16 May 2017, Vientiane (Lao PDR) – Contract farming can be an attractive option to farmers who want to assure market access and support production. The agroindustry and buyers can guarantee supply through contracts under specific conditions that suit them. CF often also leads to economies of scale, which can be of potential benefit for national economies. For this reason, 25 provincial and district agricultural officers and farmers, from four target provinces of Lao PDR, received training this week on CF practices from Dr Carlos A. da Silva,...

8 May 2017, Korea - Experts from FAO and South Korea gathered to share knowledge and experiences between international specialists and stakeholders in the rice value chain, on issues related to the sustainable management of post-harvest aspects. During a working session at the FAO Representation in Côte d'Ivoire, administrative and technical structures’ representatives, as well as the stakeholders of the sector, exchanged views on the development model of the rice sector in Korea, in trying to provide answers to the development expectations of the Ivorian model. This workshop is part of a South-South Cooperation (SSC) Project (GCP/RAF/497/ROK) developed between the Republic of...

Mindelo. – The Conference Dialogue on Blue Growth and Economy began today in Mindelo, on the island of Sao Vicente, Cabo Verde, with over 150 participants from 30 delegations primarily from African coastal nations, Small Islands Developing States (SIDS) and international organizations, including ministerial delegations from six of the participating countries.  The Minister of Economy and Employment of Cabo Verde, Mr. José da Silva Gonçalves, highlighted during the opening ceremony that the...

28 April 2017, Bissau: From 24 to 28 April 2017, the Government of Guinea-Bissau hosted a delegation of Moroccan experts as part of a mission to formulate a South-South Cooperation (SSC) project as prescribed by the SSC Tripartite Agreement between the Government of Guinea-Bissau, the Government of the Kingdom of Morocco and the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), signed on 28 May 2015 during the official visit of His Majesty the King of Morocco. This collaboration is part of the General Agreement on SSC between the Kingdom of Morocco and FAO for the period 2014-2020, which...

20 March 2017, Mali - Making rice systems more effective, sustainable and productive, in order to increase food security for Malian smallholders, is the theme of the launching workshop of project GCP/RAF/482/VEN, "Partnership for Systems Development Sustainable Rice in Sub-Saharan Africa", held in Bamako on March 16, 2017, within the Department of Finance and Equipment (DFM) of the Ministry of Agriculture. Funded by the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela, the project will support the main producers in the region, including Benin,...