CIRDAP – Enabling Rural Communities
HRH Princess of Thailand Maha Chakri Sirindhorn as the FAO Special Ambassador of Zero Hunger was invited as a Guest of Honor to deliver the Royal Statement (LIVE) at the Global Conference on Aquaculture Millennium +20 on 24 September 2021, Shanghai, PR China. Click here to see Global Aquaculture Declaration.
Abstract Similarly, to many countries across the globe, Thailand has faced the outbreaks of COVID-19 since early January 2020 with the dramatic loss in public health and socio-economics. More than 1.4 million infected people were observed in the country; and more than 15,000 cases of the infection were dead. The almost 2-year outbreaks of COVID-19 in Thailand were chronologically portrayed in this talk together with the results of the model predictions and trends from the 1st outbreak (12 January 2020) to the existing 4th outbreak (28 June 2021 – present). Besides, a cyclic disaster management was introduced for managing this pandemic disease in three periods, i.e., before, during, and after the pandemic events. Additionally, the effective COVID-19 management in some countries were discussed. Please see the detail presentation of Prof. Singkran at the webinar in the link below of the presentation: click here
Farmed fish and plants have long contributed to healthy diets, poverty alleviation and rural development. It is only recently, however, that aquaculture has grown to be the leading source of aquatic food, which is expected to meet expanding global dietary demands while also addressing the food security needs of the poor. In order to accelerate the growth and ensure the sustainability of future aquaculture, FAO and NACA with the Chinese Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs invite governments, business, academia and civil society to discuss the theme “Aquaculture for Food and Sustainable Development”. Announcement The GCA+20 has been transformed to a hybrid event, with all international participants connecting remotely. While we had held onto hope to welcome everyone in person, the organizers have made this difficult decision in consideration of our collective safety and wellbeing. For virtual participants, the format creates several benefits: the GCA+20 is free to attend, participation is open, and there are no travel costs. Join the GCA+20 by registering for a series of virtual Zoom Webinars on Thursday 23 September and Friday 24 September. Please see the full announcement for details on how to join the sessions. The format For virtual participants, the format creates several benefits: the GCA+20 is free to attend, participation is open, and there are no travel costs. Join the GCA+20 by registering for a series of virtual Zoom Webinars. Click on the links below to register for each individual session. For local participants already in China who wish to attend the GCA+20 in person, please contact 2020gca@shou.edu.cn. The GCA+20 will have simultaneous interpretation in Arabic, Chinese, English, French, Russian and Spanish, opening participation for everyone. The programme Nine thematic areas, three keynote speeches, over 100 academic posters and a technical workshop on Artemia are spread over three days of this dynamic programme. Click here to see the provisional programme online Click here to register for Plenary Click here to register for Stream 1 (Orange) Click here to register for Stream 2 (Green) Click here to register for Stream 3 (Purple) The Shanghai Declaration: Connect, collaborate and commit! The Shanghai Declaration represents a road map to optimize the role that aquaculture can play in achieving the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. The draft Shanghai Declaration was prepared by a small group of globally recognized aquaculture experts, followed by consultations with a wider group with appropriate technical, regional and gender balance, including members of the International Organizing Committee and International Programme Committee. This draft is now open for comment by all registered participants, with the final text to be adopted on the last day of the GCA +20. All registered delegates are invited to provide their feedback and perspectives on the draft Shanghai Declaration (also available online here). The opportunity for providing feedback will be open until 03 September 2021. Only comments from registered participants will be considered; please include your registration number in your email. Registration is available at: click here In preparing your feedback, please bear in mind that we may receive responses from many participants and to keep the process manageable we encourage you to keep your feedback concise and focussed on major issues only. We also encourage organisations and cooperatives to provide collective feedback. We would appreciate it if you could follow the recommendations below when preparing your feedback: All feedback should be made in the comment sheet and sent by email to GCA@fao.org and include the following in the subject line of your email: your Registration Number (you can find this in the e-mail you received in response to your registration) your name and (if relevant) the organisation providing the collective feedback Please refer in your email to the chapter/section number you wish to address. Do not provide mark-up on the Working Document, as this will not be reviewed. The GCA +20 Secretariat will consider all feedback during the finalization of the Shanghai Declaration to the extent possible. To register in the conference and to know details of the declaration, please visit the links below: click here and click here
Policy Responses to the COVID-19 Pandemic for Food Security in Asia and the Pacific Join us this Thursday, 26 August at 7:30-9:15am Paris time / 1:30-3:15pm Manila time to discuss challenges and policy responses to ensure food security in Asia and the Pacific through food systems transformation. Event details and agenda Access the event website to learn more about how the event can help clarify the major regional policy agenda and access the detailed agenda with speaker information and a full program.
