More than 20 Asia-Pacific countries will meet at the invitation of the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) of the United Nations, the Asian Development Bank  (ADB), the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) and the World Food Programme (WFP) to consider the need for swift, coordinated international action to prevent a return of the price shocks that affected tens of millions of people in the region in 2007-08. With fears of another potential food price crisis growing because of recent sharp increases in international market prices of maize, wheat and soybeans, the meeting will give agriculture ministers, international development organizations, UN agencies, bilateral donors, research institutions, private sector and civil society organizations an opportunity to consider the best measures to prevent a re-emergence of another food price crisis.

Some 100 officials from all Asian countries, including more than 10 Ministerial level participants, are expected to attend.

Invitation to news organizations to attend:

Opening session: Journalists and news organizations are invited to attend the opening session of the High Level Consultation and the News Conference at the Hotel Plaza Athénée, A Royal Méridien Hotel, 61 Wireless Road (Witthayu) Lumphini Pathumwan, Bangkok, Thailand on 01-02 October 2012, starting at 9:00 a.m.

News conference: The news conference will begin immediately after the opening session at 9:50 a.m. with Mr. Hiroyuki Konuma, Assistant Director-General and FAO Regional Representative for Asia and the Pacific, H.E. Mr. Theera Wongsamut, Minister of Agriculture and Cooperatives, Royal Thai Government, Mr Kenro Oshidari, Regional Director, Bureau for Asia, WFP, Mr. Ganesh Thapa, Regional Economist, Asia and the Pacific Division, IFAD and Ms Lourdes S. Adriano, Advisor and concurrently Practice Leader (Agriculture, Food Security and Rural Development) Agriculture, Rural Development and Food Security Unit, Regional and Sustainable Development Department, ADB.

One-on-one media interviews can be arranged the same morning following the news conference.