The African, Caribbean and Pacific Group of States and FAOPartners in food security, sustainable development and economic growth

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FAO works closely with the African, Caribbean and Pacific Group of States (ACP) to achieve shared development goals for improved food security and nutrition, increased agricultural production, disaster risk management and resilience, climate change adaptation, and sustain-able development. To date, the partnership has produced numerous successful joint projects, including several regional initiatives aimed at bolstering family farming, improving resilience to climate change vulnerabilities and natural disasters, and promoting food security through several regional Zero Hunger initiatives. FAO will continue to strengthen its partnership with ACP countries through its ongoing collaboration with Governments and the implementation of its individual Country Programming Frameworks.

Terraced hills used as part of FAO’s Transboundary Agro-ecosystems Management Programme (TAMP) to promote sustainable land management and mitigate the effects of climate change in the Kagera River basin. ©FAO/Giulio Napolitano

Key areas of work

Family Farming

Family and small-scale farming are inextricably linked to world food security by preserving traditional food products while contributing to a balanced diet, safe-guarding the world’s agro-biodiversity, and ensuring the sustainable use of natural resources. In many ACP countries, family farming represents a substantial por-tion of agricultural production—85 percent of farming land in Asia and 62 percent in Africa is used for family farming. When combined with specific policies aimed at social protection and well-being of communities, family farming represents a significant opportunity to boost local economies. FAO has devoted significant time, effort and funding to the promotion of family farming, and continues to work with governments to develop programmes and policies tailored to their specific needs. In addition to naming 2014 the Inter-national Year of Family Farming, FAO has launched regional initiatives dedicated to family farming in Latin America and the Caribbean, Europe and Central Asia, and the Near East and North Africa.

Climate ChangeClimate change poses a fundamental threat to global food security, sustainable development and poverty eradication. Agriculture, fisheries, forestry and food systems must undergo fundamental transformations in order to meet the related challenges of global

The African, Caribbean and Pacific Group of States and FAO

Partners in food security, sustainable development and economic growth

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food security and climate change. Adaptation of the agricultural, forestry and fisheries sectors, with a focus on improved resilience of production systems and the local communities depending upon them, is of paramount importance in coping with the expected changes in climatic conditions. FAO’s work focuses on adaptation and mitigation of agricultural sectors and advocates for better management of the synergies and trade-offs among both. In the African, Caribbean and Pacific regions, FAO collaborates with governments and partners to identify innovative technologies and appropriate practices in subregions for coping with the adverse impacts of climate change, while working to reduce the contribution of agriculture, including livestock, aquaculture and deforestation, to greenhouse gas emissions.

ResilienceNatural disasters can destroy lives and wipe out years of development in a matter of hours or

even seconds. Populations around the world are increasingly becoming exposed to natural hazards (drought, floods, hurricanes, earthquakes, disease epidemics, etc.), man-made crises (socio-economic shocks, conflicts, etc.) and protracted crises (complex, prolonged emergencies that combine two or more aspects of the above-mentioned crises). People who rely on agriculture for their livelihoods are often the worst affected when a crisis or a disaster strikes, potentially putting their food and nutrition security at serious risk. FAO is working towards increasing the resilience of people and their livelihoods to these threats by implementing a resilience strategy based on four pillars: i) enable the environment, ii) watch to safeguard; iii) apply risk and vulnerability; and iv) prepare and respond. The Organization has also launched regional initiatives centred on building resilience to disasters and crises in Africa’s drylands and building resilience for enhanced food security and nutrition in the Near East and North Africa.

Tropical Cyclone Pam struck Vanuatu with devastating force on 13 March 2015. The Category 5 storm brought 250 km/ hour winds, heavy rains and flooding that displaced thousands of people, flattened homes, destroyed critical infrastructure and caused extensive damage to agriculture. These losses have caused immense hardship, especially among the 80 percent of people in Vanuatu who rely on agriculture. In addition to the destruction of crops, existing food and seed stocks have also been destroyed by the cyclone. In all provinces, much of the population will be without local staple food supply from the end of March until at least mid-June, when fast-growing crops can be harvested if replanting starts immediately.

FAO is working with the Vanuatu Food Security and Agriculture Cluster, which is leading an integrated response by the Government and the international community, to restore agricultural production and rebuild people’s livelihoods, as well as to increase the country’s resilience to extreme weather events. In the immediate term, FAO is garnering support to provide assistance for seeds, farming equipment and technical expertise, and working with the Government to get the agriculture sector back on its feet.

FAO’s response to Tropical Cyclone Pam in Vanuatu

Fish trap in Pango, Efate, Vanuatu

©Phillip Capper/Flickr: flissphil

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FAO’s work in ACP countries Angola

FAO collaborates extensively with the Government of Angola in several priority areas, including family farming, South-South Cooperation and projects that support rural women. The Organization is also currently providing targeted technical assistance for the implementation of the Government’s plan of action and roadmap for Africa’s Renewed Partnership to End Hunger by 2025. In the context of South-South Cooperation, FAO, together with the Brazilian Cooperation, is working with the Ministry of Agriculture to establish a national programme for the development of family farming in the short and medium term, as well as implementing a project to strengthen research programmes at the Agricultural Research Institute and the Veterinary Research Institute. FAO has also been providing targeted technical assistance in support of aquaculture—a growing sub-sector in the country with high potential for reducing both food insecurity and poverty. In partnership with the government and the international NGO “People in Need”, FAO is implementing a school feeding project in the province of Bie using local agricultural products, with plans to upscale nationally. FAO is also collaborating with several government ministries to disseminate information on nutrition education through both public and private communication channels.

Antigua and Barbuda

In pursuit of its own ambitious hunger eradication goals, Antigua and Barbuda has taken up the Zero Hunger Challenge which was launched in June 2012 at the Rio+20 Conference. Pockets of undernutrition, with both stunting and wasting, have been reported in the child population in Antigua and Barbuda. FAO is collaborating with the Government of Antigua and Barbuda to jointly design and implement a set of coordinated, coherent and effective actions to achieve zero hunger in two years. After the initial assessment period, two programmes were identified for priority action: a home-based garden initiative and a school feeding programme. Significant progress has already been made towards building 500 family gardens and expanding the school meals programme to all schools. The Zero Hunger initiative is implemented in conjunction with the three broad thematic areas previously identified by the government and FAO, which include: i) sustainable crop intensification in support of food security and nutrition; ii) sustainable management of forest and trees; and iii) sustainable management of land and water resources.

