News and Press Releases
Five Asia-Pacific countries consider implementation of a regional Zero Hunger Challenge
29.09.2014 Bangkok, Thailand
The Zero Hunger Challenge in Asia and the Pacific has taken another important step toward implementation, FAO announced today.
Government representatives from five countries are taking part in an inception workshop on FAO’s “Regional initiative to support the Zero Hunger Challenge in Asia and the Pacific,” at FAO’s Regional Office in Bangkok, Thailand.
The participants heard that with nearly two-thirds of the world’s 805 million chronically undernourished people living in the Asia-Pacific...
ASEAN Ministers of Agriculture and Forestry consider ASEAN Vision and Strategic Plan towards 2025 in food, agriculture and forestry, and the Zero Hunger Challenge
FAO assists ASEAN in formulating ASEAN Vision towards 2025 in food, agriculture and forestry sectors
23.09.2014 Nay Pyi Taw, Myanmar
The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) has today presented a revised draft Strategic Plan for ASEAN Cooperation in Food, Agriculture and Forestry, 2016 – 2025, as well as the Zero Hunger Challenge in Asia and the Pacific to Agriculture and Forestry Ministers from the ten countries of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) for their consideration. The strategic document was introduced during the 36th Meeting...
Increased concern over latest strain of avian influenza in Southeast Asia
FAO urges continued vigilance to safeguard poultry and livelihoods
22.09.2014
A recently-emerged strain of avian influenza virus in poultry in Southeast Asia known as A(H5N6) represents a new threat to animal health and livelihoods and must be closely monitored, FAO said today.
Chinese authorities first reported the influenza A(H5N6) virus in poultry in April 2014. Since then, the Lao People's Democratic Republic and Viet Nam have also detected the H5N6 virus in poultry."Influenza viruses are constantly mixing and recombining to form new...
Asia and the Pacific heading to achieve MDG hunger target: remaining regional gap narrows to less than one percentage point
16.09.2014 Bangkok, Thailand
The most comprehensive survey on the state of food insecurity in the world confirms large gains have been made in combating hunger in many parts of Asia and the Pacific, the head of FAO’s Regional Office for Asia and the Pacific announced today.
“Achieving the MDG hunger target is now close to hand,” said Hiroyuki Konuma, FAO Assistant Director-General and Regional Representative, noting that the remaining gap to meet the Millennium...
FAO food price index drops to four-year low
Good weather boosts world cereal production – 2014 crop projections up 14 million tonnes
11.09.2014 Rome, Italy
FAO's monthly food price indexregistered another drop in August, continuing a 5-month downward run and reaching its lowest level since September 2010.
The index's August average of 196.6 points represents a decrease of 7.3 points (3.6 percent) from July. With the exception of meat, prices for all of the commodities measured by the index dipped markedly.Dairy led the pack, with FAO's sub-index for dairy products averaging 200.8 points in August, down 25.3 points (11.2...
Food security tops agenda of FAO Director-General’s meeting with India’s Prime Minister Modi
India looks forward to FAO’s help in addressing emerging challenges facing the country’s agriculture sector
10.09.2014 New Delhi, India
The Prime Minister of India, Narendra Modi, and FAO Director-General, José Graziano da Silva, have agreed on how to strengthen efforts to promote India’s food security and sustainable agricultural development during talks held in New Delhi. Tuesday’s meeting was Modi’s first with the FAO Director-General since he took office as Prime Minister in May.
During the discussions, the Indian leader expressed his concern on the impact that international trade agreements could...
Indian institutions award FAO Director-General for efforts to promote food security
India well positioned to take global role in post-2015 push to eradicate hunger, improve nutrition worldwide
08.09.2014 New Delhi, India
Today FAO Director-General José Graziano da Silva was named Doctor Honoris Causa by the Indian Agricultural Research Institute (IARI) and made a Fellow of India's National Academy of Agricultural Sciences (NAAS) during his first official mission to the country.
“This is truly a great honor,” said Graziano da Silva. “The NAAS and IARI have a rich history of contributing to agricultural development, responding to the challenges of yesterday and today, and...
Director-General reinforces FAO commitments with the islands
04.09.2014 Apia, Samoa
Food security, small-scale fisheries and nutrition were the main topics of talks
FAO Director General José Graziano da Silva has reaffirmed the organization’s commitment to address food and nutritional insecurity and sustainable livelihood programs in the Small Islands Developing States, in a series of high-level bilateral meetings with the islands’ leaders in the margins of the SIDS Conference, held in Apia, Samoa.
The Director-General has also stressed high level of food imports...
Interest high at FAO side-events at SIDS 2014
04.09.2014 Apia, Samoa
FAO in partnership with multi-stakeholders hosted two side-events at the SIDS Conference 2014, which was recently held in Apia, Samoa. The side events respectively focussed on fostering ocean economies and food security in small island developing states.
The Blue Growth/ Blue Economy initiative aims to promote the sustainable use and conservation of aquatic renewable resources, in an economically, socially and environmentally responsible way. Oceans provide a substantial portion of the global...
Sustainable development of Small Island Developing States a global litmus test "We want more than just survival. We strive for sustainable development." – FAO Director General at SIDS Summit in Samoa
03.09.2014 Apia, Samoa/Rome
Coping with climate change should be seen as more than just a question of survival for small island countries – the international community should view it as a challenge to take unified action and notch up efforts to shift to a sustainable model of development, FAO Director-General José Graziano da Silva said today.
"Climate change is happening before our eyes. Rising sea levels, higher air and sea surface temperatures, and changing...