Annex 1
Media coverage

More than 150 countries to mark World Food Day today
Gulf Times – Tuesday, 16 October 2007

ROME: More than 150 countries are scheduled today to observe World Food Day by kicking off a series of events including sports contests and a global candlelight vigil, the Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) has said.

"This year's World Food Day theme, 'The Right to Food', highlights a basic human right that is often ignored as severe food insecurity continues to afflict more than 850mn people," the Rome-based UN agency said in a statement.
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A global candlelight vigil will begin the evening of October 22 in Samoa and move across the world's time zones through various cities including Yokohama, Japan, Yerevan, Armenia, Lusaka, Zambia, Bratislava, Slovakia, Quito, Ecuador and Rome, where the a vigil will be held at the Colosseum.
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Thailand will celebrate World Food Day with a regional symposium attended by Crown Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn, while Japan will organise a TeleFood television fundraising concert in Yokohama. - DPA

His Majesty the King's Sufficiency Economy Cited as a Good Example for Eliminating Hunger
Thailand Public Relations Department news – Friday, 19 October 2007

His Majesty the King's philosophy of Sufficiency Economy has been cited as a good example for people to achieve food security and eliminate hunger.

Her Royal Highness Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn on October 17 joined the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) Regional Office for Asia and the Pacific to celebrate this year's World Food Day. FAO has chosen the Right to Food as its World Food Day theme this year to draw attention to this essential, yet often overlooked, human right. She also took part in the global "Stand Up against Poverty and Hunger."

In her address, the Princess pointed out that the issue of the right to food is complex and multi-dimensional. It should not be limited to the right to have and to gain access to food. Nor should it be stressed just on providing food to the needy in difficult times. It should be constructive and proactive, not only to those who provide but also to those who need food. She also said that we should strive to enable them to produce food for themselves and thereby become self-reliant and self-sufficient. In Thailand, His Majesty the King's Sufficiency Economy philosophy, which aims at building small reliable economy units self-sufficient in terms of food and other basic needs, serves as a good example.

On this occasion, Her Royal Highness presented FAO awards to five Asian farmers for their outstanding achievement. They were from Bangladesh in the area of horticulture, Cambodia in aquaculture, Mongolia in agribusiness, Samoa in home gardening, and Thailand in community forestry. The citations were read during the award ceremony.

Mrs. Pramuan Charoenying, the award recipient from Thailand, lives in the northeastern province of Buri Ram. One evening, about 15 years ago, she listened as His Majesty the King addressed the nation on television. His Majesty, who has dedicated himself to uplifting his subjects, especially rural people, outlined what he called his "New Theory." This concept urged farmers to divide their land and diversify their crops, by planting vegetables, and fruits and digging ponds to raise fish and irrigate fields. In this way, farmers could become more sufficient and protect themselves against the uncertainties of climate and other misfortunes.

Mrs. Pramuan followed His Majesty's advice. She said that His Majesty is a great teacher and a model for everyone. Today, her family always has food on the table, thanks to the diversity of crops and the fish they raise. And her vegetable gardens, irrigated from the fish pond, never lack for water. Her family cultivates enough rice to sell on the market. His Majesty the King's philosophy has been broadened over the years into the "Sufficiency Theory of Economics." Valuing the community and using resources wisely are among its principles.

World Food Day 2007
WFP Relief Web – Thursday, 25 October 2007

Kabul: The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) celebrates World Food Day (WFD) each year on 16 October, the day the Organization was founded in 1945 in Quebec City, Canada. This year's World Food Day theme is "The Right to Food." This year's World Food Day theme, "The Right to Food," highlights a basic human right that is often ignored as severe food insecurity continues to afflict more than 850 million people.

The right to food, according to international law, is the right of every person to have regular access to sufficient, nutritionally adequate and culturally acceptable food for an active, healthy life. It is the right to feed oneself in dignity, rather than the right to be fed. Since the 1996 World Food Summit, FAO has worked with governments and communities worldwide to gain recognition for this basic human right.

The FAO in collaboration with Agriculture, Irrigation and Livestock (MAIL) celebrated the WFD on Thursday, 25th October 2007, at 10:00 - 12:00 am at Knowledge Centre of Badam Bagh farm in Kabul City.

