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With the increasing threat of emerging and re-emerging zoonoses, transboundary animal diseases and antimicrobial resistance (AMR), the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) today announced a regional approach to counter the dangers. ASEAN has committed to the establishment of an ASEAN Coordinating Centre for Animal Health and Zoonoses (ACCAHZ). The centre’s main goal is to sustainably address common animal diseases and threats that can also compromise the health and livelihoods of...

The Director-General of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, José Graziano da Silva, was today awarded an Honorary Degree of Doctor of Philosophy from Pakistan’s University of Veterinary and Animal Sciences (UVAS). The degree was conferred by the UVAS chancellor Mr Muhammad Rafique Rajwana in acknowledgement of Graziano da Silva’s “outstanding contributions to rural development, food security and agriculture.” Before joining FAO, Graziano da Silva, an agronomist and academic,...

– With 42 percent of the world’s population, the group of countries that make up the BRICS are in a position to shape agricultural policies that would strengthen global food security and transform rural societies and livelihoods, Kundhavi Kadiresan, Assistant Director-General and Regional Representative for Asia and the Pacific of the UN’s Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), said today. Kadiresan made the comments during the 2016 meeting of the BRICS Agriculture...

With the clock ticking on meeting the zero hunger target by 2030, and in order to feed nine billion people by 2050, creating an accurate picture on the present situation of food production, and having the structure in place to produce it, is critical, a panel of top Asian statisticians heard today. The launch of a new round of agricultural censuses in the region will help Asian countries face the growing...

FAO today welcomed an agreement by Indonesia and the European Union (EU) to issue the world's first Forest Law Enforcement, Governance and Trade (FLEGT) timber license as a major achievement in the fight against illegal logging.  As of 15 November, the FLEGT license can accompany shipments of timber exported from Indonesia to EU member states to certify that the timber has been harvested, transported, processed and traded according to Indonesian law. "Indonesia...

India's Self Employed Women's Association (SEWA) and FAO are strengthening their collaboration to boost rural development and reduce poverty in Asia and Africa via local initiatives focused on empowering rural women and youth.  Building on years of successful partnership, the two organizations have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) today to intensify joint efforts aimed at building the capacities of the rural poor to fully benefit from rural economies, with particular...

Staple food prices rose in August even as grain prices fell and the outlook for global cereal production improved. The FAO Food Price Index, released today, averaged 165.6 points in August, up 1.9 percent from July and almost 7 percent from a year earlier. The monthly jump was mostly driven by cheese and palm oil quotations, while those for wheat, maize and rice all fell. FAO raised considerably its world cereal production...

To promote dialogue  and share experiences on implementing Agroecology approaches in Asia and China, the Food and Agriculture Organization of the UN (FAO) , Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences(CAAS) and partners met on 29 to 31 August 2016, in Kunming China. The International Symposium on Agroecology for Sustainable Agriculture and Food Systems has been jointly organized by FAO and CAAS, and the People’s Government of Yunnan Province of China, with the...

Recent advances in information and communication technology are leading to remarkable improvements in agricultural production and food safety in Asia and the Pacific, a UN forum of ICT experts meeting in Bangkok heard today. From drones to smart phones, advances in ICT are bridging the extension gap, providing information on climate-smart technologies and practices, and helping to level the playing field by making these technologies more affordable, accessible and applicable for...

|  FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Recent advances in information and communication technology are leading to great improvements in food security and food safety in Asia and the Pacific. A three-day exhibition, with live demonstrations, will take place on the sidelines of an E-Agriculture Solutions Forum of regional experts convened by the UN’s Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) and the International Telecommunication Union (ITU).  The exhibition and presentations range from low-cost access devices, such as...