6 July 2017, Rome - Parliamentarians have a key role to play along with governments, civil society, private sector, international agencies and donors "to achieve a Zero Hunger generation in our lifetime", said FAO Director-General José Graziano da Silva today at a meeting with lawmakers on the sidelines of the FAO Conference. "You are the ones who are responsible for enacting laws and for approving budgets, among other roles," he said asking them to increase funding in their national budgets for food security and nutrition. He also noted...

To achieve sustainable development we must transform current agriculture and food systems, including by supporting smallholders and family farmers, reducing pesticide and chemical use, and improving land conservation practices, FAO Director-General José Graziano da Silva said today addressing European lawmakers. "Massive agriculture intensification is contributing to increased deforestation, water scarcity, soil depletion and the level of greenhouse gas emission," Graziano da Silva said. He stressed that while high-input and resource intensive farming systems have substantially increased food production, this has come at a high cost to the environment.

FAO Director-General José Graziano da Silva, on the occasion of his visit to Japan, attended the launch of the Parliamentarian Friendship League. The League is chaired by Yoshimizu Hayashi, former Minister for Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries from 2012 to 2015; he gathered together with over 40 parliamentarians to exchange views with the FAO Director-General. “FAO looks forward to working with the League to promote nutritious food including in neighbouring countries and regions" FAO Director General said, remarking the role of parliamentarians in the fight against malnutrition. Indeed, given their representative, legislative, budgetary and oversight responsibilities, FAO recognizes that Parliamentarians are best placed...

Antananarivo/Accra/Rome - The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) applauds the Senate of Madagascar on the establishment of the Malagasy Parliamentary Alliance for Food and Nutrition Security (APMSAN), one of the first national Parliamentary Alliance on Food Security and Nutrition of its kind in Africa. “The objective of APMSAN is to create the enabling legislative and policy environment for advancing food security and optimal nutrition outcomes for the Malagasy population through concrete strategies on sustainable nutrition-sensitive production, marketing and consumption. It aims to achieve this through local production of sufficient, diversified and quality food, giving priority to the country’s...

Members of the Latin American and Caribbean Parliament (PARLATINO) unanimously approved a Model law on family farming, which includes recommendations and guidelines for countries to strengthen this key sector for food security, FAO said today. The law was voted on December 3rd during the XXXII General Assembly of PARLATINO held in Panama City. According to the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, FAO, the new model law sets out guiding principles, definitions and obligations...