Dr. Cherdsak Virapat, Director-General CIRDAP has attended an online discussion session on the 46th Martyrdom Anniversary of the Father of the Nation of Bangladesh, Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman and National Mourning day of Bangladesh, 15th August. The session was organized by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Government of the People’s Republic of Bangladesh on 17th August, 2021. Dr. A.K. Abdul Momen, M.P. Hon’ble Minister of Foreign Affairs of Bangladesh has chaired the event. The dignitaries of different Diplomatic Missions, Representations of the United Nations and International Organizations in Dhaka also attended the program.
A new report from WWF and Tesco, reveals an estimated 2.5 billion tonnes of food goes uneaten around the world each year. That is an increase of approximately 1.2 billion tonnes on the established estimates of 1.3 billion tonnes wasted each year. These new estimates indicate that of all the food grown, approximately 40 per cent goes uneaten, which is higher than the previously estimated figure of 33 per cent. The report focuses on food losses on farms, around and during harvests and slaugher as well as after. This is the first quantification of total on-farm food loss since 2011. When combined with updated data on loss in supply chains and waste at retail and consumption, we have a clearer picture of the scale of food loss and waste from farm to fork demonstrating how important it is to halve food loss and waste through the whole supply chain, not just in retail and consumption. See the full report below: click here
Transforming food systems for food security, improved nutrition and affordable healthy diets for all 12 July 2021, Rome – There was a dramatic worsening of world hunger in 2020, the United Nations said today – much of it likely related to the fallout of COVID-19. While the pandemic’s impact has yet to be fully mapped1, a multi-agency report estimates that around a tenth of the global population – up to 811 million people – were undernourished last year. The number suggests it will take a tremendous effort for the world to honour its pledge to end hunger by 2030. This year’s edition of The State of Food Security and Nutrition in the World is the first global assessment of its kind in the pandemic era. The report is jointly published by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD), the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), the UN World Food Programme (WFP) and the World Health Organization (WHO). Previous editions had already put the world on notice that the food security of millions – many children among them – was at stake. “Unfortunately, the pandemic continues to expose weaknesses in our food systems, which threaten the lives and livelihoods of people around the world,” the heads of the five UN agencies2 write in this year’s Foreword. They go on to warn of a “critical juncture,” even as they pin fresh hopes on increased diplomatic momentum. “This year offers a unique opportunity for advancing food security and nutrition through transforming food systems with the upcoming UN Food Systems Summit, the Nutrition for Growth Summit and the COP26 on climate change.” “The outcome of these events,” the five add, “will go on to shape the […] second half of the UN Decade of Action on Nutrition” – a global policy commitment yet to hit its stride. The numbers in detail Already in the mid-2010s, hunger had started creeping upwards, dashing hopes of irreversible decline. Disturbingly, in 2020 hunger shot up in both absolute and proportional terms, outpacing population growth: some 9.9 percent of all people are estimated to have been undernourished last year, up from 8.4 percent in 2019. More than half of all undernourished people (418 million) live in Asia; more than a third (282 million) in Africa; and a smaller proportion (60 million) in Latin America and the Caribbean. But the sharpest rise in hunger was in Africa, where the estimated prevalence of undernourishment – at 21 percent of the population – is more than double that of any other region. On other measurements too, the year 2020 was sombre. Overall, more than 2.3 billion people (or 30 percent of the global population) lacked year-round access to adequate food: this indicator – known as the prevalence of moderate or severe food insecurity – leapt in one year as much in as the preceding five combined. Gender inequality deepened: for every 10 food-insecure men, there were 11 food-insecure women in 2020 (up from 10.6 in 2019). Malnutrition persisted in all its forms, with children paying a high price: in 2020, over 149 million under-fives are estimated to have been stunted, or too short for their age; more than 45 million – wasted, or too thin for their height; and nearly 39 million – overweight.3 A full three-billion adults and children remained locked out of healthy diets, largely due to excessive