply looks less vulnerable to shocks than it was during last year’s food crisis, FAO said in its Food Outlook report published today. But some potential dangers remain, it also noted.

Bill Gates, FAO chief ponder anti-hunger fight

11 May 2009, Rome - Bill Gates co-chair of the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, and FAO Director-General Jacques Diouf met in Rome today to discuss the role of agricultural development in reducing world hunger and poverty. They also addressed the longer-term challenges to agriculture, including the impact of the global economic crisis on poor countries.

FAO-OECD to weigh investments against hunger

4 May 2009, Paris - Amid growing evidence that the fight against hunger risks being lost, senior experts from FAO and the 30-nation Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) open a two-day, high-level meeting tomorrow to map out long-term investment and financing strategies to avert the menace of unprecedented levels of hunger.

FAO acts over H1N1 human crisis

April 27 2009, Rome - FAO is mobilizing its teams of experts to help ascertain if the new strain of H1N1 virus, which already killed many people in Mexico, has a direct connection to pigs.

Good news from Afghanistan

27 April 2009, Rome – There’s not so many feel-good stories coming out of Afghanistan these days, and even fewer about life getting better for women there. But FAO has one to tell.

Food prices remain high in developing countries

23 April 2009, Rome - High food prices persist in developing countries despite an improved global cereal supply situation and a sharp decline in international food prices, FAO warned today in its latest Crop Prospects and Food Situation report. This is creating further hardship for millions of poor people already suffering from hunger and undernourishment.

UN food agencies to join G8 agriculture ministers in Treviso

International agencies on the front lines of the effort to increase food security will bring concerns on the impact of the economic crisis on small-holder farmers and on people's ability to afford food to the meeting of the Group of 8 Agriculture Ministers in the Italian province of Treviso on 18-20 April.

Belgium and FAO link to help African farmers

Belgium has agreed a $6.6 million programme for FAO to provide emergency assistance to poor farmers in Africa as part of an ongoing partnership that has totalled more than $80 million over the past twelve years.

Helping migrants to invest in countries of origin

Helping migrants to invest in agricultural development in their home countries is at the heart of a new agreement between FAO and the International Organization for Migration (IOM). FAO Deputy Director-General Jim Butler and IOM Deputy Director-General Ndioro Ndiaye today signed a Memorandum of Understanding to collaborate on agricultural projects which stem directly from migrant communities in Europe and other nations of the OECD (Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development).

China and FAO sign historic $30 million deal

People’s Republic of China has agreed to make available to FAO a $30 million trust fund to support developing countries in improving their agricultural productivity to achieve the Millennium Development Goals. The agreement signed yesterday in Beijing also marks China’s entry into FAO’s donor community.

Regional Training Underway to Promote Investments in Sustainable Land Management

Because of its global importance to livelihoods and the environment – from ensuring food security to reducing carbon emissions – sustainable land management (SLM) is being paid increasing due attention by governments and their development partners. However, financing for SLM activities remains a challenge as governments struggle to improve many sectors with insufficient resources. The Global Mechanism of the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (GM-UNCCD) and the FAO Investment Centre have therefore begun organizing and carrying out a series of regional training workshops on: “Designing Integrated Financing Strategies (DIFS) for the implementation of the UNCCD”. DIFS is a capacity building initiative to strengthen national competencies for resource mobilization to boost investment in SLM as a base for improving rural livelihoods and food security, and for preventing further damage to the environment. The strategy is a guiding framework to help governments improve their policy and legal advice, inter-institutional coordination and institutional efficiency, and international and national resource mobilization using a wide variety of financial mechanisms. To help launch the DIFS process, the Tropical Agricultural Research and Higher Education Center (CATIE) in Costa Rica, hosted the first Central American Workshop from 29 September to 3 October 2008 for five countries: Belize, Costa Rica, Dominican Republic, Guatemala and Honduras, with representatives from the Ministries of Agriculture, Environment, Finance and Planning. A second workshop with other countries in the region (Cuba, El Salvador, Mexico, Nicaragua and Panama) was held in Michoacán, Mexico from 13 to 17 October 2008 with the joint support of the Federal and Michoacán State Governments. Based on the encouraging success of, and lessons learned from these two workshops, the 2009 Training Programme will address the needs of other regional communities such as the Mercosur, the Caribbean and the African Lusophone countries. The DIFS approach is being integrated by development partners into their SLM programmes and the workshops will be coordinated accordingly. Formal agreements have been reached already with the UN Development Programme through the Global Environment Facility-funded Project on Capacity Building and Mainstreaming of SLM for Least Developed Countries and Small Island Developing States in the Caribbean, and with the Secretariat of the Community of Portuguese Language Countries through the FAO/Portuguese Institute for Development Support South-South Cooperation project for African Lusophone countries, funded by FAO’s Technical Cooperation Programme, which the Investment Centre is managing as the Lead Technical Unit.

Early indications hint at smaller 2009 cereal crop

12 February 2009, Rome - Early indications point to a reduction in global cereal output in 2009 from the 2008 record, according to FAO's latest Crop Prospects and Food Situation report. Smaller plantings and adverse weather look likely to bring grain production down in most of the world's major producers.

The Government of Germany has committed USD 2 257 000 to support FAO’s field programme in Afghanistan

Ms Swantje Helbing, Deputy Permanent Representative of Germany to FAO, recently signed the agreement at Rome Headquarters. The added funds bring Germany’s annual extra-budgetary funding to FAO in 2008 to USD 16 600 000, the largest amount ever for Germany in one programme year. These funds are in addition to contributions to the core FAO budget agreed each biennium by Member Countries. These funds will support the Afghan Ministry of Agriculture, Irrigation and Livestock, as well as the Ministry of Energy and Water, by training national officials in targeting the neediest beneficiaries through vulnerability assessments, monitoring data and information, project implementation, monitoring and evaluation and resource mobilization to raise funds when there are gaps to be covered. In turn, trainings will be carried out at the provincial level to extend the knowledge to the district and community level. About 42 percent of people in Afghanistan live below the poverty line, living on 45 cents per day per person. Another 20 percent of people live just above the poverty line but spend most of their money on food. This widespread poverty translates into malnutrition rates of 60 percent among children under the age of five. Even in the best of years, Afghanistan has a cereals deficit. The national strategy revolves around crop diversification and promoting livestock raising to increase farming families’ incomes and thus promote food security and improved nutrition. The recent worsening of the security situation, including in the wider region, a particularly harsh 2007/2008 winter, several years of droughts and higher food prices over the last few years are making it increasingly hard for Afghan families to get sufficient food to eat. Insecurity is also cutting off some of the most remote areas and making it difficult for aid agencies to bring support. FAO has an extensive portfolio of active projects in the country, worth more than USD 130 million, many of them extended over several years.