The FAO Representative in Afghanistan, Mr. Tekeste G Tekie read the message of the FAO Director General for World Food Day on "The Right to Food" in which he mentioned "The Right to Food" has been chosen to be the theme of this year's World Food Day so that the voice of the disadvantaged may be heard." He added, "This context, information is a key element. People need to be aware of their rights and of how to claim those rights. Officials need to know their obligations and how to fulfil them." "Freedom from hunger is one of the fundamental goals set out in FAO's Constitution." "World Food Day provides an excellent opportunity for countries to take stock of the steps taken and the results obtained."

His Excellency Obaidullah Rameen, Minister of Agriculture, Irrigation and Livestock mentioned in the his message ""This year World Food Day is being celebrated while Afghanistan together with Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations and all the countries of the world that the food security situation of the country has significantly improved as a result of efforts of the Islamic State of Afghanistan. The total crop production has been estimated 5.6 MT in the current year, considering the local requirement of 6.1 MT indicates 92% self-sufficiency. Likewise, estimation of wheat production in 4.5 MT which in comparison to the local requirement of 4.9 MT it shows 92% self-sufficiency. ".

UN Agencies, International NGOs, Ambassadors, donors, the representatives of Governmental authorities, Afghan farmers and national and international media were invited to the celebration.

An exhibition of agricultural projects and activities of Ministry of Agriculture and FAO took place and a short film was showed which highlighted this year's WFD theme. The ceremony ended with distribution of agricultural inputs to the farmers.

Bangladeshi farmer wins FAO model award
New Age – Thursday, 18 October 2007

Dhaka – Abul Kalam Azad, a Bangladeshi horticulturist, has been among the five 'model farmers' in the Asia-Pacific region awarded this year for their outstanding achievement in farming.

The regional office of the Food and Agriculture Organisation of the United Nations has given the awards to encourage farmers of Asia and the Pacific, home to majority of the world's hungry people, in spite of significant progress in poverty alleviation.

Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn presented the five Asian farmers with the FAO awards in a ceremony on the occasion of the 62nd anniversary of the UN body in Bangkok on Wednesday.

Azad, the secretary to the local farmer's association in the Comilla district headquarters, was honoured as a model horticulturist representing South Asia.

After he had been discharged from the air force for being proved colour-blind in 1990, Azad chose to become a farmer and started with some fish ponds, and began growing vegetables along the pond banks. Later he also grew rice.

Azad learnt farming techniques and technologies, experimenting with new vegetable crops, and also a hybrid strain of rice called Hira that doubles the yields, said a release issued by the UN body.

The organisation believes there is no better solution to securing the right to food for the poor other than by empowering them with the capacity to enhance productivity and to eliminate poverty.

'The rise in inequality, of incomes as well as non-income dimensions such as education and health services, especially in rural areas of Asia, is a major cause for concern,' said He Changchui, the UN body's Asia-Pacific chief.

The global body maintains that there is a need to address the policy bias against sectors and individuals in which the poor are engaged.

Four other awarded are Pramuan Charoenying of Thailand for community forestry, Ponifasio Ricky Westerlund of Samoa for home gardening, Nget Sareng of Cambodia for aquaculture and Ochirbat Ganzorig of Mongolia for agribusiness.

World Food Day 2007 celebrated at Dungkar Primary School, Lhuentse
Bhutan Ministry of Agriculture news

This year the theme for World Food Day was "The Right to Food" and it was hosted by Dungkar Primary School, Kurtoe geog, Lhuentse Dzongkhag which is one of the remotest communities in Bhutan. Dungkar is one of the most historically important places being the origin of the Royal Family in Bhutan.

The World Food day is internationally celebrated by the member countries as the founding day of FAO. It was first founded in 1945, in Quebec city, Canada. This is the 62nd anniversary of foundation. Bhutan being a member country joins to celebrate this important day every year. This is the 22nd year Bhutan has been hoisting this day as partner of UN. This day is marked to honour the farming community, donors and policy makers who are involved in the agriculture development.

