Phnom Penh (Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries/Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nation) – MAFF and FAO announced today that they are launching an emergency project to help impoverished farmers boost agricultural production immediately. The project – funded from FAO’s Technical Cooperation Programme (TCP) – is part of the Organization’s Initiative on Soaring Food Prices (ISFP) launched by the FAO Director-General in December 2007 aimed at boosting local food supply to soften the blow of soaring food prices.

11 August 2008 - A strain of Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza previously not recorded in sub-Saharan Africa has been detected in Nigeria for the first time. Nigeria has recently reported two new bird flu outbreaks in the states of Katsina and Kano.

8 August 2008 - Increasingly tough climatic conditions and limited rights to land and other basic resources risk jeopardizing the lives and livelihoods of many indigenous groups that hold the key to our long term survival, FAO noted on the eve of the International Day for the World’s Indigenous People.

The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) and the International Labour Organization (ILO) and International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) are pleased to announce the technical expert workshop on “Gaps, trends and current research in gender dimensions of agricultural and rural employment: differentiated pathways out of poverty”, which will be held in Rome in the week of 30 March – 3 April 2009 (duration three days - exact dates to be confirmed).

28 August 2008 - A month-long series of plantings is coming to an end in eastern Madagascar, aimed at ensuring that the local food supply – of rice especially – is sufficient to avoid importing large quantities at high prices to meet the country’s food needs this year.

The Council for Scientific and Industrial Research - Institute for Scientific and Technological Information (CSIR-INSTI), under the Ghana AGRIS Pilot Project, will organize a stakeholder consultation meeting from 4 - 6 August 2008. The meeting, to be held at Alexia Hotel, Afienya (in Tema), will bring together representatives of the seven institutions participating in the pilot project and representatives of the member institutions of the Ghana Agricultural Information Network System (GAINS).

FAO seeks US$33.5 million to help small farmers and fishers restore livelihoods

Rome – With the clock ticking on Myanmar’s main planting season, agricultural support is urgently needed to restore food production in the country’s cyclone-hit rice bowl, FAO said today.

With food prices hitting record highs world wide, FAO is helping implement urgent measures to increase food production in the most affected countries. In Swaziland Input trade fairs enable poor farmers boost their crops.

31 July 2008 - As part of an urgent relief effort FAO’s Peru office has provided 36 800 doses of antiparasitic medicines, antibiotics and vitamins to poor farmers in highland Peru whose livestock are suffering as a result of a severe unseasonable cold spell.

3-5 June 2008Rome, Italy:: Press releases & more:: Video coverage:: Text & audio of speeches:: Audio news & interviews:: Daily wrap-ups:: Photo coverage:: Summit website