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Vientiane - A two day meeting for senior food safety risk managers and scientific advisors was held in Vientiane on 21–22 September 2009 to prioritise food safety problems and discuss decision-making strategies for their effective control. The meeting was opened by Dr. Bounkouang Phichit, Vice-Minister, Ministry of Health. In his opening remarks Dr. Phichit stressed the importance of education, training and science to strengthen food handling and storage practices by...

NEW FAO PROJECT LAUNCHED:Vientiane - An innovative project that aims at strengthening the capacity in animal production and veterinary services in Lao PDR was launched on Friday in Vientiane capital. H.E. Dr. Bounkhouang Khambounheuang Director General of Livestock and Fisheries and Mr. Serge Verniau FAO Representative to Lao PDR spoke at the opening. “A diversity of animal production, including cattle, buffalo, pigs, poultry and insect, is of crucial importance to...

Working with the Office of the Council of Ministers and the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries, The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) today launched a $ 475 000 project to help develop the Cambodian silk sector. The two-year project will assist the production of disease-free silkworm eggs, provide good quality silkworm and mulberry, strengthen government staff technical capacity, and train and disseminate new technology to...

Over 80 participants, from 12 Asia-Pacific nations, gathered at the First Regional Forum for People and Forests, convened in Hanoi, Vietnam, from 18-20 August 2009. The participants concluded that local people hold the key to healthy forests and agreed on "Call for Action", for including forest-depended communities in the battle against climate change. For more information and detailed coverage on the forum please visit: www.recoftc.orgMore information at:http://www.recoftc.org/site/fileadmin/docs/Events/CF_Forum/Regional_forum_presentations/Call_Action.pdf

THE FIRST REGIONAL FORUM FOR PEOPLE AND FORESTS Carbon Financing and Community Forestry (18-20 August)Hanoi - Local communities could hold the key to forest-related climate change efforts in Asia-Pacific, a regional forum concluded this morning. Carbon markets, enabling developed countries to offset carbon emissions by paying for the protection of forests, may offer a new possibility to slow or even reverse forest destruction.However, Dr Yam Malla, Executive Director of RECOFTC...

MEDIA ADVISORY Hanoi - 2009 is a crucial year for global efforts to address climate change, with the hope that an ambitious and effective mitigation and adaptation agreement will be forged at the United Nation’s Climate Change Conference in Copenhagen this December.Deforestation and forest degradation contribute some 20 percent of global greenhouse gas emissions. Forest-related mitigation measures are now recognized to be amongst the most practical and cost-effective measures to...

Bangkok -- Compared to 2008, current forecasts for global paddy production over the on-going 2009 season point to a mere 0.3 percent expansion to 689 million tonnes (460 million tonnes, milled rice). Despite prospects of virtually no growth, a replication of the 2008 results over the on-going 2009 paddy season would still stand out as an excellent performance, representing an outstanding 4 percent increase from 2007, according to the latest...

Vientiane - The Government of Lao PDR is currently developing a comprehensive legislation for fisheries and aquaculture. In support of this, FAO, in collaboration with four international technical organizations have developed a Legislative Review of Fisheries and Aquaculture in the Lao PDR, which is now available online.The Government of Lao PDR recognized the need for a national legal framework to be developed to enable the effective management of fisheries and...

Vientiane - - - Traditional Lao 'ghost paper', used in religious rituals for hundreds of years, is about to get a modern makeover, allowing artisans to increase their income and break into international markets.The paper made from bamboo is produced and sold by households in Ban Namchang, Bokeo Province, who each earn around 74 500 kip/year from selling the ghost paper."Through the project Enhancing Agriculture Competitiveness of Rural Households in...

Bangkok, 15 June 2009 - - - Food security is a standing agenda on the ASEAN agenda. Over the years, regional initiatives and projects – such as the ASEAN Food Security Reserve Board, the East Asian Emergency Rice Reserve (EAERR) project, and ASEAN Food Security Information System (AFSIS) project – have been initiated and implemented to support national food security initiatives and address food security at the regional level.At last...