costs. Nearly a third of women of reproductive age suffer from anaemia. Globally, despite progress in some areas – more infants, for example, are being fed exclusively on breast milk – the world is not on track to achieve targets for any nutrition indicators by 2030. Other hunger and malnutrition drivers In many parts of the world, the pandemic has triggered brutal recessions and jeopardized access to food. Yet even before the pandemic, hunger was spreading; progress on malnutrition lagged. This was all the more so in nations affected by conflict, climate extremes or other economic downturns, or battling high inequality – all of which the report identifies as major drivers of food insecurity, which in turn interact.4 On current trends, The State of Food Security and Nutrition in the World estimates that Sustainable Development Goal 2 (Zero Hunger by 2030) will be missed by a margin of nearly 660 million people. Of these 660 million, some 30 million may be linked to the pandemic’s lasting effects. What can (still) be done As outlined in last year’s report, transforming food systems is essential to achieve food security, improve nutrition and put healthy diets within reach of all. This year’s edition goes further to outline six “transformation pathways”. These, the authors say, rely on a “coherent set of policy and investment portfolios” to counteract the hunger and malnutrition drivers. Depending on the particular driver (or combination of drivers) confronting each country, the report urges policymakers to: Integrate humanitarian, development and peacebuilding policies in conflict areas – for example, through social protection measures to prevent families from selling meagre assets in exchange for food; Scale up climate resilience across food systems – for example, by offering smallholder farmers wide access to climate risk insurance and forecast-based financing; Strengthen the resilience of the most vulnerable to economic adversity – for example, through in-kind or cash support programmes to lessen the impact of pandemic-style shocks or food price volatility; Intervene along supply chains to lower the cost of nutritious foods – for example, by encouraging the planting of biofortified crops or making it easier for fruit and vegetable growers to access markets; Tackle poverty and structural inequalities – for example, by boosting food value chains in poor communities through technology transfers and certification programmes; Strengthen food environments and changing consumer behaviour – for example, by eliminating industrial trans fats and reducing the salt and sugar content in the food supply, or protecting children from the negative impact of food marketing. The report also calls for an “enabling environment of governance mechanisms and institutions” to make transformation possible. It enjoins policymakers to consult widely; to empower women
Zoom webinar. Date Time: Jul 15, 2021 18:00 Kiev Topic: International Models in Emergency Management – Thailand Join from a PC, Mac, iPad, iPhone or Android device: For the audience and members: click here to join Description: Next in our webinar series is Thailand. With the population of 66 mil, Thailand is a a founding member of ASEAN, a member of the UN, Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation, Asian Development Bank, and other international organizations. Our speaker is Associate Prof. Dr. Tavida Kamolvej, Dean of Political Science, Thammasat University and Advisor of Thailand’s Department of Disaster Prevention and Mitigation (DDPM), Ministry of Interior who is going to give a presentation on the Policy and Implementation of Emergency Management and Disaster Prevention and Mitigation of Thailand. This webinar is organized in collaboration with Centre on Integrated Rural Development for Asia and the Pacific (CIRDAP). Sign up for the webinar and join us live on 15 July, or watch later with the recording. To stay informed with all events and information, please join our LinkedIn event here, where you can ask questions and share ideas with the community. click here Background: Building upon the International Crisis and Emergency Management Series from 2020, Capacity Building International (CBI) has now partnered with The International Emergency Management Society (TIEMS) to launch a new webinar series in 2021. Throughout 2021, there will be a recurring monthly series of webinars that will highlight, compare, and contrast various European/International/National domestic emergency management models. Guests will present their different models, approaches, and systems used in emergency management. This webinar series will be an excellent opportunity to hear from experts across the globe. NOTE: Please change the city location and time zone so you can see when the webinar will be available in your area. The event invitation should also adjust to your timezone once accepted and added to your calendar.
