Latest news with #QUDongyu
Express Tribune
3 days ago
- Business
- Express Tribune
FAO affirms continuous support for agri-reforms
Federal Minister for National Food Security and Research Rana Tanveer Hussain addressing at the 44th Session of the FAO Conference in Rome. Listen to article Federal Minister for National Food Security and Research Rana Tanveer Hussain held a one-on-one meeting with Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) Director-General QU Dongyu during the 44th Session of the FAO Conference in Rome. The minister expressed deep appreciation for FAO's longstanding support to Pakistan's agriculture sector, said a statement released here on Wednesday. He briefed the DG on Pakistan's ongoing reform efforts aimed at transforming food systems to become more sustainable, inclusive and resilient in the face of climate change. Highlighting the critical role of agriculture, which contributes 24% to Pakistan's gross domestic product and employs 37% of the labour force, Rana Tanveer Hussain outlined major initiatives undertaken under the Vision 2025 and the Prime Minister's Agricultural Emergency Programme. These include reforms in water conservation, seed systems, digital extension services and targeted farmer subsidies. He also discussed new national policies on biotechnology, e-commerce integration for small farm holders and soil health mapping. The minister noted significant outcomes such as improved affordability of healthy diet (from 37% of households in 2019 to 52% in 2024) and a drop in the real cost of healthy diets. He also underscored persistent challenges including food insecurity affecting 36.9% of the population, rising input costs and a severe climate-induced stress. Calling for enhanced international cooperation, the food minister urged FAO to support Pakistan's access to climate financing, carbon markets and adaptation mechanisms for vulnerable farming communities. Director-General QU Dongyu appreciated Pakistan's strong reform momentum and reaffirmed FAO's continued technical and policy support. He praised efforts to opt for climate-smart agricultural practices, digital innovation and capacity building.
Zawya
5 days ago
- Business
- Zawya
North Africa: Green Climate Fund approves a record $300 million for Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO)-designed projects in Papua New Guinea, Saint Lucia and the Sahel
The Green Climate Fund (GCF) has approved projects worth more than $300 million that will protect forests in Papua New Guinea, promote sustainable fisheries in Saint Lucia, and help grow Africa's Great Green Wall. The initiatives, designed by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), were greenlighted at the 42nd meeting of the GCF Board, held in the Papua New Guinea capital from June 30 to July 3. It represents the highest-value batch of such approvals to date. 'Through sustainable forestry management, fisheries transformation and land restoration, these FAO-designed projects will make a significant difference to the lives and livelihood of these vulnerable communities, especially in the current global context of overlapping and complex crises due to climate extremes and other shocks,' said FAO Director-General QU Dongyu. 'FAO appreciates the unwavering trust that the GCF and Member Countries place in FAO's professional capacity to provide the required technical expertise to strengthen resilience and safeguard the livelihoods of the most vulnerable,' he added. 'The FAO-GCF partnership continues to be critical for the climate investments in agrifood systems required to deliver science-based concrete solutions to countries and communities where they are needed most, leaving no one behind.' All three approvals were outcomes of successful FAO-led GCF readiness projects, as well as other long-standing technical collaborations, which unlocked the resources countries needed to pursue more ambitious climate projects. Papua New Guinea FAO has supported the country to design a high-impact climate project, within the framework of GCF's pilot programme for results-based payments, that will direct investments worth $63.4 million into Papua New Guinea's sustainable forest management activities. This substantial GCF investment recognizes the Government's achievements in reducing greenhouse gas emissions by 17 million tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent (tCO₂e) during the 2014-2016 period – comparable to taking over 3 million cars off the road for a year. Funding for the project falls under the initiative known as REDD+ (Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and forest Degradation), and will support the Government's efforts to conserve forests and implement the National REDD+ Strategy 2017–2027. Papua New Guinea has been an advocate for the REDD+ global process since its very inception in 2008. The country has kept forest conservation and reducing emissions from the forest sector high on the national