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As populations expand and food requirements continue to rise, the world cannot afford to continue squandering one third of total agricultural production. Coordinated and forceful actions are called for, and in many cases, the private sector will need to take the lead. These were among the conclusions of a round-table session of agriculture ministers from across Europe and Central Asia which took place here today as part of FAO’s biennial Regional Conference for Europe.In a paper prepared for the session, FAO examined food losses and waste in the region, comparing low-, middle- and high-income countries, and looking at...

Secure and equitable access to natural resources is key for sustainable development, and good governance of tenure is crucial in determining how people and communities acquire access and rights to control land, fisheries and forests.  An agreement signed  by FAO and the Tropical Agricultural Research and Higher Education Centre (CATIE) aims to foster dialogues, promote South-South knowledge exchange, and inform policies in order to enhance the responsible governance of tenure of land and natural resources, and therefore boost food security in developing countries.  “This partnership with CATIE will build the capacities of current and future leaders to create innovative strategies for the...

Jackie Chan, the international Kung Fu superstar has joined FAO in the fight against hunger. The world-famous actor, known for his action-movies, acrobatic fighting style and comic timing in over 150 films, is also Goodwill Ambassador for UNICEF. Mr Chan has been actively using his celebrity status as a vehicle for humanitarian and public service work. Recently the celebrity visited FAO projects in Ethiopia and held discussions with the beneficiaries, FAO staff and experts on the ground about implementation of the projects, their impact and the need for long-term and sustainable development. While there, Chan told a packed press conference, “I...

FAO senior officials met today with a high level clerical delegation working in the Central African Republic to talk about FAO’s work in the country and how agriculture can play a role in building peace in the country.    Deputy Director-General for Operations Daniel Gustafson and Emergency and Rehabilitation Division Director Dominique Burgeon, who was recently on a field visit to the Central African Republic, held talks with the Catholic Archbishop of Bangui, Dieudonné Nzapalainga, the chief Imam of Bangui, Kobine Layama Omar, and the leader of the Federation of Protestant Churches of the Central African Republic, Nicolas Guerekoyame Gbangou, invited...

A meeting of more than 50 representatives of international, regional and national Civil Society Organizations (CSOs) based in Africa opened in Tunis today to discuss priority issues related to the development of agriculture and rural areas in Africa. Participants at the two-day consultation at Carthage Thalasso Hotel, hosted by l’Union Maghrébine et Nord Africaine des Agriculteurs (UMNAGRI), include farmers, artisanal fisherfolk, herders/pastoralists, landless, urban poor, workers in the food sector, women, youth, indigenous people, forest dwellers and other various constituencies. “It has become a tradition now in FAO, to organize consultative meetings with Non-State Actors (NSA) as an integral part of the...