UN warns of more food shortages without strong action

Chiefs of key international agencies pledged today to step up commitments against hunger and malnutrition, at the opening of a Madrid meeting on Food Security for All.

Italy gives €10 million for farm development

15 January 2009, Rome - Italy's Directorate of Development Cooperation is to donate €10 million through FAO to finance agricultural and rural development programmes and improve food security in 2009.

"Food should be a national security issue"

13 January 2009, Rome - The food security situation in Eastern Africa continues to worsen due to crop failures, high food prices and conflict. Millions of food insecure people are in need of assistance. Mafa Chipeta, Subregional Coordinator for Eastern Africa and FAO Representative in Ethiopia, calls for more investment in rural areas with high potential for agricultural production.

Investment Training - New Workshop Approach

From 8 to 12 December 2008, a pilot workshop was held on “Formulation of Investment Projects in Agriculture and Rural Development”, in Budapest, organized by the FAO Regional Office for Europe and Central Asia (REU) and the Subregional Office for Central and Eastern Europe (SEU), with the Investment Centre. Recognizing the importance of proper analysis and development of public investment projects to meet the objectives of national development plans and strategies, the workshop focused on all stages of the project cycle, helping participants to understand and improve their technical skills in investment planning, formulation, implementation and evaluation. The innovative approach integrated best practices and requirements of international financing institutions working in partnership with FAO (e.g. World Bank, European Bank for Reconstruction and Development and the International Fund for Agricultural Development). Some 20 participants attended from Ministries of Agriculture in 11 countries of the region (Albania, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Georgia, Macedonia, Moldova, Serbia, Tajikistan and Ukraine). Candidates were selected for their interest in investment work and whose current duties include liaising with donor agencies, managing project formulation and design, or carrying out project implementation. Also present were FAO staff from Budapest, Rome and field offices. J. Nagy (SEU), assisted by REU/SEU staff, oversaw overall workshop coordination. R. Jehle (REU) acted as moderator and facilitator. P. Lucani and F. Vita, Centre retired experts, prepared the material and conducted the training and practical exercises. The workshop was opened by M. Kadleèíková, FAO Assistant Director-General/Regional Representative for Europe and Central Asia, who highlighted the importance of agricultural investment to cope with present demand and future trends in global food supply, and C. Gregorio, Chief of the Investment Centre Service for the region, who outlined the Centre’s commitment to build up capacity in REU countries for investment planning, formulation, implementation and evaluation. The five-day training sessions covered all key stages of a project cycle, from why investing in agricultural development is a priority need, to the planning framework for project identification, preparation, appraisal and implementation, and actual preparation of draft projects. Various typologies of projects and sector programmes were explored and essential analytical tools for project design were illustrated. FAO staff spoke on themes of relevance, such as irrigation planning issues and lessons learnt, the European Union rural development support programmes, REU programmes in Eastern Europe and Central Asia, and the RuralInvest package developed by the Centre for formulation and evaluation of small to medium-scale investment projects. Participants indicated that replication of a similar workshop in their countries or on a regional or subregional basis, would be of great interest to their governments. Most agreed the content and topics were well balanced and only minor modifications are needed for future workshops. Participants and presenters agreed that the practical exercises and case studies were very important and more time should be devoted to these as well as more discussion on country priorities. Keen interest was also shown by the participants on financial and economic analysis methodologies and on the RuralInvest package. It is envisaged that similar workshops will be given in most, if not all FAO regions and subregions and repeated when necessary. A second investment cycle workshop is in the planning for 2009 for the Subregional Office for Central Asia in Ankara, Turkey.

Number of hungry people rises to 963 million

Another 40 million people have been pushed into hunger this year primarily due to higher food prices, according to preliminary estimates published by FAO today. This brings the overall number of undernourished people in the world to 963 million, compared to 923 million in 2007 and the ongoing financial and economic crisis could tip even more people into hunger and poverty, FAO warned. "World food prices have dropped since early 2008, but lower prices have not ended the food crisis in many poor countries," said FAO Assistant Director-General Hafez Ghanem, presenting the new edition of FAO's hunger report, The State of Food Insecurity in the World 2008. "For millions of people in developing countries, eating the minimum amount of food every day to live an active and healthy life is a distant dream. The structural problems of hunger, like the lack of access to land, credit and employment, combined with high food prices remain a dire reality," he stressed. Prices of major cereals have fallen by over 50 percent from their peaks earlier in 2008 but they remain high compared to previous years. Despite its sharp decline in recent months, the FAO Food Price Index was still 28 percent higher in October 2008 compared to October 2006. With prices for seeds and fertilizers (and other inputs) more than doubling since 2006, poor farmers could not increase production. But richer farmers, particularly those in developed countries, could afford the higher input costs and expand plantings. As a result, cereal production in developed countries is likely to rise by at least 10 percent in 2008. The increase in developing countries may not exceed even one percent.

Germany backs FAO Reform with funding

Germany has contributed EUR 700 000 to ensure implementation of an Immediate Plan of Action (IPA) for FAO’s Renewal gets underway in 2009. The three year plan setting out “reform with growth” was approved at the Special Session of the Conference of FAO Members on 22 November 2008. The Government of Germany is one of the first to contribute financial support to the first year’s implementation of the IPA. “This contribution signals Germany’s commitment to the renewal of FAO” said José M. Sumpsi, Assistant Director-General of the Technical Cooperation Department. “In providing its financial support to the Plan, Germany is helping FAO become more effective and efficient in achieving its mandate”. “We support FAO in its efforts to reform and wish to see this roadmap get off the ground as soon as possible,” said Ms Swantje Helbing, Deputy Permanent Representative of Germany to FAO. “It is Germany’s belief that a renewed, streamlined FAO is needed to assist those affected by poverty and hunger. Germany hopes its contribution will encourage other governments to follow suit, enabling FAO to take crucial steps towards reform in the Plan’s first year.” The IPA builds on recommendations by an Independent External Evaluation (IEE) that was completed in 2007. Over the next year, funding of up to a total of $23.3 million is required to kick start the IPA with activities to enhance governance arrangements, streamline management and help FAO focus on its core objectives and functions. A multidonor trust fund has been set up to pool voluntary government contributions to the IPA. It is hoped Germany’s backing will lead the way for other donors to pledge support in the coming months.