Belize

Belize has been a member of FAO since 1983, and FAO currently supports the country in four priority areas: i) sustainable agriculture, fisheries, forestry and rural development policies; ii) innovations for food security and nutrition; iii) national agricultural health, food safety and quality standards; iv) and climate change adaptation and risk reduction. Examples of recent activities include assisting the government in the formulation of a national extension policy and national irrigation policy and strategic plan; an input supply project to immediately boost local food production as part of the FAO initiative on soaring food prices; organic vegetable production; improving post-harvest storage; a coordinated citrus greening management programme; and assisting low income farmers in adopting new sustainable farming systems. FAO is also supporting a local NGO in its assessment and response to the illegal logging situation in the Chiquibul Forest—Belize’s most prized forest due to its size and rich reservoir of natural and cultural resources.

Bahamas

The Bahamas has been a member of FAO since 1975, and currently their partnership focuses on three priority areas: i) sustainable management of fisheries resources; ii) sustainable forestry management; and iii) enhancing agricultural trade. In the Bahamas, the Ministry of the Environment sees the development of the forestry sector as a priority for the country. The natural pine forests are an untapped and important natural resource. Production and use of timber resources would not only make the Bahamas less dependent on imports, it would also retain financial resources in the country and create job opportunities. Relevant legislation has been enacted and administrative arrangements and financial commitment put in place to implement a forest management programme. FAO is implementing a technical cooperation project on the island of Abaco to pilot a sustainable management programme for the approximately 180 000 hectares of natural pine forests. The project is building the capacity of field staff to effectively manage and monitor forest field operations, which will include sustainable logging practices.

Barbados

Barbados has been a member nation of FAO since 1967, and FAO is currently working within the country to strengthen rural communities. In collaboration with the Ministry of Agriculture, Food, Fisheries and Water Resource Management, FAO has developed a programming framework that will guide their actions in Barbados through the end of 2016, crafted in response

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to the country’s National Medium-Term Development Strategy. The framework identifies four priority areas: i) food security and food safety; ii) enhancement of productivity and competitiveness in agriculture and fisheries; iii) sustainable development of agriculture and fisheries resources; and iv) agricultural health and food safety. Among the numerous ongoing projects within the country, there is an initiative to reduce post-harvest losses along the food chain in the Caribbean Community and Common Market (CARICOM) sub-region, which is being implemented by strengthening the chain of actors and service providers, as well as increasing governmental awareness of the region. Another effort is currently underway to strengthen the small ruminant sector, thereby increasing food security and nutrition. The project is building farmers’ capacities in feeding, breeding, housing and general care for the animals, ultimately leading to long-term development of the sector.

Benin

After the Niger River overran its banks in August 2013, FAO supported farming families in northern Benin who lost crops, livestock and fishing grounds. The emergency response programme focused on long term development in the area, beyond the short timeframe of immediate emergencies. In addition to providing quality seed, fertilizers, farming equipment, storage infrastructure and training on new technologies and post-harvest activities, FAO’s

assistance also included raising awareness on the principles of Good Agricultural Practices (GAP) and workshops on resilience for community members and local authorities. Trainings covered the use of resilience funds and structural reinforcements such as silos for preparedness in the face of more frequent and severe weather shocks due to the effects of climate change.

Botswana

FAO plays a major role in the development of the agricultural sector in Botswana through its country programme, which includes emergencies, training, project and programme formulation and development assistance. In the Botswana Agriculture Value Chain Project (BAVC), FAO aims to promote sustainable development and competitiveness of the country’s agro-food sub-sectors in national, regional and international markets by providing technical support to the design and execution of value chain studies for selected agricultural products (e.g. beef). FAO has also assisted the country in assessing non-tariff barriers to trade; assessing the needs of the fisheries sector; and developing a strategic plan for the newly established Department of Agricultural Business Promotion.

Burkina Faso

Following the food and nutrition crisis in the Sahel, FAO helped vulnerable households in Burkina Faso improve resilience in vegetable production. FAO

A woman carrying a sack of seeds home from an FAO distribution center in Burkina Faso. ©FAO/Issouf Sanogo

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distributed vegetable seeds, fertilizer, phytosanitary equipment, sprinklers, moringa seedlings and papaya plants to 1 550 households. Approximately 1 325 farmers, nearly half of them women, were also trained on Good Agricultural Practices (GAP), while an additional 155 farmers including 92 females were trained in nutrition education. The programme increased vegetable production and generated additional income through the sale of surplus crops. The training in nutrition education, in addition to increasing the availability of vegetables, also improved dietary diversity in beneficiary households.

Burundi

Agriculture is the cornerstone of the Burundi economy—practiced by more than 90 percent of the population, with nearly one million family farms. The Government and FAO are collaborating to improve the performance of the agricultural sector by increasing productivity and production in a sustainable way. FAO’s programming in Burundi focuses on four strategic priorities: i) professionalization and intensification of agriculture, including supporting producers associations and cooperatives, strengthening value chains and high-value crops, livestock and fisheries development, and farmer field schools; ii) sustainable management of natural resources, including mapping land degradation, promoting integrated watershed

management activities, and supporting preparation of the national strategy for REDD+; iii) information and agricultural statistics management for improved decision-making, including analysis and monitoring of the food security early warning and monitoring of food security (SAP-SSA) system; and iv) support for strategic planning and coordination of the sector, by supporting the development and consolidation of a legal framework, strengthening the coordination capacity of the agricultural, environmental, and subregional policy harmonization.

Cabo Verde

FAO is currently assisting Cabo Verde in developing agro-value chains in rural areas. The aim of this project is to reduce rural poverty levels by increasing and maximizing employment opportunities in rural areas and establishing a stronger economic base to sustain current rural livelihood systems with a focus on agriculture, livestock and fisheries. This will be achieved by expanding the rural productive base and creating functional market linkages, thus offering local agroproducers broader access to the domestic market (e.g. integration into eco-tourism initiatives and access to the quality niche market of fresh produce for the tourism sector).

A farmer field school in Central African Republic. ©FAO/Riccardo Gangale

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Cameroon

The Far North region of Cameroon is densely populated and highly vulnerable to food and nutrition insecurity. Food production in this region barely meets the needs of the population. The main objective of FAO’s resilience building intervention in the region is to improve food security and protect the livelihoods of vulnerable populations by boosting cereal production through the provision of improved seeds, tools and training. In the coastal regions of the country, FAO is working to protect mangrove ecosystems that are currently threatened by a number of development pressures as well as unsustainable management and harvesting practices of the local communities. These mangroves are valuable both for their contributions to local livelihoods and the globally important biodiversity that they contain. FAO strengthened protection and reduced degradation in the region by supporting inter-sectoral coordination and by helping local communities to redirect economic activities towards those that both improve their livelihoods and assist with the conservation of mangroves.

