Food security and nutrition seen in a holistic way, require promoting the use of integrated food based strategies and assisting nations, communities and households towards achieving their overall right to food.

Current agricultural policies largely emphasize agricultural production with a thrust on staples which provide energy and protein. Much less emphasis is devoted to fruits and vegetables which are rich sources of micronutrients, or to the integration at the farm level of plant and animal production.

Increasing dietary diversification is the most important factor in providing a wide range of nutrients. To achieve this in a development context entails an adequate supply, access and consumption of a variety of foods.

Small livestock and fish are particularly important for improving micronutrient value of diets of rural communities in developing countries. Opportunities for promoting non-intensive small livestock production, such as raising chickens and ducks, can also fulfil critical niches in agro-ecosystems of developing countries.

In addition, effort needs to be directed toward the cultivation and use of edible, indigenous plants as micronutrient deficiency problems exist and should be acknowledged. Appropriate policy environments can facilitate and support small scale and semi commercial farming systems that maximize outputs of micronutrient-rich foods. Alongside, multi sectoral approaches with greater government support for district and community leadership are critical.

Nutrition is an important indicator of poverty and hunger – brought to the attention of the world and drawing commitments from governments to address problems of food security and nutrition. Major initiatives over the last 10 years were the International Conference on Nutrition (ICN), the World Food Summit (WFS), the WFS: five-years later and the International Alliance Against Hunger (IAAH).

The UN Millennium Declaration of 2000 and its Millennium Development Goals have included nutrition and health as one of the cornerstones of development. Rightly, greater investment in nutrition-linked agriculture and development strategies can lead to improving health and - in particular - has beneficial effects on next generations.

The regional consultation will be held at the FAO regional office in Bangkok, organized by the Asia-Pacific Network for Food and Nutrition (ANFN) from 3 to 5 October 2006.

Senior government officials from Bangladesh, China, India, Indonesia, Philippines, Sri Lanka, Thailand and Viet Nam are invited to attend. Alongside FAO and WHO resource persons, Kraisid Tontisirin, Prof. Emeritus, Mahidol University, is a special invitee.

Additional information on and the agenda for the consultation are available from the web site under meetings or from Biplab Nandi, FAO senior food and nutrition officer at Biplab.Nandi@fao.org