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Governments and partners across the Asia-Pacific region are acting to protect citizens from Coronavirus disease –2019 (COVID-19). These crucial efforts will save many lives. However, measures needed to slow the transmission of the disease are resulting in hardship for many vulnerable families. In particular, COVID-19 pandemic is having worrying impacts on household incomes, food supply chains, health services and schools. The Asia United Nations Network on Nutrition, comprising FAO, WFP, WHO...

UN Humanitarian Chief Mark Lowcock today announced the release of US$2.5 million from the Central Emergency Response Fund (CERF) to get lifesaving aid to thousands of people affected by Tropical Cyclone Harold in Vanuatu, in the South Pacific Ocean. Tropical Cyclone Harold made landfall in Vanuatu on 6 April on the island of Espiritu Santo, before hitting the Solomon Islands, Fiji and Tonga. Initial assessments suggest as much as...

The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) and the Jiangsu Academy of Agricultural Sciences (JAAS) have signed a partnership agreement which foresees joint efforts to support smallholder farmers through technological innovation.   The collaboration will focus on developing sustainable, resilient and efficient food systems across urban and rural areas, and sharing knowledge and technologies with developing countries through FAO's South-South and triangular cooperation framework.    "The Jiangsu Academy of...

Work is getting underway in Papua New Guinea this month in FAO’s biggest European Union-funded, single country, UN multi-partner project worldwide. The EURO 82 million (USD 89 million) FAO-led project “External Action for Support to Rural Entrepreneurship, Investment and Trade in Papua New Guinea” (STREIT PNG) will support and strengthen sustainable agricultural chains with emphasis on benefitting rural women and youth in Papua New Guinea. “FAO’s headquarters, and indeed the FAO Asia-Pacific...

Millions of people around the world depend on international trade for their food security and livelihoods. As countries move to enact measures aiming to halt the accelerating COVID-19 pandemic, care must be taken to minimise potential impacts on the food supply or unintended consequences on global trade and food security. When acting to protect the health and well-being of their citizens, countries should ensure that any trade-related measures do not...

Mr. Shoaib Ahmed Siddique, Secretary IT & Telecommunication and Ms. Minà Dowlatchahi, FAO Representative virtually signed a memorandum of understanding while sitting in Pakistan and Rome, Italy respectively. The arrangement was adopted to thwart any delay imposed by worldwide social distancing in the wake of COVID-19.  Speaking at the occasion, Mr. Shoaib Ahmed Siddique said that agriculture is the mainstay of Pakistan’s economy as it contributes around 20 percent in the overall...

The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) has donated critical medical supplies to the Chinese government to support its response to the COVID-19 pandemic. In total, two batches of supplies were sent from Beijing and Shanghai to Wuhan – the epicenter of the outbreak in Hubei Province – on 12 and 13 March. As of 12 March, in Hubei Province, there were still more than 13,000 confirmed cases...

While Lao PDR is a comparatively small country in Asia it has an impressive track record in agricultural research and recent organic innovation. At the Lao PDR Rice Research Center, just under an hour’s drive from the capital, a team of researchers in white coats and hair nets, inspect samples of many different rice varieties. In fact, the RRC has identified more than 14,000 varieties of rice in Lao PDR –...

During his first visit to Southeast Asia since taking  office, the Director-General of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), QU Dongyu, visited Thailand carrying proposals for partnerships and offers to jointly support the country as a regional hub for innovation and food systems transformation. The Director-General had a warm and fruitful discussion  with Thai Prime Minister, H.E. Prayuth Chan-O-Cha.,  He thanked the Prime Minister and people of...