Central African Republic

As a result of the ongoing political crisis in Central African Republic, the rural population is now particularly vulnerable. FAO is focusing on building resilience to crises, giving special attention to women and gender it its programmes. The four priority areas identified are: i) institutional, operational, organizational, and individual support for the coordination, planning, management and administration of rural development actors and food and nutrition security; ii) the development, promotion, upgrading and servicing of rural development and food and nutrition security sector; iii) the prevention and management of food crises, vulnerability to natural disasters and humanitarian emergencies (early warning, HIV-AIDS, disaster risk reduction, etc.); and iv) the development of sub-regional and regional cooperation to ensure continued recovery of agricultural development. Specific projects range from the implementation of income-generating activities and self-employment in the agricultural sector in conflict zones to sustainable management of non-timber forest products to developing food security monitoring systems.

Chad

Many households in Chad are suffering from malnutrition, which is the combined result of food unavailability and inaccessibility due to chronic poverty and a limited understanding of nutrition. FAO is supporting the promotion of off-season garden

agriculture to assist Sudanese refugees and other vulnerable populations in the country’s Sahel region by increasing nutritious food consumption and providing additional income. FAO also works on landscaping of home gardening perimeters to give women access to land. In addition to responding to immediate food and nutrition needs, FAO has mobilized resources to improve resilience, specifically through the implementation of a new food security and early warning system. Other activities in country include the formulation of a development plan for aquaculture and the direct intervention to locust infestations that helped the country avert a major locust crisis.

Comoros

FAO’s contribution in Comoros focuses on providing expertise on the recovery and revitalization of the agricultural and rural sector. The Organization is assisting in creating stable and remunerative employment for rural people in order to increase income and improve food security. In addition, the project will have a specific strategy for promoting efficient agricultural production and ensuring food security, as well as supporting the emergence of small and medium-sized agricultural production units.

Congo

FAO is working with the Government of the Republic of Congo to diversify and industrialize its economy and to improve food security and nutrition conditions in the country. Development of the agricultural sector is a high priority in this collaboration. Congo’s programming framework focuses on three priority areas: i) modernization of smallholder agriculture, livestock and aquaculture; ii) strengthening support to sustainable development change climate mitigation; and iii) promotion of civil society organisations (CSOs) and producer organizations. Recent initiatives include the launch of the preparatory phase of the general census of agriculture and livestock, the formulation of the National Programme for Agricultural Investment and Food and Nutrition Security (PNIASAN), a joint project with WFP to support small farmers, and ongoing support for irrigation and cassava cultivation development programmes. FAO technical experts have also contributed to the formulation of the national forest policy and the implementation of the REDD+ programme, including monitoring and Measurement Reporting and Verification for integrated, participatory and community management of mangroves. Under the guidance of FAO, an overview of the status of CSOs/producer organizations was made, and on that basis, capacity

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building actions are being examined to allow these organizations to contribute effectively to national development process.

Democratic Republic of the Congo

FAO is involved in a five-year programme (2012-2016) with the Government of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) with the goal of raising the country to the ranks of middle-income countries. Together they have drafted a programming framework that focuses on three priority areas: i) improving the governance of agriculture, rural development, renewable energy resources and crisis management; ii) developing plant, animal and fish industries through value chains and agri-business; and iii) environmental protection and the fight against climate change. Even before the current initiative, FAO was an active partner in helping DRC reach its food security goals. In 2011, a FAO urban horticulture programme reduced malnutrition in the country’s five main cities. The programme, which started as response to urban migration following a five-year conflict in the eastern DRC, helped increase vegetable and fruit production 122 percent over a period of five years. In addition, FAO’s presence in DRC was crucial in 2012 when an outbreak of peste des petits ruminants, a virulent livestock disease of goats and sheep, devastated the country. FAO mobilized emergency support with a project that vaccinated 500 000 sheep and goats, limited animal movements, raised awareness to educate farmers on prevention, increased active surveillance and trained field veterinarians and para-veterinarians.

Cook Islands

In the Cook Islands, the current annual agricultural commodities export value is very minimal at around NZ$ 800 000, while annual imports of fresh fruits and vegetables are valued at close to NZ$ 3 000 000. For the past 20-25 years, following increased fresh produce demands mainly due to increased visitor influx into the country, farming saw a shift towards a part-time activity. FAO is enhancing the capacity of commercial agricultural production in the southern islands by providing the necessary inputs such as fertilisers, spray chemicals, seeds, planting materials. The Organization also supports capacity building programmes to strengthen farmers’ knowledge and skills on sustainable/modern commercial agricultural production and soil resources management practices. The objective is to improve small farm households’ livelihoods in the Cook Islands with increased local production of fruit, vegetables and ornamentals in order to reduce food imports.

A worker at a periurban agriculture cooperative in Cuba. ©FAO

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Côte d’Ivoire

Agriculture is a major driver of economic growth in Côte d’Ivoire–two-thirds of Ivorian households earn a living from it. On the heels of a political crisis and rising food prices, the country is now working to rebuild its agricultural sector. FAO is helping returnees and communities that hosted refugees and the displaced to kick-start agricultural production and, in turn, help lower the country’s alarming malnutrition rates. Specific initiatives include providing agricultural kits for maize, upland and lowland rice and vegetables so that farming families, particularly returnees and host families, do not miss any planting seasons. FAO is also supporting community-based seed growers to produce quality seed so that farmers nationwide have a reliable source of inputs. There is a strong push to create new opportunities for people without land to make a living in agriculture, whether from agricultural processing and marketing or livestock rearing. Likewise, FAO is supporting mothers with malnourished children through village-based nutrition centres.