and global agenda including through support from FAO and the UN-REDD programme. The investments seek to promote a virtuous cycle of emission reductions by promoting agroforestry, sustainable fuelwood and charcoal production, community pole and timber plantations, the restoration of natural forest, and more. The project will place special emphasis on the social dimension, prompting benefit sharing, encouraging stakeholder engagement, and strengthening both local and national capacities. Papua New Guinea's tropical rainforests – of which three-quarters are primary forests – cover 78 percent of the country's land, making it a global biodiversity hotspot. The forests are home to 191 species of mammals, and 750 species of bird. They also serve as vital carbon sinks, storing large amounts of carbon in above-ground biomass and soil. Saint Lucia The FISH-ADAPT project in Saint Lucia, with an investment of $16.7 million, has been designed to reduce the risks that climate change poses to the fishing and aquaculture sectors in this Small Island Developing State located in the eastern Caribbean Sea. The project aims to transform Saint Lucia's fisheries sector by making fishing safer and more productive despite a changing climate. It will foster a circular economy to help reduce waste, enhance resource efficiency, and promote livelihood diversification for more resilient communities. Fish value chains and markets will be strengthened; coastal fish grounds and aquaculture systems will become more climate resilient; and fishers will have more diversified incomes. The initiative will put in place agrifood solutions that build sustainability and resilience to improve efficiency, safety and productivity in the fisheries sector. These include empowering fishers and aquaculture farmers by enhancing access to weather data, upgrading landing sites and promoting sustainable offshore fishing. Saint Lucia's geographic position and socio-economic dependence on the fisheries sector make it especially vulnerable to the impacts of climate change. Fisherfolk who rely on the sea for their livelihoods are finding it increasingly difficult to adapt to a changing climate and declining fish stocks. Increased air temperature and changing rainfall patterns have also been affecting inland aquaculture. Considering these challenges, FISH-ADAPT will target approximately 75,000 beneficiaries – about 41 percent of the population – including marine fishers, sea-moss farmers, fish vendors and processors, and inland aquaculture farmers. The Sahel The Scaling-Up Resilience in Africa's Great Green Wall (SURAGGWA), with an investment of $222 million, will support livelihoods of agropastoral and pastoral communities living in the Sahel's semi-arid regions, who are extremely vulnerable to climate change. The initiative is FAO's first multi-country proposal and the largest funding request ever submitted on behalf of its Member Countries. It builds on the extensive work done by FAO on the Great Green Wall initiative, in particular the Action Against Desertification Programme. The initiative will seek to scale up successful land restoration practices using a diversity of native species to increase livelihood resilience while also sequestering carbon. It will develop value chains for climate-resilient and low-emission non-timber forest products, supporting the livelihoods and food security of vulnerable communities. Another key aspect of the project will be to strengthen national and regional Great Green Wall institutions to ensure the sustainability and coordination of interventions and monitoring of restoration results as well as mobilizing additional resources including through climate change adaptation and mitigation financing mechanisms. The SURAGGWA Programme will advance the African Union's ambitions to transform Sahelian landscapes by restoring 100 million hectares of degraded land and creating 10 million jobs. Working with smallholder farmers and pastoralist communities, it will also build resilience and contribute to climate change mitigation through carbon sequestration in restored lands across the eight participating countries (Burkina Faso, Chad, Djibouti, Mali, Mauritania, Niger, Nigeria and Senegal). A quarter of the 100 million people who live in the Sahel rely on pastoralist livelihoods. Poverty, social tensions, and climate change put additional strain on herders and farmers who already compete for limited resources and land. Agriculture, livestock and forestry activities are the foundation of their economies and more than 70 per cent of rural communities depend directly on rainfed agriculture. The FAO–GCF partnership The new approvals raise FAO's GCF portfolio to over $1.8 billion, with climate investments delivering sustainable agrifood system solutions to the countries and communities where they are needed most. You can read more about FAO's partnership with GCF here. Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO).