8.7 million North Koreans need food assistance

Around 40 percent of the population of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK), an estimated 8.7 million people, mostly young children, pregnant and nursing women and the elderly, will urgently need food assistance because of an expected cereals deficit in the coming months, FAO and the World Food Programme (WFP) said in a joint report today. Despite favourable climate conditions during the past growing season, the country's agricultural production will not meet basic food needs this year, according to the FAO/WFP Crop and Food Security Assessment Mission report. The joint mission visited the DPRK from 9-24 October 2008; it was the first such comprehensive field assessment mission since 2004. "DPRK will face a severe food situation over the coming months," said Henri Josserand, Chief of the FAO Global Information and Early Warning System. "Despite good weather and hard work by farmers and many city dwellers, they could not overcome critical shortages of fertilizer and fuel. The prospects for next year are bleak, with a substantial deficit of basic foods that will only partly be covered by commercial imports and anticipated food aid."

New German funds for anti-hunger projects

Germany has pledged an extra $11 million to support various FAO projects in the fight against hunger. The new funds bring Germany's 2008 extrabudgetary contributions to $14.2 million - the largest amount Germany has ever committed to FAO in one programme year. "Germany's generous support is assisting FAO to reach thousands of beneficiaries with activities designed to improve their longer-term food security," said José M. Sumpsi, Assistant Director-General of the Technical Cooperation Department. "Such a contribution is a significant boost to our vision of a more self-reliant future for all rural communities." "We are delighted to cooperate with FAO with backing for these important interventions," said the German Ambassador to FAO, Hans-Heinrich Wrede. "Sustainable solutions to hunger and poverty reduction as well as protection of the environment are two of our key development priorities."

Israel and FAO Agreement to Strengthen Agricultural Capacity of Developing World

Rome: An agreement between the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Israel and the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) will assist developing countries reach the Millennium Development Goals through a joint programme focused on capacity building. The Center for International Cooperation (MASHAV) will work with FAO to design, implement and monitor professional training projects, seminars and workshops to be held both in Israel and developing countries. MASHAV, a division of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, is Israel’s official overseas development cooperation agency. It has over 50 years experience in agriculture development and hunger alleviation including: management of water resources, modernization of agricultural production, afforestation, desertification and dryland development, integrated rural development, rainwater harvesting, aquaculture and environmental management. MASHAV will provide international experts including agronomists, foresters, fisheries and livestock specialists, nutritionists and scientists to assist FAO in capacity building programmes. In return, FAO will make qualified staff available as trainers for MASHAV sponsored workshops within the framework of a joint programme at headquarters, regional and sub regional level as well as at country offices. The Israeli delegation expressed deep satisfaction with the strengthening of ties between the two organizations, and with the agreement to join forces in the future for the sake of common goals. The FAO is pleased with the inclusion of Israeli expertise and know how in matters that are essential for agricultural development in arid and semi arid areas. The parties will meet again in Israel in February 2009 to discuss the next steps in the program’s implementation.

Cassava’s comeback

After years of massive crop losses caused by a devastating virus, farmers are harvesting healthy cassava - one of Africa's principal foodstuffs - throughout the Great Lakes region, FAO announced today, hailing the achievement as a milestone in its ever stronger partnership with the European Union. By the last planting season, virus-free cassava planting material had been distributed to some 330 000 smallholders in countries struck by the virus - Burundi, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Rwanda and Uganda. The improved crop now benefits a total of some 1.65 million people. "Having cassava back on the table is of major importance, especially to the region's most vulnerable, who have been hit hard by this year's global food crisis," said Eric Kueneman Chief of FAO's Crop and Grassland Service. He added that boosting the production of local crops like cassava is a pillar of FAO's response to the current crisis, which threw an additional 75 million people into poverty in 2007 alone.

Urgent call for global fight against wheat killer

Representatives of major wheat producing countries have called for urgent coordinated action to prevent and control the wheat stem rust disease strain Ug99, FAO said today. The fungus is capable of causing heavy damage to wheat crops and is a major threat to food security. In a declaration adopted by the International Conference on Wheat Stem Rust Ug99 - A Threat to Food Security in New Delhi (6-8 November 2008), countries pledged to strongly support prevention and control of the wheat stem rust as a matter of national policy and international cooperation. Affected countries and countries at risk should develop contingency plans to prevent rust epidemics that could result in devastating yield losses. Countries should share surveillance information and a global early warning system should be immediately established.

FAO TeleFood Gala in Spain an unprecedented success

FAO’s Gala show of ¡Mira quién baila! (Look Who’s Dancing), broadcast live on 8 November by Spain’s TVE Channel 1 and its International Channel, raised a record €2,2 million for TeleFood projects – and the figure is still rising. It was the 12th edition of the annual Gala solidarity event organized by TVE and FAO in their fight against hunger. More than 40 personalities from the world of arts, sports and culture took part in this special edition of ¡Mira quién baila!, presented by Anne Igartiburu. The programme was watched by some 19 million viewers, 45% of the total share. Almost one person out of six – a total of 923 million people – suffered from hunger in the world in 2007, when soaring food prices plunged an 75 million people into hunger and poverty. The funds raised during the 2008 Gala will help thousands of families and communities to break out of the hunger trap. The Gala show featured video reports of some ¡Mira quién baila! participants and ex-participants inspecting FAO projects in the field during recent visits financed by past TeleFood events and by the Agencia Española de Cooperación Internacional para el Desarrollo (AECID) (Spanish Development Cooperation Agency).