Cuba

Cuba was one of 19 Latin American countries who participated in FAO’s founding meeting in 1945. Since then, they have contributed to numerous causes in support of the Organization’s mandate of eradicating hunger and establishing food security. The activities implemented by FAO within the country cater specifically to the demands presented by the Cuban Government for the solution of problems related to the agriculture, forestry and fisheries sector. Together, FAO and the Cuban Government have determined four main areas in which the Organization’s efforts will be concentrated. First and foremost is the issue of sustainable food production, seeds and animal feed. FAO is working to help Cuba reduce food imports through the efficient use of land and the increase of domestic agricultural production. The second is adapting to climate change and the sustainable management of natural resources. The third is the health, quality and safety of food. Finally, support is given to Cuba’s role in the South-South Cooperation Programme. Cuba has worked directly with developing countries in Africa, Latin America and the Caribbean in the fields of agriculture, forestry and food, with good results. FAO organizes arrangements for technicians and experts in Cuba to work with the host countries. As of 2013, Cuba was one of 16 countries to have reached the 1996 World Food Summit’s goal of halving the total number of their undernourished.

Djibouti

In a recently completed project, FAO helped improve food and nutrition security and restore livelihoods for drought-affected households and smallholders in Djibouti. The initiative involved rehabilitating/constructing a total of four water points and five underground cisterns in Dikhil and Obock regions; distributing 465 plastic containers to enable 400 livestock-dependent households to stock water; and holding four workshops on community management and household water treatment. The project successfully increased water accessibility in Djibouti, thereby slightly decreasing livestock mortality as well as increasing food production in beneficiary farmers’ gardens and enabling them to generate income from the sale of surplus. It also strengthened coping mechanisms among project beneficiaries, especially during the lean seasons.

A farmer in the Cook Islands tends his bananas. ©FAO/Sue Price

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Dominica

FAO and the Government of Dominica continue to work together to achieve the shared goals of eradicating hunger and developing a sustainable agriculture sector, focusing particularly on food security and nutrition, rural development, plant and animal health/food safety, and risk management/climate change. Dominica is currently known as the Nature Isle, but has made it a stated intention to also lay claim to the title “the Organic Island”. FAO is helping the country to move closer to that goal by assisting the Dominica Organic Agricultural Movement (DOAM), an NGO formed by a cross section of farmers and traders in the organic food production industry. DOAM coordinates programmes and activities for the development of the local organic industry and ensures that foods grown under certifiable organic conditions are marketed effectively locally, regionally and

internationally. FAO assistance will help to create a Plan of Action to support implementation of the Strategic Plan, taking into account the local environment and the relevant experiences and best practices of other organic movements in the Caribbean. FAO’s Food Security through Commercialization of Agriculture (FSCA) programme has also helped develop pineapple value chains in the country.

Dominican Republic

FAO works with the Government of the Dominican Republic in three priority areas: i) food security and nutrition and poverty reduction; ii) family farming; and iii) integrated watershed management, efficient use of natural resources, risk management and climate change. To prepare for and address the crippling impact of floods, landslides, droughts and hurricanes on agricultural production in the Caribbean, FAO launched a disaster management project with six communities from the southern region of the country. The project increased the resilience of farming and fishing communities through the implementation of community Agricultural Disaster Risk Management (ADRM) plans, location-specific good practices and technology and knowledge sharing of good practices and experiences, making the communities better prepared and more resilient to disasters. FAO is also providing technical support to strengthen the capacity of National Council for the Regulation and Development of Dairy Industry (CONALECHE) to develop, implement, and validate a model to increase productivity in the country’s family dairy sector. By using technologies adapted specifically for small producers in the tropics, as well as properly implementing the rules and regulations, the family dairy sector will be able to significantly increase its level of productivity.

Equatorial Guinea

FAO works with the Government of Equatorial Guinea on three identified priority areas i) increased production, food diversification and natural resources management; ii) marketing, processing and rural finance; and iii) strengthening institutional capacity. In coordination with several experts from the Ministries of Agriculture, Fisheries and Environment, Health, Social Affairs and Gender Equality, FAO recently assisted in the development of a National Food Security Programme (NASP). Other ongoing projects include the development of family poultry farms and a project to formulate an agricultural census as a joint programme with the country’s general census of the population. FAO is also providing technical support to the Ministry of Fisheries and Environment for a new project to generate scientific information on the state

A farmer and beneficiary of the FAO project in Ethiopia promoting fruit and cactus pear production managing seedlings. ©FAO/Astrid Randen

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of fish stocks from the maritime territory of Equatorial Guinea. This four-year, US$ 4 million initiative covers sea areas of Bioko, the Mainland region and Annobon, setting a milestone in the history of the development of the fisheries sector in the country. The results of the research will be used to develop an investment plan for the sustainable use of national fisheries.

Eritrea

The FAO programme in Eritrea dates back to 1992, with the country’s full FAO office becoming operational in 1995. Eritrea has a chronic food insecurity problem which is worsened by frequent droughts. FAO is working with the Government on several projects to directly respond to emergencies as well as build resilience and economic empowerment through agriculture. Priority areas include: i) increase agricultural output by expanding land under cultivation, increasing yields and encouraging production of high-value crops for export and domestic consumption; ii) improve and increase production of livestock and livestock products through accurate and prompt diagnosis and control of animal diseases; iii) increase productivity and profitability and competitiveness of marine and fisheries sector in order to earn foreign exchange from exports of fish and marine products; iv) strengthened institutional capacity for disaster risk reduction and management; v) ensure proper management, conservation and utilization

of natural resources; and vi) policy and legislative frameworks reviewed and updated in order to meet sector requirements. FAO’s ongoing initiatives in the country include integrating temperate fruit crops into irrigated production units of the Eritrean highlands; restoring livelihoods and enhancing food security through backyard poultry production units in drought affected households in Northern and Southern Red Sea regions; establishing a dairy training centre at Hamelmalo Agricultural College; and the formulation of an urban and periurban horticulture project.

Ethiopia

FAO and other development partners have been supporting the Government’s efforts in the fight against poverty and in combating hunger and malnutrition. FAO’s work is aimed at creating an environment where agriculture significantly contributes to the improvement of the livelihood of all Ethiopians, particularly the poorest and most vulnerable groups. Three priority areas for intervention are i) agricultural productivity and competitiveness; ii) sustainable natural resources development and management; and iii) improved food and nutrition security. Over the past 10 years, FAO has implemented more than 100 projects, focusing particularly on moisture deficit and pastoral areas at the request of the government. FAO has helped Ethiopia improve crop productivity

Camel herders in Fada, Chad, where FAO conducted control operations against populations of desert locusts. ©FAO/Carl de Souza

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and competitiveness by helping smallholders engage in improved seed production, supporting the government in securing improved seeds, and rehabilitating small scale irrigation.

