Global Forum on Food Security and Nutrition (FSN Forum)

The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) in partnership with the Global Data on Agriculture and Nutrition (GODAN); Global Forum on Agricultural Research (GFAR); the Technical Centre for Agricultural and Rural Cooperation (CTA) and the World Bank are inviting interested individuals to participate in the online discussion on ICTs and Open Data in Agriculture and Nutrition currenlty held on the e-agriculture platform.

The proposed online debate on the e-Agriculture platform seeks to explore the interaction between use of ICTs in agriculture and issues around open data in agriculture and nutrition and its effective use, with a focus on establishing what benefits and possible losses, can accrue to farmers, especially small holder family farmers in developing countries, if technology and open data are used conjunctively. 

The FAO/INFOODS Global Database for Pulses on Dry Mater Basis (PulsesDM1.0) has been published on the INFOODS website http://www.fao.org/infoods/infoods/tables-and-databases/faoinfoods-databases/en/

The FAO/INFOODS Global Database for Pulses on Dry Mater Basis (PulsesDM1.0) provides nutrient values for pulses on a DRY MATTER BASIS – it is intended mainly for standard setting purposes. Pulses are a subgroup of legumes that includes dry edible seeds with low fat content. The data were recalculated to dry matter basis from the average nutrient values for 16 species published in the FAO/INFOODS Global Food Composition Database for Pulses (uPulses). In uPulses, data derived mainly from chemical analysis, were complemented by data from other published sources and compiled following standards and guidelines outlined by FAO/INFOODS. PulsesDM cover proximates, minerals, vitamins, phytate, amino acids and fatty acids fractions for foods in raw and processed forms on.

The latest issue of the FPMA Bulletin FAO/GIEWS monthly report on food price trends at world, regional and country level with a focus on countries where prices of one or more basic food commodity are at abnormal high levels in main markets.

Main highlights of this issue are the general decline of wheat and maize prices in the international market; while at sub-regional level, the further increase in cereal prices in East Africa and in the Southern Hemisphere countries the downward pressure on maize prices exerted by overall favourable production prospects in 2017

Key Messages

• Wheat prices generally declined in April, on account of ample supplies and generally favourable outlook for the 2017 harvest. Export prices of maize remained under downward pressure, mainly reflecting expectations of bumper crops in Southern Hemisphere countries. By contrast, international rice prices increased, supported by a rebound in trade activity, especially due to accelerated sales to countries of the Near East.
• In East Africa, cereal prices rose further in April and reached record or near‑record levels in most countries. Prices were underpinned by tight supplies, following drought-reduced 2016 second season outputs, and uncertain prospects for the upcoming 2017 harvests due to drier‑than‑average conditions and armyworm infestation affecting key‑growing areas.
• In Southern Hemisphere countries, favourable maize production prospects kept domestic prices under downward pressure in April and below their year-earlier levels. In Brazil, where a bumper first season crop is being harvested, maize prices declined sharply in April and averaged some 40 percent lower than a year earlier. In South Africa, expectations of a near‑record output pushed down white maize prices for the fourth consecutive month to less than half their year-earlier levels.

The report can be accessed through the following link:

http://www.fao.org/3/a-i7230e.pdf.