Indonesia, Viet Nam and Egypt among major beneficiary countries

The United States will provide an additional $44.4 million in support of FAO's avian influenza control and prevention campaign, FAO announced today. With the new funding from the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), US support to the FAO avian influenza programme has reached a total of $112.8 million. The United States remains the largest donor to FAO's bird flu control activities implemented in more than 96 countries. The funds are mainly earmarked for avian influenza control in Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Cambodia, China, Egypt, India, Indonesia, Lao PDR, Myanmar, Nepal, Pakistan, South Asia, West and Central Africa and Viet Nam, as well as global efforts. Indonesia, Viet Nam and Egypt will be the top beneficiaries.

Record harvest but troubles loom ahead

World cereal production is expected to hit a new record this year as high prices boosted plantings under generally favorable weather conditions, FAO said today in the latest issue of its "Food Outlook", a bi-annual commodity publication. World cereal production is forecast to be large enough to meet anticipated utilization in the short-run, and help replenish much depleted global stocks. But the agency warned that the current financial crisis will affect agricultural sectors in many countries negatively, including those in the developing world.

FAO/IFAD in $US10 million rescue package for farmers in Haiti

Communities in Haiti suffering severe food insecurity are to be assisted by a US$10.2 million package which will quickly boost Haiti’s battered agriculture sector. The funds come at a time when Haiti is facing the double challenge of recovering from recent hurricanes, which the government estimates have caused at least US$500 million in losses, and feeding its people, many of whom were facing food shortages even before the storms struck. The agreement was signed on 22 October 2008 between the Government of Haiti, and the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO). The International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) is providing the funding. In Haiti IFAD’s US$10.2 million is being implemented through the FAO’s recently-established Initiative on Soaring Food Prices (ISFP), part of a larger package of assistance to poor smallholder farmers.

Financial crash could deepen food crisis – FAO

Governments should avoid reducing aid to developing countries’ agriculture and introducing protectionist trade measures in response to the unfolding global financial crisis, FAO Director-General Jacques Diouf cautioned today. In a statement marking the 34th Session of FAO’s Committee on World Food Security (CFS) from October 14-17, Diouf warned that such steps could increase the risk of another food crisis occurring next year. That could happen despite the record 2008 cereal harvest which is now expected. According to the latest issue of FAO’s Crop Prospects and Food Situation report, production this year is forecast to increase 4.9 percent to a record 2 232 million tonnes. However some 36 countries around the world are still in need of external assistance as a result of crop failures, conflict or insecurity, or continuing local high prices, the report noted. “The great uncertainty now enveloping international markets and the threat of global recession may tempt countries towards protectionism and towards reassessing their commitments to international development aid,” Diouf said. “It would be unfortunate if this were to be the case and the recently mobilized political will towards enhanced international support for developing country agriculture were to evaporate,” he added.

Women in agriculture: the critical food producers

Women make up over half the agriculture labour force yet they are frequently subject to discrimination, poverty and hunger. A new publication launched today investigates the situation of women in the rural workforce and how some of the main challenges facing such women can be overcome. Launched on the occasion of International Rural Women’s Day on 15 October, the Gender in Agriculture Sourcebook reviews the complex issues that face more than 36 percent of the world’s working women employed in agriculture. Based on the work done by gender specialists from the World Bank, FAO, IFAD and international experts, the Sourcebook is intended both as a reference and a tool book for those working in agricultural development.

Germany pledges additional support to dairy farmers in Afghanistan

The Government of Germany will bolster an FAO project supporting dairy farming in Afghanistan with a further USD1 665 756. The extra funding will allow continuation of activities under the project, entitled Development of Integrated Dairy Schemes in Afghanistan for another 15 months. The move comes after an evaluation mission, fielded by the German Government in April 2008, noted encouraging results from the project so far. It was concluded the project had significantly contributed to improving national food security in Afghanistan by enabling dairy farmers to respond to the domestic milk and dairy products market through better knowledge, improved market linkages and producer groups. The German funded project began in March 2005 with an original budget of USD1 851 851. Since then, it has been actively supporting the development of three cooperative dairy operations: two existing dairy schemes in Kabul and Mazar provinces and a new cooperative in the province of Kunduz. Ultimately, the project aims to hand over management of these independent and profitable operations to the Afghani dairy farmer organizations involved. The additional support will ensure ongoing training and capacity building of the three cooperative dairy operations to make them capable of running the businesses as the project phases out. A 15 month extension will also enable construction of a 2 000 litres-per-day dairy processing plant in Kunduz (with facilities such as a yoghurt incubator room) to be completed and plant staff to be trained on effective operation of the machinery.

Hunger on the rise: Soaring prices add 75 million people to global hunger rolls

Rising prices have plunged an additional 75 million people below the hunger threshold, bringing the estimated number of undernourished people worldwide to 923 million in 2007, FAO said today. High food prices have reversed the previously positive trend towards achieving the Millennium Development Goal of reducing by half the proportion of people suffering from hunger worldwide by 2015, according to new figures just released by the UN agency in advance of next week’s General Assembly session on the MDGs.

Urgent UN appeal for hurricane ravaged Haiti

With much of Haiti’s agricultural land under water following four major tropical storms, the UN Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) today appealed for US$10.5 million to help rebuild farm livelihoods, restart food production and to fight the spread of animal diseases. Before the recent series of storms, Haiti, the poorest country in the western hemisphere, was already experiencing chronic food insecurity as a result of underlying poverty compounded by the global rise in food prices. During the summer cropping season, FAO began an urgent intervention to boost agricultural production and improve local food availability. However, tropical storms Fay, Hanna, Gustav and Ike hit the country in rapid succession during the peak time of crop growth. As a result, the entire harvest of the current agricultural season was either lost or severely damaged.

Lands of opportunity

Agricultural output is expected to increase significantly in the Russian Federation and Ukraine this year, as higher food prices have led to an expansion in area planted in cereals, FAO said at a meeting here today. Yields are also up in the two countries, and the UN agency predicts bumper cereal crops in 2008.