Fiji

An estimated 54 000 farmers were directly affected and some 200 000 farmers were indirectly affected in the locations devastated by cyclone Evan. FAO is supporting the Government to re-establish agriculture production in the cyclone-affected areas and rebuild agriculture livelihoods by strengthening the resilience and self-reliance of affected people and rural communities. FAO will provide planting materials for root crops, fertilizer and chemicals to boost low food crop production, and vegetable seeds for quick income and improved nutrition. In addition, FAO will prepare an assessment tool for the agricultural sector to be used in times of emergency.

Gabon

From 2011, FAO helped Gabon restore cassava yields by reinforcing the capacity of the most food insecure subsistence farmers to prevent, mitigate, prepare for and respond to cassava-related diseases in the region. In addition to providing improved cassava varieties to farmers, FAO also trained extension workers in cassava disease and pest identification,

established farmer field schools to train farmers on increasing production, and helped farmers generate additional income through sale of excess cassava. In the greater central African region, FAO helped formulate a strategic plan to define the priority areas of intervention for FAO from 2012-2017. Priority actions will include creating a coherent agricultural policy supported by effective investments to increase agricultural production, as well as promoting sustainable forest management practices.

Gambia

FAO continues to support the Government of The Gambia in addressing the challenges of the agricultural sector and has facilitated the formulation of broad policies and measures to accelerate agricultural production, boost overall sector performance and strengthen exports and trade. FAO spearheaded the formulation of Agriculture and Natural Resources Policy (ANRP) to strengthen competitiveness in the sector through commercialization. FAO also assisted the government in the formulation of The Gambia National Agricultural Investment Plan (GNAIP 2011-2015) that translates the country’s agricultural priorities into concrete fundable investment programmes. To address some very specific challenges to the agricultural sector, FAO supported the government through the formulation and implementation

A fisherman with his net standing at the shore in Grenada. ©FAO/Giuseppe Bizzarri

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of Technical Cooperation programmes. These programmes included introducing the technology of metallic silos, setting up of aquaculture pilot projects, and promoting nutrition education by incorporating nutrition issues into the school curricula.

Ghana

Over the last two decades, Ghana has evolved into a stable and mature democracy, and FAO is proud to have been (and continue to be) a part of its development. In collaboration with the country’s ministries, departments and agencies, FAO has formulated a framework to guide its support to the Government in achieving its goals in the agriculture sector. The framework identifies three priority areas in which their efforts will be concentrated until 2016: food security and nutrition; environment and sustainable natural resource management; and rural development and resilient livelihoods. Numerous projects have been implemented to achieve goals in those areas. For example, Block Farming for Change was developed to assist 315 women to block cultivate beans, groundnut and upland rice. A National Forest Programme Facility was conceived. The Larabanga Youth Association was developed to instruct and assist small scale rabbit production. Even before the current framework, FAO played an active role in Ghana’s journey towards national food security. In 2009, FAO and the United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) joined forces to enhance food security and nutritional well-being in Ghana’s three northern regions through the UN Trust Fund For Human Security. The initiative included safety-net projects supporting land reforestation and the construction of irrigation systems and small dams. Also, in 2010, Ghana was one of three countries selected for a joint-effort by Finland and FAO to develop open-source land registration software. The Open Source Cadastre and Registration (OSCAR) project was the first serious initiative applying open source solutions in developing countries.

Grenada

The Government of Grenada partners with FAO on several strategic priority areas, including i) the development of a risk management apparatus for the agricultural sector; ii) improving food security and nutrition; iii) increasing the availability of certified and quality seeds in the country; iv) enhancing agricultural health and food safety; v) support to risk reduction and climate change; and vi) reducing transboundary diseases. In one project in the country, FAO provided equipment and assisted with the tendering process for an abattoir the government built as part of a redevelopment programme for

the town of Grenville. The abattoir has been built on the grounds of the School for Agriculture and is expected to have the capacity to slaughter up to 55 small and large ruminants each day. It was designed according to FAO guidelines for the construction of small abattoirs. FAO’s assistance contributes to the sustainable production of meat which meets the highest international standards and can also be sold in the domestic market for consumption by locals and tourists alike. With the development of this market, more producers will be encouraged to intensify their livestock operations, contributing to an eventual reduction in imported meat and meat products.

Guinea

Food security remains a top priority for FAO and the Government of Guinea. The Ministry of Agriculture has requested support from FAO for the formulation of a country programming framework for the period of 2013 through 2017. During its development, three priority areas of cooperation were highlighted: strengthening food and nutrition security; strengthening the governance of the agricultural sector; and prevention and risk management of food crises, disasters and climate change adaptation. FAO has also provided aquaculture training for Guinean fish farmers by organizing technical workshops. The training, which was conducted in the classroom and the field, contributed substantially to the improved ability of local fish farmers. Apart from local farmers, participants included feed producers and extension staff from each part of Forest Guinea and the newly-established Direction Nationale de la Pisciculture.

Guinea-Bissau

FAO is supporting the fight against food insecurity and malnutrition in Guinea-Bissau through the establishment of a Coordinating Agency for Food and Nutrition Security and the promotion of the right to food in the country. In this context, FAO provided technical assistance for the implementation of two local projects aimed at increasing the sustainable production of aquaculture and the promotion of family farming in Guinea-Bissau. FAO also guided the government in its development of a National Nutrition Policy, adopted in February 2014, and a Multisectoral Strategic Plan for Nutrition, now in progress. In addition, FAO has provided technical and financial support for the revision of laws and regulations to promote responsible governance of tenure in the country. Achievements thus far include the review of the National Agricultural Investment Program (PNIA), approved in December 2013, which now examines new issues such as gender in

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agriculture, climate change, nutrition, resilience and disaster risk management.

Guyana

Good working relationships with the Ministries of Agriculture, Education and Health have helped FAO and Guyana work together to achieve shared development goals in the country. Their partnership is guided by the four priority areas of: i) nutrition and food security; ii) agriculture and rural development; iii) sustainable natural resources and climate change; and iv) agriculture health and food safety. In an effort to enhance the capacity of Guyana to collect, manage and access agricultural market data and information, FAO has been providing technical assistance to develop a comprehensive Agriculture Market Information System. This system is aimed at improving domestic and regional trade in agricultural commodities and enhancing the lives of rural populations. Achievements thus far include a website showcasing the work and services provided by Guyana Marketing Corporation, as well as enhanced staff capacity within the Ministry of Agriculture to implement a crop production data collection system to allow for better crop forecasting and production planning.