In Bhutan WFD is hosted every year in schools with school agriculture program. Ministry of Agriculture has been identified as the focal agency to organise the WFD in collaboration with FAO Bhutan. As a part of WFD program, the School Agriculture Program has awarded national level prizes to the outstanding schools under SAP.

As many as 400 people including school children and public gathered in the school ground of Dungkar Primary school to join hands for World Food day celebration. The day was marked with debates on importance of farming in schools by two High schools of Lhuentse (Tangmachu MSS and Phuyum HSS), Quiz competitions on RNR/health and cultural programs. Farmers from the community also displayed and sold the local RNR products to the visitors. Dasho Dzongdag of Lhuentse graced as the Chief Guest along with the dignitaries of MoA and other agencies. The message from the Director General of FAO was read out to general public by Asst. Resident Representative of FAO in Bhutan.

India committed to ensure food security for every citizen: Pawar
Daily India/ANI – Tuesday, 16 October 2007

New Delhi: Union Agriculture and Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution Minister Sharad Pawar today said the country was committed to ensure food security for every citizen.

Addressing the World Food Day celebrations here today, Pawar said the Right to Food Approach complements food security in terms of food availability, accessibility and utilization with human dignity and cultural acceptability.

"We have been following a twin-track approach in this regard to strengthen productivity and livelihoods at one level and implementing social safety nets for those unable to provide for themselves at another level," he added.

Keeping in view the challenges of growing population and the need for food security, two major programmes have been launched recently to augment food production and availability in the country, he said.

The first one is the 'National Food Security Mission' targeted to push both production and productivity of stable food grains such as wheat, rice and pulses on a mission mode. The other programme 'Rashtriya Krishi Vikas Yojna' provides for additional assistance by the Centre as 100 percent grant to incentivise states to take up agriculture development on priority and in a comprehensive manner with definite action plans.

He expressed the hope that with such major initiatives, there would be enough production to take care of the country's food security requirements.

Pawar said that towards ensuring social safety net for food and nutritional security for our citizens, the States interventions cover the Targeted Public Distribution System. Under this, subsidized food grains are being distributed to the poorest of the poor families under the Antyodaya Anna Yojna.

Under various welfare schemes, more than 50 lakh tonnes of food grains were distributed last year. To ensure that there is no adverse impact on food security in the country, the government maintains the required buffer stock of food grains as per norms, procures food grains at minimum support prices from the farmers and also imports wheat when required from abroad.

The Minister pointed out that the Central Issue Prices of food grains distributed under the targeted public distribution system have not been increased over last six years.

Kantilal Bhuria, Minister of State for Agriculture, Dr. Daniel Gustafson, Country Director, FAO and Dr. P.K. Mishra, Secretary, Department of Agriculture, Dr. Mangla Rai, DG, ICAR also addressed the gathering.

World Food Day is observed every year as an International Day on October 16, the founding day of Food and Agriculture Organisation. The theme for this year is 'The Right to Food'.

Nepal experts call for right to food
Xinhua – Tuesday, 16 October 2007

Beijing: Nepali experts and officials called for treating right to food as a basic human right prior to the World Food Day, local newspaper The Rising Nepal reported Tuesday.

The National Network for Right to Food Monday demanded right to food be treated as a basic human right with nearly 20 percent of Nepalese living on a single meal every day.

The network on the eve of the World Food Day has appealed to the general people to join its three-day campaign to start Tuesday to mount pressure on the concerned authorities to deal with hunger as a state of emergency.

Prior to the World Food Day which falls on Tuesday, the network has voiced that the state should ensure that the people are empowered and given control over the means of production.

It has also asked the government to ensure all the rights of the citizens to fight against hunger and starvation.
Addressing a press conference organized by the network Monday, team leader of Action Aid, Ila Sharma, said 800 million people were starving in the world. Right to food is a basic human right, she said.

Secretary General of All Nepal Peasants Federation Prem Dangal said 31 percent of people live below the poverty line in Nepal.
Nepali Minister for Agriculture and Cooperatives Chhabilal Bishwokarma Monday said the government was effortful to step up people's access to safe and nutritious food, as Nepal has endorsedthe "right to food" as a fundamental right in the Interim Constitution promulgated on Jan. 15.

