Five demonstration countries will establish national task forces to implement OCOP projects and set examples for global action

Rome – The third national coordination meeting on the implementation of the One Country One Priority Products (OCOP) for the five demonstration countries took place today with over 50 attendees, including the OCOP Focal Points from the five demonstration countries and the Focal Points from the five FAO region, as well as the core members of the OCOP Secretariat and to Office of the Deputy Director-General Beth Bechdol. 

The meeting was opened by Mr Jingyuan Xia, the Director of FAO Plant Production and Protection Division (NSP). He welcomed all participants to the meeting and highlighted the two important tasks for this meeting: 1) update from the five demonstration countries on concept notes, task force, and work plan); and 2) prepare for organization of the regional launch events and workshops on OCOP in each demonstration country.  

The meeting continued with Shangchuan Jiang, Agricultural Specialist, briefing on the Inception Workshops taking place in the five demonstration countries. Representatives from the five demonstration countries provided their updates, in particular Babul C. Sarker from Bangladesh, Mohammed Abd Elmegeed from Egypt, Osborne Tsoka and Alfred Tsitsi from Malawi, Ana Posas on behalf of Trinidad and Tobago, and Khurshid Norov from Uzbekistan. 

FAO Technical Adviser Hafiz Muminjanov provided initial guidance on the draft agendas and potential activities of the regional launch events and workshops on the implementation of OCOP projects in the five demonstration countries. Riccardo Mazzucchelli, FAO Public Information Specialist, shared a brief presentation on the communication tools and actions that OCOP countries may take to promote their SAP and any other OCOP-related activities. 

In his concluding remarks, Director Jingyuan Xia expressed his high appreciation to all participants for their active engagement, excellent presentations and demonstrated expertise. He urged each demonstration country to establish its Task Force team to lead their implementation of OCOP effectively and requested all participants to refer to the Global Action document for the OCOP implementation guidelines. Director Xia also encouraged all members to share their communication material to be published on the OCOP website and be included in the OCOP newsletter.