Italy gives €14 million for food security

The Italian Development Cooperation will make an additional contribution of 14 million euros to the FAO Trust Fund for Food Security and Food Safety, Italian authorities have announced. The Italian Government said the payment was a contribution to resolving the current world food crisis following the Food Security Summit hosted by FAO last month. “I am extremely grateful to the Italian Government for this extra funding”, said FAO Director-General Dr. Jacques Diouf. “It highlights Italy and FAO’s common vision of goals and priorities at a time when the dramatic rise in global food prices is threatening the livelihoods of millions of poor people in developing countries. But it is also evidence of Italy’s renewed commitment and innovative approach in tackling world food security, a move that we warmly welcome.” At the FAO Summit in June, and at the last G8 meeting held in Japan, the Italian Government confirmed it intended to keep issues such as food security, the fight against poverty and sustainable agricultural development high on the international political agenda. Food security, with a special focus on Africa, will be a priority during the Italian G8 presidency in 2009.

FAO launches emergency rice programme in West Africa

15 July 2008, Rome - When one imagines an African landscape, wherever it may be, images of rice paddies are not normally the typical scenery one conjures up. But understanding the role of rice in the recent displays of public unrest in some of the continent’s poorest countries is key to developing a sustainable, long-term solution to the crisis of high food prices on a global scale. “FAO’s Initiative on soaring food prices initially concentrated on those countries where people were demonstrating over the cost of not just any food, but the price of rice,” said Robert Guei, Agricultural Officer with the FAO’s Seed and Plant Genetic Resources Service. “When I was growing up in Côte d’Ivoire, I ate rice every day. It is what many people eat every day, it is the staple food across the region,” he said. So when the price of rice by March about doubled in some West African countries over a year, people were struggling to buy the food they needed to eat, even if in theory there was no shortage. According to FAO data, in the 22 member countries of the Africa Rice Center (WARDA), demand for rice was calculated at about 16 million tonnes in 2006. Of that, domestic production provided some 11 million tonnes. About 6 million tonnes were imported to make up the difference at the then lower price of US$1.2 billion per year. Domestic production in West Africa, though increasing, is continuously outstripped by growth in rice consumption in the region. Contact: Nancy McNally ISFP Communications Officer nancy.mcnally@fao.org (+39) 06 570 55898

Planting Underway in Burkina Faso

FAO is moving into the final stages of an intensive month-long distribution of millet, sorghum, maize, cowpea and peanut seeds to 33 000 farmers in the regions of Burkina Faso that have been hardest-hit by a devastating combination of soaring food prices and severe weather that has vastly reduced the local food supply.

Initiative on soaring food prices now covers 54 countries

"...The provision of seeds, fertilizers and other agricultural inputs to small farmers is intended to encourage donors, financial institutions and national governments to support the provision of inputs on a much larger scale, according to FAO experts who stress that their Initiative is intended to produce a salutary catalytic effect that will encourage development partners to contribute to similar projects, but on a larger scale. According to FAO, countries most affected, especially in Africa, will need at least a total of US$1.7 billion to start reviving agricultural systems that have been neglected for several decades. And this amount is just for immediate and short term measures during 2008-2009."...

Diouf: world must seize chance to boost agriculture

29 April 2008, Rome - FAO Director-General Jacques Diouf today called on the international community not only to take immediate action to de-fuse the current world food emergency but also to seize the opportunities offered by higher food prices and prevent similar dramatic situations occurring in the future.

Poorest countries’ cereal bill continues to soar, governments try to limit impact

11 April 2008, Rome – The cereal import bill of the world’s poorest countries is forecast to rise by 56 percent in 2007/2008. This comes after a significant increase of 37 percent in 2006/2007, FAO said today.

Urgent measures required to reduce impact of high food prices on the poor

9 April 2008, New Delhi – Urgent measures are needed to ensure that short-term adverse effects of higher food prices do not impact even more alarmingly on the very poor, FAO Director-General Jacques Diouf said today.

FAO expects rice production to rise by 1.8 percent in 2008

2 April 2008, Rome – World rice production is expected to increase in 2008 by 12 million tonnes or 1.8 percent, assuming normal weather conditions, FAO said today. Production increases would ease the current very tight supply situation in key rice producing countries, according to the first FAO forecast for this year. International rice trade is expected to decrease, mainly due to restrictions in main exporting countries.

Ducks and rice play key role in avian influenza outbreaks

26 March 2008, Rome – Ducks, people and rice paddies – rather than chickens – are the major factors behind outbreaks of H5N1 highly pathogenic avian influenza in Thailand and Viet Nam, and are probably behind outbreak persistence in other countries of the region such as Cambodia and Lao PDR.

Bird flu situation in Indonesia critical

18 March 2008, Rome – The prevalence of avian influenza in Indonesia remains serious despite containment efforts undertaken by national authorities and the international community, FAO warned today. Indonesia is the country worst hit by avian influenza.

Miriam Makeba visits rape survivors in Congo (DR)

13 March, 2008, Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of the Congo - Singer and activist Miriam Makeba says women survivors of sexual violence in the Democratic Republic of the Congo face a “triple tragedy” of physical, psychological and social damage, undermining the country’s attempts to improve living conditions.

EBRD and FAO call for bold steps to contain soaring food prices

In the context of soaring world food prices, senior government officials from Eastern Europe and the former Soviet Union are meeting with executives from the private agribusiness sector to seek concrete proposals to boost agricultural investments and unlock unused output potential.

Germany commits US$ 2 million to help small farmers in Afghanistan boost their income

5 March 2008, Rome - The Government of Germany has committed close to US $ 2 million to promote small enterprise development in Afghanistan’s Northeastern province Baghlan, under an agreement signed today with FAO. The new funds bring Germany’s extra-budgetary contributions to FAO over the past two years up to more than US$ 20 million, with almost half going to support nutrition, livelihoods and food security activities in Afghanistan. Agriculture is the mainstay of Afghanistan’s economy with an estimated 76 percent of the population dependant on farming for food and income. For the majority of Afghan people, progress in agriculture is the only hope of breaking the vicious cycle of poverty. Under the new agreement FAO will help farmers in Baghlan, who often depend on sugar beet production, diversify their activities and generate alternative income. The project will focus on strengthening farmers’ organizations, adding value to their produce and improving access to markets. It promotes the creation of small enterprises for the production of various goods and services and better integration into the value chain. The project is part of an ongoing umbrella programme of complementary development activities in selected provinces of Afghanistan, funded with more than US$9 million from Germany and promoting food security, nutrition and livelihoods with a strong focus on sustainable management of natural resources and biodiversity.