Zawya
5 days ago
- Business
- Zawya
The 2025 Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) Awards honour organizations from Colombia, Egypt, and the Philippines for their contributions to agrifood systems transformation
The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) announced the winners of the 2025 FAO Awards, recognizing organizations from Colombia, Egypt, and the Philippines, whose work has led to outstanding progress in building more efficient, inclusive, resilient and sustainable agrifood systems. On Monday, FAO Director-General QU Dongyu presented the Champion Award and Partnership Award during the 44th FAO Ministerial Conference held in Rome. 'These Awards are more than an acknowledgment of achievements - they represent FAO's core values and aspirations. The ceremony is a celebration of possibility and hope of what happens when commitment and innovation meet the urgent call to transform global agrifood systems,' he said. The FAO Champion Award, the Organization's highest corporate award, which carries a prize of USD 50,000 and recognizes significant and outstanding contributions towards advancing FAO's overall goals, was conferred to la Confederación Mesa Nacional de Pesca Artesanal de Colombia (COMENALPAC), for its tangible results across organizational, social, economic and environmental dimensions, including championing social protection measures for fishers and played a key role in drafting laws against illegal fishing, thereby improving the welfare and rights of fishing communities. Since 2017, COMENALPAC has represented over 800 groups of marine and freshwater fishers across Colombia. Its work has contributed to the design and implementation of key legislation, including Law 2268 of 2022, which guarantees social benefits for commercial and subsistence fishers. Through an FAO–COMENALPAC partnership, the organization has strengthened fisher communities in Tumaco by eliminating intermediaries, increasing incomes, and promoting inclusive market opportunities. It has also led to the restoration of 83 wetlands, contributing to aquatic biodiversity and more sustainable food systems. The organization was further praised for helping secure the legal recognition of more than 120,000 fishers and for its role in incorporating the concept of 'Aquatic Agrifood Ecosystems' into Colombia's National Development Plan. In addition, within the same category, a Special Mention was also awarded to Youth Uprising, a Philippine-based non-profit organization recognized for its intense engagement of young people in transforming agrifood systems. The FAO Partnership Award — valued at USD 10,000 and recognizing outstanding cooperation with FAO in advancing the Organization's work by its Members — was presented to The Egyptian Food Bank (EFB), the first Egypt NGO focused on addressing food insecurity, providing support to over 24 million people through comprehensive food assistance, nutrition, and empowerment programs. Among the EFB's most notable initiatives are the Community Nutrition Programme, the Ramadan Food Loss Initiative, and the Resilience Index Measurement and Analysis (RIMA). EFB's programs have benefited over 150,000 families and more than 60,000 schoolchildren. Its work also includes capacity-building for small-scale producers and support to 1,200 farmers — particularly women — promoting sustainable agricultural practices and economic inclusion. The FAO Director-General bestowed the awards to representatives of the organizations who attended the ceremony in person. Adriana Rocío Cadena Cancino, Director of la Confederación Mesa Nacional de Pesca Artesanal de Colombia (COMENALPAC), received the Champion Award on behalf of the organization. Mohsen Sarhan Ali Gamal Ali, Chief Executive Officer of The Egyptian Food Bank (EFB), accepted the Partnership Award on behalf of his organization. 'These awardees remind us that transformation is already happening and must accelerate. Let us continue working hand in hand for the transformation of global agrifood systems to be more efficient, more inclusive, more resilient and more sustainable,' Qu added in his closing remarks, with a reference to the FAO Four Betters – better production, better nutrition, a better environment and a better life, leaving no one behind. Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO).