Haiti

FAO’s assistance to the Government of Haiti focuses on four key priority areas: i) capacity building for policies and strategies for food security and nutrition; ii) promoting agricultural sectors through private and public investment and agricultural support services; iii) increasing natural resource management capacity and resilience to climate change; and iv) strengthening risk management capacity for natural disasters and food crises. FAO’s Road to Recovery programme in the country has contributed significantly to the reduction of food insecurity levels by rebuilding the irrigation systems and access roads, reinforcing the banks of rivers and streams, and relaunching activities associated with watershed management, particularly tree planting, in order to prevent flooding. More recently, the emphasis of FAO’s programme has shifted towards development operations. The Haiti Resilience Initiative was developed for the 2014/15 biennium, to increase resilience of family farmers, contribute to the eradication of hunger and malnutrition and reduce rural poverty. Particularly significant is the Government’s request for FAO assistance in support of its Agricultural Recovery Plan. In November 2013, FAO convened a Regional Technical Meeting (in Panama) with South-South Cooperation partner countries to garner increased support for the Agricultural Recovery Plan. This set

the stage for much stronger coordination between countries in the region providing assistance to Haiti.

Jamaica

Jamaica has been a member of FAO since 1963, and FAO representation in the country works closely with the government to support national efforts to promote food security and sustainable development, with a focus on four priority areas: i) value chain development; ii) creation of an enabling framework for the transformation of the agriculture sector; iii) sustainable management of resources; and iv) national food security. FAO has provided technical support to assist the government to respond to repeated outbreaks of the beet armyworm, which threatens to destroy the livelihood of small vegetable farmers in the southern part of the country, as well as erase productive gains in the cultivation of onions. The project is ongoing and will help to establish a comprehensive monitoring and forecasting programme using Geographic Information Systems (GIS) technology. Additionally, to support a farmer field school (FFS) approach to on-farm crop and pest management, 20 extension officers and ten farmers are currently receiving intensive training in FFS methodologies and crop management techniques. The trained extension officers and farmers will then train approximately 150 other farmers. FAO is also helping in the development of a disaster preparedness and emergency response plan for the local agriculture sector.

Kenya

FAO’s partnership with Kenya focuses on building resilience, closing the gender gap and improving the linkage between food production and adequate nutrition through four key priority areas: i) fostering agriculture-based livelihoods by supporting an enabling policy and investment environment; ii) increasing and diversifying agricultural productivity of medium- and small-scale farmers to align to markets; iii) improving natural resources through climate-smart agriculture, sustainable land management, sustainable fisheries production, integrated pest management and pesticide cycle management; iv) and improving livelihood resilience of vulnerable populations by enhancing their productive capacity, increasing availability of livelihood options, and improving their ability to prepare for and respond to shocks through disaster risk management initiatives. Long before this current framework, FAO was an active agent in Kenya’s development. Following a food price crisis in 2008, FAO provided inputs to farmers in Ahero to jumpstart rice production. This, combined with FAO’s earlier investment of two new water bumps, resulted

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in a bountiful harvest, with farmers earning seven to eight times what they’d made the previous year. In October 2011, FAO helped over 5 000 vulnerable farmers in Mwingi terrace their fields to conserve rain water for crop use and prevent the soils from being washed away. More recently, in 2013 FAO and partnering organizations began to utilize the growing use of mobile phones in Kenya and developed EpiCollect, a mobile application which allows veterinary technicians to send first alerts for livestock diseases, thereby increasing the speed and efficiency of disease control.

Kiribati

Agriculture and fisheries constitute the mainstay of the everyday life of the people in Kiribati. Effective planning, policy formulation and monitoring require quality and timely food security and nutrition information for evidence based strategies and actions. The Government clearly recognizes the need for reliable and consistent information and is in the process of establishing dedicated staff and computer resources to collect, store, manage and analyse agricultural and food data. Nonetheless, there is still limited capacity to process and analyse the collected data meaningfully as a basis for policy formulation and monitoring. FAO is providing technical support to collate, systematize and analyze the available food and agriculture data as a precursor for a national food security policy framework. The project will help the government gain a better understanding of the status of food security and nutrition in order to formulate appropriate policy options as a next step.

Lesotho

The performance and output of the agriculture sector in Lesotho continues to be a major focus area for FAO and the Government. FAO centres its programming on four key priorities: i) enhancing sustainable food security and nutrition; ii) building an enabling environment for sustainable agri-business development; iii) strengthening management of natural resources; and iv) strengthening capacity for better agricultural service delivery. With the broad menu of climate smart agriculture technologies, FAO has paid special attention to conservation agriculture in the country, providing technical leadership and mentorship to both government and NGO partners. FAO has also been very active in supporting vulnerable farming households under its emergency and resilience programme. Over 18 000 vulnerable farming households have benefited from agricultural input distribution programmes. Other projects include conducting studies to determine the

economic and financial viability of the poultry, piggery and horticulture agri-food value chains, as well as establishing building blocks for a comprehensive natural resources management programme.

Liberia

FAO’s presence in Liberia is active and dynamic. In 2012, FAO and the Government of Liberia launched three Technical Cooperation Programmes in fishery, poultry and forestry, supported Ivorian refugees and host populations, initiated the FAO Liberia youth internship programme and provided critically needed coordination and technical support to sector partners. Shortly thereafter, in collaboration with the Government, FAO developed a framework that will guide their activities in the country through the end of 2015, highlighting four key priority areas:

A Haitian farmer inspecting an improved variety of guava (goiaba) plant introduced by a cuban technical expert working under an FAO South-South Cooperation programme. ©FAO/Giuseppe Bizzarri

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sector and sub-sector policy assistance and advocacy; production, productivity and competitiveness; sustainable natural resource management and utilization; and strengthening human and institutional capacities in the public and private sectors. Even before the current framework, FAO was an active partner in Liberia’s development. In 2009 the country was devastated by a plague of caterpillars, devouring all vegetation in their path and polluting wells and streams with their excrement. An international team of scientists lead by experts from FAO visited seven affected areas to determine the species of the insect. Their findings helped the Government better contain the infestation and prepare for a secondary outbreak. In 2010 FAO participated in a joint-effort with the European Union to revive areas in Liberia with high agricultural potential, thereby decreasing the country’s dependence on rice imports and improving the livelihoods of vulnerable farming families. Under the European Union Food Facility (EUFF), FAO distributed certified rice seeds, fertilizers and pest management supplies to 10 000 households.