Using oil export revenues to boost public investment in agriculture

Increased revenues from oil exports could provide an excellent opportunity to boost public investment in agriculture in the Near East, a region faced by food insecurity, land degradation, water scarcity, animal diseases and high food import bills, FAO Director-General Jacques Diouf said today.

Despite constraints, FAO helping Gaza farmers

Despite restrictions which make it hard to import essential inputs, FAO is helping restore agricultural production and improve farmers’ livelihoods in the Gaza Strip through a series of emergency projects

With Italian support, FAO launches projects in five of the world’s poorest countries

A series of projects, launched as part of the FAO Trust Fund for Food Security, will aim to revive agricultural output and create new marketing opportunities for producers in five African countries. This new initiative is financed by a $10 million contribution from the Italian Government.

Fisheries and aquaculture recovery three years after the Asian tsunami

The Asian tsunami of 26 December 2004 killed nearly 300 000 people and devastated the livelihoods of millions more, many of them poor fishers and fish farmers. Indeed, fisheries and aquaculture were the hardest-hit sectors, with large numbers of boats, fishing gear, aquaculture ponds and support installations damaged or destroyed.

Rome UN Agencies urge immediate climate action to avert hunger

Expressing their “deepest concern”, the three Rome-based UN Agencies – FAO, the World Food Programme and the International Fund for Agricultural Development – warned today that climate change is a major challenge to world food security and will increase hunger and malnutrition unless immediate action is taken.

CIS countries share experiences on agricultural investment project implementation

From 6 to 8 December 2007, representatives from all ten countries of the Commonwealth of Independent States convened for a workshop on “Sharing Experiences on Agricultural Investment Project Implementation in the CIS”, held near Moscow. The workshop was organized by the FAO Investment Centre. The aim was to promote communication among national and international staff working in Project Implementation Units (PIUs), donor agencies and FAO, on factors for success and major difficulties and constraints in project implementation in the CIS region. Participants came from over 20 PIUs in the ten countries. The Centre was represented by the Director, Mr Charles Riemenschneider, a Senior Adviser, Ms Eugenia Serova, and the Service Chief responsible for investment support work in CIS countries, Mr Claudio Gregorio, who briefed participants on the FAO Investment Centre’s mandate, objectives and achievements, and illustrated the emerging challenges and opportunities for its work in the CIS region. Salient features of the workshop included: The representatives from the World Bank and the International Fund for Agriculture Development (IFAD) addressed major challenges faced by international financing institutions in the region, and possible implications for strategic priorities and future project pipeline development. High-level experts from Armenia, Kazakhstan and the Russian Federation, and from the UN Development Programme in Ukraine, presented their views on previous experience with public investment projects in the region, and gave an overview of their country strategies in agriculture development. General issues on project implementation in the CIS region were a subject of intensive debate. Working groups were also convened to review experiences in five specific areas: rural development, rural finance, value chains, advisory services, and irrigation and drainage. The workshop provided feedback to the Investment Centre to draw conclusions which will contribute to the improvement of its work with governments and financing partners in the CIS region.

Germany commits over US$7.5 million for food security, livelihoods projects

The Government of Germany has committed more than US$7.5 million to support food security, nutrition and sustainable livelihoods in Afghanistan, Kenya and Tanzania, under an agreement signed last week with FAO.

Bangladesh: agricultural sector devastated in cyclone-hit areas

FAO receives $3 million for emergency assistance. The agriculture, livestock and fisheries sectors in southern Bangladesh have suffered enormous losses and large-scale assistance is urgently needed to address the damage caused by Cyclone Sidr, FAO said today. The cyclone has affected over 6.7 million people in 30 southern districts, and latest government reports put the death toll at around 3 000 people.

Financing for Agriculture meeting stresses need for increased funding for the sector

On 20 November, as part of the FAO Conference, the Investment Centre organized a “High Level Special Event on the Financing of Agriculture: Issues, Constraints and Perspectives”. Participants included over 200 delegates, of which a number made interventions emphasising the urgent need to secure increased funding from domestic and external sources for the agriculture sector, particularly in order to achieve the Millennium Development Goal 1 of halving hunger by 2015. FAO’s Director-General, Mr Jacques Diouf, delivered the welcoming address. He pointed out the lamentable decline in financing for agriculture over the last decade, even though overall Official Development Assistance had increased substantially, and recalled that insufficient investment in agriculture is one of the main constraints to increasing agricultural production. He noted the decline in allocations to agriculture by the main international financing institutions, and pointed out that although Foreign Direct Investment to developing countries had increased enormously over the last 20 years, the share to agriculture was less than 1 percent. Mr Diouf also highlighted that farmers themselves are the largest investors in the sector, with US$18.6 billion invested in 2003. Important points raised by the three keynote speakers included: Mr Rupiah Banda, Vice-President of Zambia, stressed the importance of investing in agriculture in Africa, and referred to private sector initiatives and opportunities for public-private partnerships in the agriculture sector. Mr Jerzy Plewa, Deputy Director-General for Agriculture and Rural Development of the European Commission, noted that agriculture will receive greater attention under the 10th European Development Fund, with some €3 billion for the sector, focusing on Africa. Improving aid effectiveness and donor coordination through mechanisms such as the Global Donor Platform for Rural Development was at the forefront of the European Union’s political agenda. Mr Akinwumi Adesina, Vice President of the Alliance for a Green Revolution in Africa, called for innovative financing mechanisms to be found, especially for Africa, and pointed to the renewed political commitment to revitalizing agriculture in Africa, reflected in the Maputo Declaration and support for NEPAD-CAADP. Greater awareness of the impact of rapid intensification on the environment was also needed. The meeting recognized the significant role of Ministers of Finance in allocating resources for public investment in the sector. The utilization of savings from debt relief measures have been allocated predominantly to the social sectors rather than to agriculture. Several delegates raised the issue of use of subsidies to boost agricultural production, and pointed to the positive impact that subsidies could have on the agriculture sector, as noted in many developed countries. Reference was also made to the importance of ensuring that the cost of financing to farmers themselves is reduced and to enhance accessibility and reliability of loans. The Event was chaired by Mr Einar Guofinnsson, Minister for Agriculture and Fisheries of Iceland.

