(Item 8 of the Agenda)
33. The meeting considered the synthesis of the themes and recommended the following the following priority areas for consideration by international specialized agencies, non-governmental organizations and national governments.
i. systematic evaluation of the aftermath of major agricultural disasters to ensure that lessons are learned and applied in checking policies and, compliance levels in order to repair damage and build improved resilience;
ii. public education and awareness programmes in agricultural communities to strengthen understanding of hazards and how to prepare for and respond to them; and also to encourage wider utilization of existing warnings systems and disaster management information, for example by building links between climate and disaster databases;
iii. ensuring policies and measures to mitigate disaster risk in the agriculture sector have a sound scientific basis;
iv. recognition of the growing social challenge of the dwindling number of people engaged in farming, and possible loss of effective traditional practices which have for centuries provided some measure of protection against natural disasters;
v. looking for situations in which agricultural disaster risk management measures also result in poverty alleviation and reducing food insecurity. This includes a “twin track” approach to food emergencies, by adopting practices (such as trade promotion, effective natural resource management, community empowerment and buffer food stock) to improve long term food security at the same time as addressing immediate food requirements;
vi. giving attention to distilling practical implementation guidelines on agricultural risk reduction, strengthened legal and governance frameworks, and disaster preparedness from the extensive basic and general advisory resources related to international conventions and recommendations of global conferences, and to assisting least developed countries to refine these in harmony with their particular circumstances;
vii. recognizing that effective Early Warning Systems include both technical and social components, and ensure that the role of the social aspects such as public awareness and education, community participation, and the effective use of media to disseminate information are not overlooked;
viii. further studies on the prospect of significant negative impacts on rice production due to climate change, given the importance of the rice crop to food security in the region. These studies should also examine possible effects on other areas of agriculture;
ix. further strengthening the already healthy cooperation between specialized agencies and national governments by encouraging information networks, cooperative mechanisms including direct support, and exchanges of best practice, case studies and standards in addressing disaster risk management in the agricultural sector.
34. The Meeting reviewed the draft report and approved it subject to editorial revisions.
