Latest news with #OCOP
Scoop
a day ago
- Business
- Scoop
Innovation And National Product Branding Can Transform Agrifood Systems In Africa And Asia: FAO
Hanoi - Africa and Asia can learn from each other to use innovation and national product branding to transform agrifood systems, improving food, nutrition and livelihood security, the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) told an Africa-Asia ministerial meeting here today. In the first such inter-continental dialogue, ministers and top-level agriculture policymakers from 14 countries in Africa, and three in Asia, met in the Vietnamese capital to discuss challenges and opportunities to making farming productive, resilient, sustainable and profitable for smallholders, the main agrifood producers. Agriculture ministers and senior officials from Bhutan, Cameroon, Cote d'Ivoire, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Gabon, Ghana, Ethiopia, Lesotho, Malawi, Mozambique, Nepal, Sierra Leone, South Sudan, Tunisia, Viet Nam, Zambia and Zimbabwe attended the 15-16 July 2025 High-Level Inter-regional Knowledge Exchange on One Country One Priority Product (OCOP) Models. 'I am confident that this knowledge-sharing will highlight how innovation and national product branding can boost productivity, improve profitability, open new markets, and promote a better life for rural communities, as well as show how Asia's successes can inspire and support Africa's efforts, and vice versa,' FAO Director-General QU Dongyu said in a video message to the event. Co-organized by FAO and the Government of Viet Nam, the event aimed to familiarize countries in Africa with Viet Nam's successful transformative national target program on new rural development through its "One Commune One Product". Viet Nam's Program 'has proven to be an effective tool for empowering rural communities and promoting ownership, accountability, and local cultural values for economic development and quality of life,' said Minister of Agriculture and Environment (MAE), Viet Nam Do Duc Duy in his opening remarks. Launched in 2018, the Vietnamese initiative leverages each locality's potential and advantages, fostering self-reliance and creativity in every citizen and community, to increase value and create distinctive, characteristic products unique to each locality, region, and area. Over 16,800 products rated 3 stars or higher, have been developed by the Vietnamese initiative, with millions of jobs created, and more than 60 percent participating households seeing an average annual revenue increase of 18 percent. 'We also see a clear alignment between Vietnam's One Commune One Product Program and FAO's One Country One Priority Product initiative - both aim to identify and promote strategic products of each locality and nation based on cultural respect, sustainability, and global market access,' the Minister added. Launched in 2021, the FAO One Country One Priority Product (OCOP) flagship initiative aims to catalyse agrifood systems transformation by promoting sustainable value chains of nutritious, but underutilized, special agricultural products with unique geographical and cultural traits. Agriculture ministers from Africa joined their Asian counterparts to share national experiences in OCOP implementation. Producing more food with less inputs, making agriculture climate-resilient, sustainable and profitable for all, is critical for Africa and Asia and the Pacific, the regions with the world's highest levels of hunger, malnutrition and poverty. The OCOP initiative helped Malawi save its banana industry, a key economic pillar, from a virus infestation. This was 'not merely a production issue, it was a threat to livelihoods, nutrition, foreign exchange, and our agricultural identity. OCOP gave us more than a solution, it gave us a roadmap to recovery and inclusive development,' Samuel Dalitso Kawale, Minister of Agriculture Malawi told the event. 'We seek deeper collaboration and knowledge exchange with Viet Nam and other OCOP countries.' Egypt selected date palm as its priority OCOP product reflecting 'our deep belief in its strategic importance—not just as a traditional agricultural pillar, but as a promising source of economic development, job creation, and value-added agricultural exports,' Ezzeldin Gadallahm Head of Central Laboratory, Ministry of Agriculture, Egypt told the event. The OCOP Four Betters Models The delegates from Africa were also briefed on how FAO is leveraging science and innovation to accelerate agrifood systems transformation through OCOP implementation in the Asia-Pacific region, in support of the FAO Four Betters vision – better production, better nutrition, better environment and better life, leaving no one behind. Strategic partnerships with leading science and innovation centres in the region are enhancing value chains of special agricultural products (SAPs). This includes the application of an innovative geographical and environmental traceability tool to enhance SAP value chains, increase access to high-end markets and incentivize sustainable production. Nutrition science and technology is helping develop SAP-based food products suited to diverse age groups and tastes while a market intelligence series is helping Asia-Pacific countries integrate SAPs into mainstream international markets.