Foreword The global community is at a critical moment in its pursuit of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). More than a year into the global pandemic, millions of lives have been lost, the human and economic toll has been unprecedented and recovery efforts so far have been uneven, inequitable and insufficiently geared towards achieving sustainable development. The current crisis is threatening decades of development gains, further delaying the urgent transition to greener, more inclusive economies, and throwing progress on the SDGs even further off track. Had the paradigm shift envisioned by the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development been fully embraced over the past six years, the world would have been better-prepared to face this crisis – with stronger health systems, expanded social protection coverage, the resilience that comes from more equal societies, and a healthier natural environment. Regrettably, the SDGs were already off track even before COVID-19 emerged. Progress had been made in poverty reduction, maternal and child health, access to electricity, and gender equality, but not enough to achieve the Goals by 2030. In other vital areas, including reducing inequality, lowering carbon emissions and tackling hunger, progress had either stalled or reversed. As the pandemic continues to unfold, the Sustainable Development Goals Report 2021 outlines some significant impacts in many areas that are already apparent. The global extreme poverty rate rose for the first time in over 20 years, and 119 to 124 million people were pushed back into extreme poverty in 2020. There is a risk of a generational catastrophe regarding schooling, where an additional 101 million children have fallen below the minimum reading proficiency level, potentially wiping out two decades of education gains. Women have faced increased domestic violence, child marriage is projected to rise after a decline in recent years, and unpaid and underpaid care work is increasingly and disproportionately falling on the shoulders of women and girls, impacting educational and income opportunities and health. Notwithstanding the global economic slowdown, concentrations of major greenhouse gases continue to increase. With the global average temperature reaching about 1.2°C above pre-industrial levels, the climate crisis has well and truly arrived, and its impacts are being felt across the world. The pandemic has also brought immense financial challenges, especially for developing countries – with a significant rise in debt distress and dramatic decreases in foreign direct investment and trade. Yet, with a surge in global solidarity and leadership from the highest political level, countries can still deliver on the 2030 Agenda and the 2015 Paris Agreement on Climate Change. A global vaccination plan, designed and implemented by the countries that can produce vaccines today or will be able to do so if properly supported, is an urgent first step in that direction. A recommitment by Governments, cities, businesses, and industries to ensure that the recovery reduces carbon emissions, conserves natural resources, creates better jobs, advances gender equality and tackles growing poverty and inequalities is a further imperative. As this report shows, the availability of high-quality data is also critical, helping decision makers to understand where investments can have the greatest impact; but improved data collection will not happen without increased data financing, from both international and domestic resources. The challenges are immense, but there are also reasons for hope. The COVID-19 crisis demonstrated inspiring community resilience, highlighted the herculean work by essential workers in myriad fields and facilitated the rapid expansion of social protection, the acceleration of digital transformation and unprecedented worldwide collaboration on the development of vaccines. A brighter future is possible. We must use the crisis to transform our world, deliver on the 2030 Agenda and keep our promise to current and future generations. António GuterresSecretary-General, United Nations View from the pandemic: stark realities, critical choices As we enter the second year of the COVID-19 pandemic, it is abundantly clear that this is a crisis of monumental proportions, with catastrophic effects on people’s lives and livelihoods and on efforts to realize the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. Historically, pandemics have served as catalysts for political, economic and social change, and that still holds true today. The year 2021 will be decisive as to whether or not the world can make the transformations needed to deliver on the promise to achieve the SDGs by 2030 – with implications for us all. The Sustainable Development Goals Report 2021 uses the latest available data and estimates to reveal the devastating impacts of the crisis on the SDGs and point out areas that require urgent and coordinated action. The report was prepared by the United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs in collaboration with more than 50 international agencies. Years, or even decades, of progress have been halted or reversed. In 2020, the global extreme poverty rate rose for the first time in over 20 years. Hundreds of millions of people were pushed back into extreme poverty and chronic hunger. The COVID-19 pandemic has interrupted one or more essential health services and poses major health threats beyond the disease itself. It has wreaked havoc worldwide on children’s learning and well-being, and women have suffered a disproportionate share of job losses and increased care work at home. The pandemic has exposed and intensified inequalities within and among countries. The poorest and most vulnerable people have a greater risk of becoming infected by the virus, and bear the brunt of the economic fallout. The crisis has threatened the livelihoods of 1.6 billion workers in the informal economy. The collapse of international tourism disproportionally affects small island developing States. And vast inequities exist in vaccine distribution: as of 17 June 2021, around 68 vaccines were administered for every 100 people in Europe and Northern America compared with fewer than 2 in sub-Saharan Africa. The climate crisis, the biodiversity crisis and the pollution crisis persist, despite the pandemic. Concentrations of major greenhouse gases continue to increase despite the temporary reduction in emissions in 2020 related to lockdowns and other COVID-19 response measures. The world remains woefully off track in meeting the Paris Agreement. Biodiversity is declining, and
The OECD-FAO Agricultural Outlook 2021-2030 provides policy-makers with a consensus assessment of the ten-year prospects for 40 main farm and fisheries products at regional, national and global levels, analysing the drivers of performance in the agri-food markets and helping to inform forward-looking policy analysis and planning. The *Outlook *baseline projections describe expected trends based on existing policies, highlighting areas where additional effort is needed to meet the SDGs. Read the whole report below click here