Special events focus on trade assistance and investment in agriculture

The Aid for Trade initiative should focus on five priority areas in agriculture if it is to help poor countries benefit from the changing global trade regime in agricultural products, according to an FAO document prepared for today's special high level event held during the Organization’s governing Conference. Today's event follows one last night on Financing for Agriculture, which was hosted by FAO Director-General Jacques Diouf. An FAO document on the same subject warned that the share of total aid to agriculture remains stagnant and “by no means reflects the importance of agricultural GDP in developing countries.”

Special events focus on agricultural investment and trade assistance

Special FAO Conference Event to be held on Financing for Agriculture

The Director-General of FAO, Mr Jacques Diouf, will open a Special Event on Financing for Agriculture: Issues, Constraints and Perspectives, which will take place on 20 November 2007 during the 34th Session of the FAO Conference. The Special Event has been organized by the FAO Investment Centre to assist delegates to the Conference and FAO staff in increasing their awareness on opportunities and ways to reduce hunger and poverty through greater investment in agriculture and rural development. The three keynote speakers will be the Vice-President of the Republic of Zambia - the Hon. Mr Rupiah B. Banda, the Deputy Director-General for Agriculture and Rural Development of the European Commission - Mr Jerzy B. Plewa, and the Vice-President of the Alliance for a Green Revolution in Africa - Mr Akinwumi Adesina. The Minister for Agriculture and Fisheries of the Republic of Iceland - the Hon. Mr Einar K. Guofinnsson, will chair the Event. The discussions will review the current investment climate within the context of international commitments to increasing development aid through the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), the Poverty Reduction Strategy process and the Heavily Indebted Poor Country (HIPC) initiative. Different types of external financing resources will be explored as well as factors affecting domestic resource mobilization and allocation, and constraints to channelling funds for investment by farmers themselves. Absorptive capacity constraints and the role that aid can play will be addressed as well as the need for innovative financing mechanisms for agriculture. The background information paper: “Financing of Agriculture: Issues, Constraints and Perspectives” is available online in Arabic, Chinese, English, French and Spanish. The Arabic link is: ftp://ftp.fao.org/docrep/fao/meeting/012/k0677a.pdf The Chinese link is: ftp://ftp.fao.org/docrep/fao/meeting/012/k0677c.pdf

Food security and trade in the Caribbean

Rome - Special assistance to Caribbean countries to promote food security and take advantage of trade liberalization while reaping the benefits of new trading opportunities is provided under an innovative FAO project funded by the Government of Italy.

US announces boost for FAO’s bird flu programme

Rome – The United States will support FAO’s avian influenza control and prevention programme with an additional US$38 million, FAO announced today. The United States is one of the biggest donors to the agency’s programme.

More than 150 countries to mark World Food Day

Rome – More than 150 countries around the world will observe World Food Day this year, organizing special events, conferences, contests, sports activities and a global candlelight vigil on “The Right to Food”

FAO pledges support to flood-affected African countries

Rome - FAO Director-General Dr Jacques Diouf pledged today that FAO will bring all its resources and experience to support flood-affected countries in Africa in rehabilitating their damaged agricultural sector.

FAO Mobilizes US$31.4 million Funding for Irrigation and Drainage Schemes in Myanmar

Technical Cooperation Department, Rome - FAO’s prompt response in preparing a project blueprint for the construction of irrigation schemes in the drier regions of Myanmar has mobilized US$31.4 million worth of funding from both the OPEC Fund for International Development (OFID) and the Government of Myanmar. Thanks to the Technical Cooperation Programme (TCP) Facility, FAO was able to quickly mobilize the funds necessary to produce a project formulation report. Insufficient rainfall in the central dry zone Myanmar’s agriculture sector accounts for around 40 percent of its Gross Domestic Product (GDP), and employs over 50 percent of the total national work force. 75 percent of the national population, or some 36 million, live in rural areas - most of whom are directly or indirectly dependent upon agriculture for their livelihoods. Rainfall patterns in Myanmar are seasonal. Annual rainfall is concentrated in the monsoon period – about 4 to 5 months, followed by long dry spells of dry season. The heavy monsoon rainfall allows for a single season rain-fed paddy crop in most parts of the country but in the central dry zones supplemental irrigation is essential, even in the so-called “wet season”. Development of irrigation and drainage facilities has always been a high priority for the government of Myanmar but the central dry zone required special attention. Rapid project formulation required The Government of Myanmar requested a loan from the OFID to finance the completion of two irrigation and drainage schemes in support of a “Water Sector Improvement Project” in the dry regions. The project objective was to complete the construction of irrigation and drainage canal distribution networks, and associated water control structures with a view to promote high agricultural output and increase income and living standards of the small-scale farmers. OFID funding for this project was dependent on the prompt development of a project formulation report, which had to be carried out in a space of six weeks. “OPEC needed the TCP Facility to formulate the project promptly”, said Mr Xueming Liu, an economist with the FAO Investment Centre. An honest broker linking beneficiary countries with finance institutions At a total cost of US$155 000, FAO produced a project report that would adequately meet the technical requirements of the OFID, and enable it to promptly appraise the project for financing. “The Technical Cooperation Programme acted as an honest broker linking the beneficiary countries with the financing institutions” said Liu. The OFID will provide a loan of US$20 million which will mainly finance the civil works, equipment and machinery, while the Government of Myanmar will provide about US$11.4 million. The irrigation schemes would cover a net area of 38,000 ha benefiting 14,000 smallholder farm families (80,000 persons).

Time for new thinking on rebuilding Afghan agriculture

Efforts to rebuild the rural economy of Afghanistan must start with a better understanding of the country’s complex history, social background and extraordinary resilience of the Afghan people in repeatedly rebuilding their livelihoods.

US$ 13.85 million to meet food needs of Peru earthquake victims

In the wake of the earthquake which devastated Peru’s Southern coastal region killing more than 500 people, destroying over 39 000 houses and leaving over twice this many people homeless, some US$13.85 million is needed to help feed and restore the farming and fishing based livelihoods of the affected population, FAO said today.