Scoop
7 days ago
- Business
- Scoop
Africa-Asia Dialogue On Agrifood Systems Transformation To Open In Viet Nam
Hanoi - Agriculture ministers and top-level policymakers from 15 African countries will meet with their counterparts from 3 Asian countries here on 15 July 2025 to discuss making agrifood production efficient, resilient, sustainable and inclusive, to reduce high levels of hunger, malnutrition and poverty in both regions. The High-Level Inter-regional Knowledge Exchange on One Country One Priority Product (OCOP) Models, co-organized by the Government of Viet Nam and the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), is the first intercontinental dialogue on agrifood systems transformation, guided by the FAO 'Four Betters' vision – Better Production, Better Nutrition, Better Environment and Better Life, leaving no one behind. The dialogue is an initiative of FAO Director-General QU Dongyu to familiarize developing countries in Africa with Viet Nam's success in agrifood systems transformation, which is helping reduce wide urban-rural economic disparities in the Southeast Asian nation. The event includes an exchange of national experiences in implementing FAO's flagship One Country One Priority Product (OCOP) initiative, which was launched in 2021 to promote sustainable value chains of nutritious, but underutilized, special agricultural products with unique geographical and cultural traits. 'We look forward to this exchange of knowledge and ideas, and to learn together how to transform agrifood systems for the benefit of all,' said Alue Dohong, Assistant Director-General and FAO Regional Representative for Asia and the Pacific, in a video message ahead of the event. Ministers and top agriculture officials from Bhutan, Cameroon, Cote d'Ivoire, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Gabon, Ghana, Ethiopia, Lesotho, Malawi, Mozambique, Nepal, Sierra Leone, South Sudan, Tunisia, Viet Nam, Zambia and Zimbabwe, will share national perspectives on promoting the Four Betters through the OCOP initiative. Producing more food with less inputs, making agriculture climate-resilient, sustainable and profitable for all, is critical for both Africa and Asia and the Pacific, the regions with the world's highest levels of hunger, malnutrition and poverty. Viet Nam's agrifood transformation model The inter-regional knowledge exchange will begin with a briefing on Viet Nam's transformative One Commune One Product programme, a cornerstone of the country's rural economic development strategy, and an inspiration for FAO's OCOP initiative. Launched nationwide in 2018, it has significantly increased rural incomes and jobs by developing sustainable value chains for local specialties and traditional products. The programme provides comprehensive support for capacity building, product development, quality management and market access, to the rural manufacturers of these special products. The OCOP Four Betters Models The agriculture ministers from Africa will also be briefed on how FAO is leveraging science and innovation to accelerate agrifood systems transformation through OCOP implementation in the Asia-Pacific region, in support of the Four Betters. Strategic partnerships with leading science and innovation centres in the region are enhancing value chains of special agricultural products (SAPs) identified by member countries under the OCOP initiative. This includes the application of an innovative geographical and environmental traceability tool that will increase access of SAPs to high-end markets and incentivize sustainable production. Nutrition science and technology is also being used for SAPs-based food product development, suited to different age groups and tastes. In addition, OCOP implementation is supporting Asia-Pacific countries with market intelligence to integrate SAPs into national, regional and international markets. Strengthening the FAO-Viet Nam partnership The 'High-Level Inter-regional Knowledge Exchange on One Country One Priority Product (OCOP) Models' further cements the FAO-Viet Nam partnership, anchored in Viet Nam's active role in the FAO South-South and Triangular Cooperation (SSTC) framework. This was reaffirmed by the signing during the FAO Director-General's visit to Hanoi in February 2025, of an FAO-Viet Nam Memorandum of Understanding, to promote the sharing of technical knowhow, institutional and policy experiences under the SSTC framework.
The Star
09-07-2025
- Business
- The Star
FAO advances One Country One Priority Product initiative in cooperation with China
ROME, July 9 (Xinhua) -- The inception workshop of the Food and Agriculture Organization's (FAO) flagship One Country One Priority Product (OCOP) Initiative through the FAO-China South-South Cooperation Programme (SSC) kicked off Tuesday morning in Italy's capital, Rome. Launched globally by FAO Director-General Qu Dongyu in September 2021, the OCOP initiative aims to promote, at global, regional, and local levels, special agricultural products (SAPs) that possess unique qualities and characteristics linked to specific geographical locations, farming practices, and cultural heritage. Over the three-day workshop at FAO's headquarters in Rome, project leaders from 15 demonstration countries across five global regions came together to exchange insights and plan implementation. According to FAO, China has committed 5 million U.S. dollars -- the largest single contribution to the OCOP initiative to date -- to support global capacity-building and demonstration activities through SSC. During the opening session, Beth Bechdol, edputy director-general of FAO, said in her remarks that China's generous contribution is a significant milestone. She thanked China for its support and said: "By leveraging South-South and Triangular Cooperation, we can amplify our impact, foster robust partnerships, and mobilize resources to deliver a cohesive and effective approach to sustainable development." Zhang Lubiao, China's Permanent Representative to FAO, emphasized that China attaches great importance to green and high-quality agricultural development. He noted that China's experience has shown that promoting distinctive and competitive agricultural products is an effective pathway for achieving sustainable agricultural and rural development. "The OCOP initiative is a powerful example of how developing countries can work together, exchange knowledge, and drive inclusive, sustainable development," he said: "China stands ready to continue working with FAO and OCOP countries, sharing experience, technology, and practical solutions under the South-South Cooperation framework." Hafiz Muminjanov, global coordinator of the OCOP Secretariat, told Xinhua that OCOP has established strong and productive cooperation with China. Scholars from Chinese academies have supported the initiative by helping promote sustainable value chains for various agricultural products, such as potatoes and sweet cherries, in many countries. As of July 4, 2025, a total of 95 FAO member nations across all five regions have committed to promoting the sustainable development of 56 special agricultural products under the OCOP initiative, which range from field and horticulture crops, to forest, livestock, and fishery products. The workshop runs from July 8 to 10 at FAO headquarters, featuring multiple sessions focused on sharing best practices and lessons learned from global OCOP implementation, and on raising awareness of the initiative through FAO-China SSC.
