The world has committed to eradicate hunger and eliminate all forms of malnutrition by 2030. The UN General Assembly launched the UN Decade of Action on Nutrition (2016-2025) to strengthen global action and to bring together initiatives and efforts working towards the 2030 goal.
Probably only a few Hungarian families would fail to meet “the pulse challenge” – eating at least one dish based on dried lentils, beans or peas every week.
Yet, while robust lentil or bean soups are staples of the national cuisine, those dried seeds of leguminous plants struggle with an image problem. They are seldom treated as a healthy ingredient with almost endless potential.
Genome sequencing has the power to revolutionize food security and sustainable agriculture including food safety, animal, plant and public health, reducing the risks from disease outbreaks and improving agriculture through effective plant and animal breeding. While several industrialized countries advance with the technology, application in developing countries is limited. This side event provides a forum for Members to discuss benefits, drawbacks, policy implications and challenges that call for global actions.
The Global Forum on Agricultural Research (GFAR) and the Development Fund of Norway, with its local partner in Malawi, the Centre for Environmental Policy and Advocacy (CEPA), have developed this capacity building material for small-scale farmers, farmers’ organizations, decision makers and relevant stakeholders. These three institutions are aware of the need and importance of recognizing and implementing the rights of farmers over plant genetic resources for food and agriculture and associated traditional knowledge.
The Global Forum on Agricultural Research (GFAR) and the Development Fund of Norway, with its local partner in Malawi, the Centre for Environmental Policy and Advocacy (CEPA), have developed this capacity building material for small-scale farmers, farmers’ organizations, decision makers and relevant stakeholders. These three institutions are aware of the need and importance of recognizing and implementing the rights of farmers over plant genetic resources for food and agriculture and associated traditional knowledge.
The 25th session of the Committee on Agriculture is being held at the headquarters of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the UN, 26–30 September 2016. In this interview with Robert Guei, Secretary for the Committee on Agriculture, he elaborates further on this week's priority issues.
The Global Panel on Agriculture and Food Systems for Nutrition published its new Report, Food systems and diets: Facing the challenges of the 21st century on the 23rd September 2016.
This evidence-based Report is designed to help policymakers make their food systems more supportive of high quality diets.
The need for action on malnutrition
Poor diet is the number one risk factor driving the world’s disease burden.
At its 25th session being held at the headquarters of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the UN, 26 – 30 September 2016, the Committee on Agriculture will discuss 14 priority themes. Ensuring effective actions towards the implementation of key elements of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development by addressing agriculture, forestry and fisheries in a more integrated way is one of the major topics.