Launch of a New Fisheries Information Centre in Yemen

An FAO funded project that will focus on the ‘development of a Fisheries Information Centre in the Yemen capital, Sana’a was launched today in an effort to assist the country’s fisheries sector’s sustainable development. The activities of this TCP project will be integrated within the activities of a World Bank and EU - funded project aimed at fostering resource management and conservation through policy and institutional support for the small scale fisheries sector. Fisheries contribute substantially to the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) in the coastal zones of Yemen and provides employment and livelihood to over 53 000 fishermen. It is an important aspect of Yemen’s Poverty Reduction Strategy. The rise of small scale fisheries Significant changes have occurred in the fisheries sector in Yemen in the past four years. While small scale fisheries production and exports grew significantly, the industrial fisheries were on the decrease and eventually stopped in 2003. This decline was largely due to a change in national policy by the Government of Yemen, which began enforcing the conditions of International fishing agreements, resulting in the cancellation of virtually all foreign industrial fishing licenses. As a result, the fisheries conditions in Yemen became conducive for small scale fisheries activities. Small scale fisheries, which have risen dramatically, are now valued at about 200 million US and produce significant catches of over 230,000 tonnes. Information: the key to Fisheries Development Collection of data and statistics are key to the sustainable management of the fisheries sector. The development of a fisheries information centre with a US$ 177 000 TCP grant will assist in sound policy making and management of the growing small scale fisheries sector in Yemen. The Information Centre will provide key information required by managers and other stakeholders on a regular basis, such as, indicators and statistics on status and trends of fisheries resources, which are essential for sound fisheries management and planning. “FAO has agreed to fund the centre and develop it into a user friendly, integrated information system”, said Gertjan de Graaf, FAO FishCode Senior Projects Management Officer. This TCP project will be compounded within the activities of the World Bank and the EU and will enhance the capacity of the Ministry of Fish Wealth to manage, analyse and disseminate relevant information through the development of the Fisheries Information Centre. The key objectives of the project are to increase knowledge of the exploitation of fisheries resources and to contribute more toward the sustainable development of capture fisheries. Yemen experts will build the information centre while the FAO will provide technical guidance and facilities for the year long project. The project will be implemented within the framework of the FAO strategy for improving information on status and trends of captured fisheries worldwide. According to Mr de Graaf, the project aims to develop infrastructure for the fishing sector in the country, organize fishing operations and improve the quality of fisheries products.

Georgian Wine Sector to Learn from Italian Experience

FAO and EBRD helping Georgian wine producers protect appellations and capture new markets- A four day wine sector tour in Italy, organized by the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) and FAO, will focus on improving marketing strategies and protecting Georgia’s geographical appellations. The study tour, which takes place from the 16th to the 19th of July 2007, aims to improve Georgian wine producers’ capacity to stimulate demand for their products in the global market. A team of 11 wine sector stakeholders from Georgia is participating in the study tour, which is financed by Canada. The Georgian team, led by Mrs. Lily Begiashvili – the Georgian Deputy Minister of Agriculture – will tour key wineries including Antinori (Orvieto Classico appellation), Ruffino (Chianti Classico appellation) and Masi (Amarone della Valpolicella Classico appellation), where “best practices” in the Italian wine sector will be showcased. In addition to the tour of Italian wineries and associations of wine-makers, the participants will attend a seminar organized by FAO experts and key Italian wine industry players such as - inter alia - the Italian Trade Commission (Istituto nazionale per il Commercio Estero - ICE) and the Italian Wine Union (Unione Italiana Vini), the oldest Italian wine sector association, Federvini and the National Committee on Wine Appellations (Ministry of Agriculture). The seminar will focus on the importance of collective action and empowerment initiatives such as wine producers associations in capturing new markets and protecting geographical appellations. FAO has been supporting the development of the Georgian wine sector since 2000 when, at the request of the Government, it provided assistance in drafting Georgiá’s first wine law. The law instituted an appellation of origin labelling system which provides details about where the wine comes from, the grapes used in it and how it was produced. Despite this tracing system, the Georgian wine sector continues to be plagued by counterfeiting. It was affected by the banning of wine exports to Russia - its biggest export market - in 2006. “Georgia’s wine industry has to broaden its markets” says Emmanuel Hidier of FAO’s Investment Centre. “It has to stimulate demand for its appellations in large wine markets such as the EU and North America.” The seminar will explore ways to do just that and learn from the Italian experience. At the same time it will discuss the geographical appellations issue and learn from the Italian know-how how best to protect and promote such appellations.

Launch of a major project to tackle drought in Morocco

A project designed to support Morocco’s National Water Economy Plan was launched today in an effort to combat the country’s water shortage problem, according to the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO).

Food import bills reach a record high

Global food import bills are increasing, partly due to soaring demand for biofuels, according to FAO’s latest Food Outlook report. Global expenditures on imported foodstuffs look set to surpass US$400 billion in 2007, almost 5 percent above the record of the previous year.

More rural families earning money from non-farm work

A growing proportion of rural family income is coming from non-farm activities such as commerce, service provision and immigrant remittances. However earnings from agriculture continue to be a fundamental source of livelihood for 90 percent of rural households, particularly the poor, according to a report released today by the UN Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) during a seminar on rural incomes.

More than one-third of Zimbabweans face food shortages

A poor harvest coupled with a worsening economic crisis will leave more than 4 million people in Zimbabwe in need of food assistance by early next year, according to a report issued today by the UN Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) and the UN World Food Programme (WFP).

Capacity Building Programme on Policies and Strategies for Agriculture and Rural Development, Rome: 21 May to 15 June 2007

The programme aimed at strengthening the capacity of staff members working in Decentralised Offices to engage in policy dialogue with national policymakers. It was designed to bring together FAO’s knowledge and thinking on policies and strategies for agriculture and rural development in the context of MDGs. The material produced for this programme was made available to a broader public through the Web on FAO’s EASYPol site

New project helps South Africa build capacity in development assistance

South African development professionals at various levels of seniority will gain experience in aid delivery and management and in organizing and assisting small-scale farmers, under an agreement signed today between the Government of South Africa and FAO.