News archive 2013

The European Union (EU) will continue to build long-term resilience among the most vulnerable, tackle the root causes of hunger and poverty and improve nutrition, said José Manuel Barroso, addressing the FAO Conference.

If the world wants to conquer hunger, it needs to tackle all the causes of hunger simultaneously particularly poverty, and not just concentrate on producing more food, Amartya Sen, Nobel Laureate in Economics, told the opening session of the FAO Conference.

Food commodity markets, in particular for cereals, are set to be more balanced in 2013/14, according to FAO's Food Outlook report. World food imports in 2013 are tentatively forecast at $1.09 trillion, close to last year's level, but 13 percent below the record of 2011.

FAO is calling for countries in the global ‘wheat belt’ to step up monitoring and prevention for wheat rusts – fungal diseases that do especially well in particularly wet seasons.

Thirty-eight countries have met international targets in the fight against hunger, chalking up successes ahead of a deadline set for 2015, FAO confirmed today. “These countries are leading the way to a better future. They are proof that with strong political will, coordination and cooperation, it is possible to achieve rapid and lasting reductions in hunger,” FAO Director-General José Graziano da Silva said.

The European Union (EU) and British newspaper The Guardian have won FAO awards, the EU for a €1 billion initiative in response to the food price crisis in 2008-2011, and The Guardian, for improving worldwide understanding of development issues. The EC shares its award with Indian NGO Self Employed Women’s Association (SEWA).

FAO Director-General has welcomed the new funding pledges, commitments and targets for action on nutrition announced by governments, the private sector and civil society at the high-level Nutrition for Growth meeting held in London today.

Market position of developing countries will increase with significant economic benefits - Special focus on China

Italy has announced it will contribute an additional €6 million to support FAO’s strategic priorities including €1 million towards the Organization’s emergency programme. The announcement came at the end of a two-day Annual Review Meeting, during which FAO and Italian officials reviewed the Italy/FAO Cooperative Programme

Denouncing the huge social and economic costs of malnutrition, FAO Director-General José Graziano da Silva has called for resolute efforts to eradicate malnutrition as well as hunger from around the world. "FAO's message is that we must strive for nothing less than the eradication of hunger and malnutrition", he declared.