The body charged with keeping plant pests and diseases at bay and trade in plants safe adopted new international measures to prevent pests from crossing borders and spreading. The standards, including protocols to block highly invasive pests such as Xylella fastidiosa and the oriental fruit fly, were approved during the Commission on Phytosanitary Measures’ (CPM) annual meeting this week.
"Access to clean water and sanitation is essential for life, and it is the basis for maintaining a healthy life and helping millions of people out of poverty and hunger," Graziano da Silva wrote in a letter to the pontiff on 1 April.
The Global Report on Food Crises 2019 presented today jointly by the European Union, FAO, and the UN World Food Programme (WFP) finds that around 113 million people in 53 countries experienced acute food insecurity in 2018, compared to 124 million in 2017.
“When the floodwaters recede, it will be crucial that FAO get in fast”, said Olman Serrano, FAO’s Representative in Mozambique and coordinator of the Organization’s response to Tropical Cyclone Idai.
The latest numbers on how many people are facing acute hunger worldwide will be revealed on Tuesday, 2 April 2019, in Brussels at the high-level launch of this year’s edition of the Global Report on Food Crises.
The European Union has contributed new funding totalling $40.8 million to boost UN resilience-building work in Yemen. Interventions will target the most vulnerable community groups, including women, the unemployed, youth, marginalized minority groups, internally displaced persons and stressed host communities.
With climate change and population growth putting increasing pressure on finite water resources, FAO is urging countries to step up efforts to increase water efficiency and provide access to safe water for all, as it marks World Water Day.
Chefs play an important role in inspiring people around the world to support sustainable food production, adopt healthy diets and avoid food waste. That was the central message of an event today hosted by FAO, UNESCO and the Government of France during "Goût de France" week currently being held in Paris.
The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) and the Government of Iceland today agreed to work closely together on programmes supporting the long-term conservation of living marine ecosystems and to unlock the potential of the world’s marine and freshwater ecosystems.
FAO marked International Day of Forests today by announcing two new forest education initiatives aimed at raising awareness among children and young people on the sustainable use and conservation of forests. The two projects, funded by Germany with over $2 million, will address major challenges in forestry education and will help increase understanding of forests among the general public.
Joanna Toole was a committed fisheries officer who was passionate about helping to make the world a better place. We feel the loss deeply and extend our sympathies to her family.
Investing in innovation and research is key to ensuring the sustainability of date palm production, a valuable food and livelihood resource for millions of people in the Near East and North Africa FAO Director-General, José Graziano da Silva said today.