Madagascar

The agricultural sector is a key area for growth in Madagascar, with 70 to 80 percent of people in the country relying on agriculture for their livelihoods. FAO is collaborating with the Government on three priority areas: i) sustainable and profitable agricultural production intensification and education/nutrition promotion; ii) governance and sustainable management of natural resources; and iii) strengthening household resilience to shocks and hazards in the context of climate change adaptation. In recent years, FAO has helped increase production capacity of more than 700 producers, the majority of whom are women, in the Atsimo, Andrefana Atsimo, and Atsinanana regions. The initiative focused on improvements to rice and vegetable production, processing (fruits and vegetables, fish), conservation production and breeding techniques (chickens) by using plots demonstration, farmer field schools, supply points in livestock production and processing units with the necessary equipment. FAO has also helped extensively with response and prevention for the ongoing locust crisis in the country by providing technical assistance in the management and use of pesticides, and supporting ground control operations.

Malawi

FAO supports the Government of Malawi in the design and implementation of policies and development of programmes and emergency projects to improve agriculture, forestry and fisheries and ensure food security and good nutrition for all. Its key priority areas are governance, coordination and implementation capacity for food security; strengthening data and information sharing for evidence-based decision making; sustainable resource management and climate change; land rights and land use planning; and disaster risk reduction and resilience. Over the last few years, FAO has implemented a number of key programmes including an integrated food security and nutrition programme and a programme that provides policy support on rural employment and decent work for the promotion of equitable and sustainable livelihoods under conditions of climate change. FAO has also provided technical assistance and resources in a number of areas, including food security, post-harvest technology, small-scale irrigation schemes, conservation agriculture, agriculture diversification, education in nutrition, promotion of decent rural employment and improvement of rural livelihoods.

A group of children standing in a swarm of locusts flying over Soatana village in southern Madagascar. ©FAO/Yasuyoshi Chiba

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Mali

Agriculture and pasture are the most important sectors for Malian’s livelihoods, representing 80 percent of the workforce. FAO is providing quality seeds, small ruminants and veterinary support to vulnerable families that have lost their assets in the Sahel crisis, in order to reinforce food and nutritional security and quickly increase the resilience of the vulnerable population. In response to both immediate needs of the population and structural vulnerabilities, FAO is setting up market gardens with fences, as well as rehabilitating water points and irrigation infrastructure. Increasing rehabilitation and resilience is of the utmost importance, and with this objective in mind, FAO is distributing seeds, restoring vegetable production, increasing access to credit and supporting livestock breeders. Additionally, FAO’s Emergency Centre for Transboundary Animal Diseases (ECTAD) is based in Mali and covers the 23 countries of West and Central Africa. Its main objective is to prevent and control transboundary animal diseases, as well as to assist governments in better responding to animal health emergencies.

Marshall Islands

The Marshall Islands lack an evidence-based Food Security and Nutrition Policy to provide a basis for coordinated and focused planning. Following the spike in global food prices, the Government requested FAO’s technical support to assess the food supply

vulnerability and prepare a policy to address food insecurity. The formulation of the Food Security and Nutrition Policy provides a multidisciplinary strategy and operational workplan to improve food security and strategically address priorities identified in light of the country’s limited and potentially decreasing financial and technical resources.

Mauritania

Mauritania experiences structural food deficits, recurrent drought and environmental degradation, making access to food difficult for vulnerable households. The current Sahel Crisis has put many agropastoral households at serious risk of food insecurity, and FAO’s work is imperative in order to ensure they can better access food and safeguard their livestock. The main focus of FAO’s programme in Mauritania is support to the livestock sector. Specific projects have involved: supporting veterinary services and camel breeding modalities; natural resource management, including management of watersheds areas and climate-smart agriculture; seed and crop production and improvement of small irrigation schemes; improved fish management; and strengthening resilience to shocks, including food shortage and drought consequences, through improved food and nutrition monitoring systems.

A botanist and plant breeder with the Coconut Industry Board examines healthy coconuts at an experimental grove in Jamaica. ©FAO/P.Johnson

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Mauritius

FAO is assisting the Government of Mauritius in reorganizing and bolstering its agriculture development plan so it can build capacity to fulfil the government’s objectives for agricultural development and food security. The project will reinforce the government’s plan to modernise the agricultural sector and to reconvert it into a flourishing pillar of the economy, allowing the whole of the population to draw benefits. The project will promote farmer participation in its analyses, in identifying solutions for conditions, and in performance improvements for their production systems.

Micronesia

FAO is assisting the Government of Micronesia in policy action planning for improved food security. This project will provide a clear set of policy recommendations and a timeframe for increasing supply of local foods to the domestic and tourism markets. In coordination with the Government, the project staff will develop and execute an action plan to ensure the transfer of technical skills. In addition, an action plan review group will be established to review the draft plan and ensure local ownership of the process. It is expected that the project will improve the capacity of Ministry staff members, as well as providing Government with a clear plan for introducing the policies necessary to improve opportunities for local food production fish and vegetables. Relative to imports, this increased local production would help to improve food security and nutrition rates. The use of taxation to introduce pricing signals to discourage the consumption of unhealthy food, coupled with additional investment in improving the price competitiveness of local agricultural production will also be assessed.

Mozambique

FAO is helping to establish a Food Security and Nutrition Agenda (FSN) in Mozambique. Achievements thus far include the creation of the Organic Statute of the Technical Secretariat for Food Security and Nutrition (TSFSN) at national and regional levels, as well as efforts to create a Parliamentary coalition for FSN in the country, as part of the larger efforts to establish an African and Community of Portuguese Language Countries (CPLP) coalition for food security and FSN in the coming years. FAO has also supported the creation of the Women Peasant Movement in Mozambique (MMMR) to promote the participation of women on the national agenda of FSN and within the CPLP. Other key initiatives were the preparation

A cattle herder in Niger shaking loose nuts from a tree for the herd to eat. ©FAO/Giulio Napolitano

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of a workshop to promote dialogue on the family farm sector, which employs 80 percent of the labor force of the country, along with the establishment of a platform for the private sector Movement “Scaling Up Nutrition” and the organization of 500 farmer field schools in several provinces.

Namibia

FAO collaborates with the Government of Namibia on four priority areas: i) enabling policy, legal and institutional environment for food and nutrition security and agricultural development; ii) sustainable agricultural production; iii) linking farmers to markets; and iv) improved preparedness for agricultural threats and crises. FAO’s current initiatives include supporting the government in its review of dated policy and legal frameworks, development of new policy and legal frameworks (e.g. the Horticulture Policy) and preparation of policy implementation plans by providing technical assistance for agricultural policy development. In a separate initiative, FAO and the government are assisting medium- and small-scale producers in the crop, horticulture, aquaculture and livestock sub-sectors to enhance their productive capacity. This is being achieved through the implementation of the Comprehensive Programme on Conservation Agriculture, strengthening of the National Seed Production System, promoting up-scaling of small-scale horticulture production, strengthening capacities in animal production and health and fish farm management, and integration of aquaculture with other on-farm activities.