Kuwait Times
17-06-2025
- General
- Kuwait Times
Hunger crisis deepens in global hotspots as famine risk rises: UN
GAZA: Palestinians gather in wait for the arrival of trucks carrying humanitarian aid near Jabalia, in the northern Gaza Strip late on June 15, 2025. - AFP ROME: Extreme hunger is intensifying in 13 global hot spots, with Gaza, Sudan, South Sudan, Haiti and Mali at immediate risk of famine without urgent humanitarian intervention, a joint United Nations report warned on Monday. The 'Hunger Hotspots' report by the UN Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) and World Food Program (WFP) blamed conflict, economic shocks, and climate-related hazards for conditions in the worst-hit areas. The report predicts food crises in the next five months. It called for investment and help to ensure aid delivery, which it said was being undermined by insecurity and funding gaps. 'This report is a red alert. We know where hunger is rising and we know who is at risk,' said WFP Executive Director Cindy McCain. 'Without funding and access, we cannot save lives.' For famine to be declared, at least 20 percent of the population in an area must be suffering extreme food shortages, with 30 percent of children acutely malnourished and two people out of every 10,000 dying daily from starvation or malnutrition and disease. In Sudan, where famine was confirmed in 2024, the crisis is expected to persist due to conflict and displacement, with almost 25 million people at risk. South Sudan, hit by flooding and political instability, could see up to 7.7 million people in crisis, with 63,000 in famine-like conditions, the report said. In Gaza, Zionist entity's continued military operations and blockade have left the entire population of 2.1 million people facing acute food insecurity, with nearly half a million at risk of famine by the end of September, the report said. In Haiti, escalating gang violence has displaced thousands, with 8,400 already facing catastrophic hunger, while in Mali conflict and high grain prices put 2,600 people at risk of starvation by the end of August. Other countries of high concern include Yemen, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Myanmar, and Nigeria. 'Protecting people's farms and animals to ensure they can keep producing food where they are, even in the toughest and harshest conditions, is not just urgent – it is essential,' said FAO Director-General QU Dongyu. Some countries such as Ethiopia, Kenya, and Lebanon, have shown improvements and been removed from the FAO and WFP's Hunger Hotspots list.— Reuters
Gulf Today
16-06-2025
- General
- Gulf Today
UN report reveals worsening hunger in 13 hotspots; five with immediate risk of starvation
A new joint UN report warns that people in five hunger hotspots around the world face extreme hunger and risk of starvation and death in the coming months unless there is urgent humanitarian action and a coordinated international effort to de-escalate conflict, stem displacement, and mount an urgent full-scale aid response. The latest Hunger Hotspots report shows that Sudan, Palestine, South Sudan, Haiti and Mali are hotspots of the highest concern, with communities already facing famine, at risk of famine or confronted with catastrophic levels of acute food insecurity due to intensifying or persisting conflict, economic shocks, and natural hazards. The devastating crises are being exacerbated by growing access constraints and critical funding shortfalls. The semi-annual Hunger Hotspots report is an early-warning and predictive analysis of deteriorating food crises for the next five months. Developed and published with financial support from the European Union through the Global Network Against Food Crises (GNAFC), the latest edition projects a serious deterioration of acute food insecurity in 13 countries and territories - the world's most critical hunger hotspots in the coming months. In addition to hotspots of the highest concern, Yemen, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Myanmar and Nigeria are now hotspots of very high concern and require urgent attention to save lives and livelihoods. Other hotspots include Burkina Faso, Chad, Somalia, and Syria. "This report makes it very clear: hunger today is not a distant threat - it is a daily emergency for millions,' FAO Director-General QU Dongyu said. "We must act now, and act together, to save lives and safeguard livelihoods. Protecting people's farms and animals to ensure they can keep producing food where they are, even in the toughest and harshest conditions, is not just urgent - it is essential.' "This report is a red alert. We know where hunger is rising and we know who is at risk,' added Cindy McCain, World Food Programme Executive Director. "We have the tools and experience to respond, but without funding and access, we cannot save lives. Urgent, sustained investment in food assistance and recovery support is crucial as the window to avert yet more devastating hunger is closing fast." In contrast, Ethiopia, Kenya, Lebanon, Lesotho, Malawi, Mozambique, Namibia, Niger, Zambia, and Zimbabwe have been removed from the Hunger Hotspots list. In East and Southern Africa, as well as in Niger, better climatic conditions for harvests and fewer weather extremes have eased food security pressures. Lebanon has also been delisted following reduced intensity of military operations. However, FAO and WFP warn that these gains remain fragile and could reverse quickly if shocks re-emerge.
