News

April 2016 - Watermelon grafting technology was introduced showing high yields in Mashare and Etunda. Agricultural production experts from China assisted local farmers to implement various techniques for substantially improved yields. Farm managers and agricultural extension officers are one of the many Namibians who are getting technical experience and know-how from Chinese experts, following the successful implementation of the 2014 tripartite agreement between Namibia, the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) of the UN and China, on the South-South Cooperation (SSC) programmes. Small-scale farmers and agricultural enterprises are benefiting directly through hands-on training and on-farm demonstrations.  Namibia was allocated US$1.5 million from China...

23 March 2016, Rome - The United Nations has called for a stronger response by governments, aid organizations and the private sector to address the devastating impact the El Niño climate event is having on the food security, livelihoods, nutrition and health of some 60 million people around the world.  The appeal came at a meeting organized in Rome by four UN agencies, the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD), the Office for Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) and the World Food Programme (WFP).   

FAO and Ankara University are expanding their collaboration under a new Memorandum of Understanding signed recently by the two institutions. Training and capacity development, raising awareness of global food security issues, and technical support to national and regional projects are the three main areas where the organizations will work together. Knowledge and good practices on food and nutrition security, sustainable management of natural resources and rural development will be shared by the partners. “All of our foreseen activities serve the national priorities set forth in the FAO Country Programming Framework for Turkey, FAO’s strategic objectives, and our regional initiatives,” said Yuriko Shoji,...

12 February, 2016, Brussels - The African, Caribbean and Pacific Group of States (ACP), Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), the Organisation Internationale de la Francophonie (OIF), supported by the Commonwealth Secretariat and the Community of Portuguese Speaking Countries (CPLP), have wrapped up a symposium pledging to build new partnerships to empower women and youth. The two-day event saw governments, civil society, private sector and development partners debate the key issues of jobs and entrepreneurship, with a special focus on how the mechanisms of South-South and Triangular Cooperation can help bring about change in developing countries across the...

4 February 2016, Rome - As world leaders met in London today to raise funds in support of millions of people affected by the ongoing conflict in Syria, FAO stressed the urgent need to help farming families produce food to meet basic needs.  Within Syria, 8.7 million are in need of food security assistance, out of an estimated 13.5 million people who continue to be in need of urgent humanitarian assistance. "It is clear that imported food assistance alone cannot feed the country -- that's why maintaining food production amidst this conflict is so critical," said FAO Assistant Director-General Laurent Thomas today.  ...