Minister Bishwokarma was speaking at a seminar jointly organized by Ministry of Agriculture and Cooperatives and Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) in observance of World Food Day.

FAO representative to Nepal Bui Thi Lan said that access to food was essential for human survival, development and dignity.

The right food
Mindanao Times Editorial– Tuesday, 16 October 2007

The Right to Food is a right that should be claimed by 854 million people across the world. The commitment of countries that are signatory to the Universal Declaration of Human Rights adopted by the United Nations in 1948, have been regrettably slow, especially in poor countries riddled by war and other calamities.

FAO said that "three quarters of the world's one billion extremely poor people live in rural areas, many already suffer from hunger and malnutrition, but new and growing challenges such as climate change are making them all the more vulnerable. This is why now, more than ever, the world has a pressing moral obligation to invest in agricultural development to combat hunger and restore dignity to the poor."

FAO Director-General Jacques Diouf asked: "if our planet produces enough food to feed its entire population, why do 854 million people still go to sleep on an empty stomach?"

Some countries in Africa, oftentimes besieged by war and economic sanctions, suffer intolerably. Tanzanian President, Jakaya Mrisho Kikwete, in Tuesday's celebration, stated that "40,000 children die every day throughout the world due to malnutrition and related diseases. These are the people who are being denied the right to food. These are the people who are the subject of this year's World Food Day." The ultimate solution, he said, lies in improving agriculture.

FAO said that 11 years after the 1996 World Food Summit the "number of undernourished people in the world remains unacceptably high, with 820 million in developing countries, 25 million in countries in transition and 9 million in industrialized countries. As a result, promoting the right to food is not just a moral imperative or even an investment with huge economic returns, it is a basic human right."

In the Philippines, despite the glowing figures of economic growth and the strengthening of the peso, hunger continues to stalk those who are already living in the margins. Food security in the rural areas has something to do with ownership of the means of production. Government has to address this to ensure food security for all.

FAO hails Vietnam's achievements in poverty reduction
VietNamNet Bridge – Sunday, 14 October 2007

United Nations Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) Representative in Vietnam Andrew Speedy said that the Southeast Asian nation has already succeeded in achieving the first UN Millennium Goal of halving the proportion of the poor well ahead of the 2015 target.

"Rapid economic growth combined with direct government action to assist the poorest households and communities have dramatically reduced the incidence of poverty and hunger, and improved the living standards of most Vietnamese people," Speedy told a Vietnam News Agency reporter on the occasion of the World Food Day (October 16).

According to Vietnam's Ministry of Labour, Invalid and Social Affairs, the poverty rate in Vietnam reduced from more than 58 percent in 1993 to over 18 percent in 2006 and may reduce to some 15 percent by the end of this year.

"There is still a need to address the poor and hungry in remote areas, among ethnic minorities and the poorer sections of society," Speedy noted.

"Rice exports have contributed to economic growth. However, rural development should not be based on agriculture alone; opportunities for diversification, added value and small industry should be exploited to raise incomes," he added.

The UN official continued to say that FAO has had a "special relationship" with Vietnam since the post-war years. FAO has been involved in the implementation of some 400 projects in sustainable agricultural development, nutrition, food security, forestry and fisheries.

FAO is heavily involved with partners World Health Organisation (WHO), United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), UN Children Fund (UNICEF) and others in the programme to assist with the control and prevention of highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) and the recovery of natural disasters.

Speedy hinted that FAO is currently developing its five-year priority framework together with Vietnam's Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development and the other UN agencies with a view to further collaboration and the provision of high quality technical assistance in the fields of food safety, animal and plant health, as well as general agriculture, forestry and fisheries.

The UN official also spoke highly of the Southeast Asian nation's assistance to Laos, Senegal, Benin Madagascar, and the Republic of Congo and Mali in poverty reduction, irrigation, cultivation and livestock breeding.

"Recipient countries have expressed their strong appreciation for the inputs from Vietnam," Speedy said.

He said that the theme of this year's World Food Day is "The Right of Food", so that the voice of the disadvantaged may be heard.