News and Press Releases
Misinformation about the impact the coronavirus is having on the safety of food in the Asia-Pacific region has led to confusion and concern among consumers, and it’s time to set the record straight, the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) announced today.
The spread of COVID-19 has affected supply chains and international trade across the region. But concerns among food safety stakeholders and consumers that COVID-19 might be...
FAO honored by minting of special coin in India
Director-General thanks Prime Minister for country’s support and the gesture of minting a commemorative 75-rupee coin on the occasion of FAO’s 75th birthday and World Food Day 2020
18.10.2020 Rome
India has minted a commemorative coin to celebrate World Food Day and the 75th anniversary of the Food and Agriculture Organization.
FAO Director-General QU Dongyu thanked Prime Minister Narendra Modi for the gesture and for the country's support. "We look forward to continuing our strong partnership with India as we work together toward achieving the SDGs by 2030," the Director-General expressed on Twitter.
Prime Minister Modi presented the new coin, with a...
On World Food Day, Asia-Pacific countries consider bold plan to recover from COVID-19 and eradicate hunger
Response and recovery need innovation and collaboration to ensure sustainable food security and agricultural livelihoods
16.10.2020 Bangkok
Every year, FAO’s Regional Office for Asia and the Pacific celebrates the importance of World Food Day. This year, given the COVID-19 global pandemic and the disruptions it has caused to livelihoods and food security, our celebrations are muted, yet within this context, today’s World Food Day itself has become more important than ever.
While the spread of the coronavirus has seriously disrupted food security and livelihoods for millions of people...
UN Agencies among partners supporting ASEAN moves to strengthen social protection systems for inclusive and resilient COVID-19 response and recovery
15.10.2020 Jakarta/Bangkok
Representatives from various sectoral bodies in ASEAN (Association of Southeast Asian Nations) met virtually Thursday for a high-level roundtable to discuss accelerated actions to leverage social protection to address COVID-19 pandemic and to officially launch the ASEAN Guidelines on Disaster Responsive Social Protection to Increase Resilience.
The ASEAN region is facing a socio-economic crisis due to COVID-19. Average growth in GDP in 2020 has been estimated at just 0.1 percent, compared...
Pacific countries receive support for national Food-Based Dietary Guidelines
30.09.2020 Apia, Samoa
FAO is collaborating with government Ministries for Health, Food and Agriculture from several Pacific countries to provide support to revise national Food-Based Dietary Guidelines (FBDG).
The partnership follows requests by the Governments of Fiji, Marshall Islands, Samoa, Solomon Islands, Tonga and Vanuatu to provide technical assistance in revising and implementing national Food-Based Dietary Guidelines. In response, FAO is designing and funding the regional project called - Technical support for national Food-Based...
The FishFAD project (also known as Enhancing livelihoods and food security through fisheries with nearshore fish aggregating devices in the Pacific) is developing tuna products to provide both local income and nutrient-dense options in Pacific Island countries.
In June this year, the first training on manufacturing tuna products was held in Bairiki, Kiribati. The four-day training included beneficiaries from South Tarawa and representatives from the Betio fish aggregating device (FAD) committee...
UN’s FAO strengthens partnership with leading civil society organization in Asia-Pacific to achieve food security, improved livelihoods and sustainable transformation of agriculture
23.09.2020 Bangkok/Quezon City
The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) today formalized its partnership with one of Asia’s leading civil society organizations working to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) to end hunger, achieve food security, improve nutrition and promote transformative, sustainable agriculture.
The CSO, Asian Partnership for the Development of Human Resources in Rural Asia (AsiaDHRRA), is a regional leader in building partnerships to empower farmers. It has been active...
Asia-Pacific countries pledged bold and innovative action for food security and livelihoods
FAO regional conference focused on rebound from damage of COVID-19
04.09.2020 Bangkok/Thimphu
Innovation, solidarity, coherence and strong partnership among and within countries of Asia and the Pacific are required for the region to rebound from the damage caused by COVID-19 and the ongoing effects of chronic undernourishment.
That was a call made by more than 40 member countries of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations concluding a four-day regional conference. About 750 participants, including representatives of the private sector and...
FAO Regional Conference calls for greater action to tackle COVID-19’s impacts across Asia and the Pacific
Ministerial Session highlights the importance of supporting the livelihoods of the most vulnerable people through sustained and stronger collaboration
03.09.2020 Bangkok/Thimphu
On the third day of the FAO Regional Conference for Asia-Pacific, the FAO Director-General QU Dongyu, Government Ministers as well as civil society and private sector representatives voiced concern over COVID-19's impacts on the food security and livelihoods of millions of people, and urged for greater action to overcome the food and agriculture challenges facing the region.
They spoke during the Ministerial Session of the virtual conference, which is hosted by Bhutan...
SIDS, LDCs and LLDCs make their voices heard at FAO Asia-Pacific Regional Conference
The impacts of COVID-19 and climate change are threatening the food security in Small Island Developing States, Least Developed and Landlocked Developing Countries
03.09.2020 Bangkok/Thimphu
The FAO Regional Conference for Asia-Pacific, which started yesterday virtually hosted by Royal Government of Bhutan, has been an important platform for FAO and the international community to hear and acknowledge the voice of those countries that are usually the most vulnerable to shocks, such as the impacts of COVID-19: Small Island Developing States (SIDS), Least Developed Countries (LDCs) and Landlocked Developing Countries (LLDCs).Delegations from Pacific Islands actively participated in...