Nauru

The Government of Nauru has requested FAO assistance to increase its crop and livestock production and productivity in order to improve food security and livelihoods of its population. There is scant information on past and current efforts to increase agricultural production in the country, and what the most appropriate strategies might be for such effort. A study will be needed to review past and current agricultural policy, development plans and sector strategic plans relating to agriculture development. It should also assess impacts of past efforts at agriculture development and, if necessary, draft appropriate proposals for increased agriculture production in Nauru.

Niger

Niger introduced its 3N (Les Nigeriens Nourissent les Nigeriens – Nigeriens Nourish Nigeriens) Initiative in 2011 to increase the country’s resilience to food

crises and reduce poverty through agricultural reform. The programme centres on improving smallholders’ access to water, inputs, information and training. FAO has supported the initiative by providing quality high-yielding seeds and fertilizers to farmers through seed fairs and direct distribution. FAO has also trained farmers and agricultural extension workers on technical specifications for seed use, distribution, certification and quality control. The project contributed to significant production increases in both rain-fed and irrigation farms, increased household food availability and dietary diversity, and improved incomes for farmers who sold their products in markets.

A woman winnowing rice in Nigeria.©FAO/Pius Ekepi

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Nigeria

FAO’s major initiative for food security in Nigeria covers a wide range of food and agriculture projects, from increasing the vitamin content of eggs to improving water management in rice fields, building floating fish cages and introducing beekeeping. A group of Chinese experts and technicians are working in the country through a South-South Cooperation arrangement launched by FAO. The two-phase effort supports Nigeria’s National Programme for Food Security. In the first phase, approximately 500 Chinese technicians completed 4 000 field visits, conducted more than 500 demonstrations and carried out more than 200 microprojects. This led not only to improved yields and livelihoods, but also to replication by farmers’ organizations that had been supported by the initiative. Due to the success of the first phase, the project’s reputation grew, allowing the second phase to be more demand driven. It now responds to individual states’ requests for specific types of support.

Niue

FAO is providing technical support and expertise to close the knowledge gap and improve the agricultural curriculum in schools in order to educate and prepare agricultural workers. This project will provide an analysis of the current situation and proposals to improve the agricultural curriculum. The proposal for future actions will include: the nature of the

inputs required, the most logical provider of those inputs, the duration of any support, an estimate of the quantitative and qualitative changes that might be expected, and pathways for the young people to obtain further vocational training in agriculture. Finally, possible sources of finance and in-kind support will be identified.

Palau

FAO is supporting the Government of Palau in promoting giant clam farm development to ensure sustainable livelihoods. Giant clam farms will conserve the coastal and inshore resources by providing a supplementary source of income and subsistence to the men and women in the community. Furthermore, the project continuity is important in order to meet the demands for seafood by the local population and the influx of eighty thousand tourists visiting Palau annually. A measurable objective is to supply at least 20 clam farmers with protective clam cages or pen enclosures to improve protection from predators and poaching, and to improve clam inventory procedures. A second objective is to conduct site surveys for new farmers to establish their farms in the best possible areas. This will require locating areas with the right physical and biological characteristics for the farms.

Farmer members of a Cooperative for processing maize in Rwanda.©FAO/Rik Moors

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Papua New Guinea

Papua New Guinea is host to a remarkably diverse number of species and ecosystems. The islands of New Guinea comprise the third largest tropical rainforest estate in the world. Increasingly, the sustainable capacity of much of the country’s forests to support the products, services, biodiversity and ecological integrity they produce has come under threat. FAO has been requested to provide support in reversing the trend of forest degradation, which requires robust institutional capacity to appropriately ensure sustainable forest management. The project seeks to build the capacity of the national forest agency by strengthening the Logging Code of Practice and providing training to relevant Government staff and forest industry operators on improved forest practice guidelines, monitoring and enforcement.

Rwanda

In Rwanda, challenges that need further attention in the agriculture sector and food security areas include: i) strengthening of production and productivity enhancing technologies; ii) development of agricultural skills; iii) development of processing capacity and value addition facilities; and iv) development of post-harvest facilities. FAO is currently supporting the government in scaling up innovative approaches to agricultural productivity enhancement piloted in Rwanda. These approaches

include integrated pest management to control pests and diseases, farmer field schools to disseminate recommended agricultural extension services, farmer field and life schools to extend productivity enhancing technologies to the most vulnerable community members as a recommended agricultural extension methodology. Other initiatives include providing technical expertise to develop and review policies/strategies on food security and nutrition, improved livelihood resilience of vulnerable groups, and develop regulatory framework for natural resources.

Saint Kitts and Nevis

FAO’s partnership with the Government of Saint Kitts and Nevis focuses on three priority areas: i) capacity building for groups and cooperatives with an aim to foster the development of viable livelihoods and competitive agribusiness; ii) aquaculture development; and iii) the creation of sustainable food production systems for food security and nutrition, sustainable use and adaptation of agricultural biodiversity. In the country’s aquaculture sector, most fisheries are artisanal, but they make an important contribution to food security. Around 460 small-scale fishing vessels make up the fishing industry, with 2 000 fisherfolk representing 14 percent of those employed on the islands. Local catches contribute 500 tonnes of fish for local consumption. Local catches contribute 500 tonnes of fish for local consumption. The government

Unloading of tuna fish in the Seychelles.©FAO/H. Wagner

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is aiming to transform the industry through improved technology to increase fisheries production. In addition to co-managing the sector and implementing the ecosystem approach to fisheries, FAO is helping to strengthen fisherfolk organizations on the islands, as they need to be organized if they are to be equal partners with the Ministry. Strong fisherfolk organizations may also take a leading role in the efforts to reduce praedial larceny of fish and fisheries gear and equipment.

Saint Lucia

The Government of Saint Lucia and FAO work together to achieve development goals with a focus on three main priority areas: i) agriculture and natural resources sustainability and the potential impact of climate variation; ii) food security and nutrition; and iii) enhanced institutional capacities, policy formulation and investment promotion. FAO is currently supporting the government in a programme to modernize meat production in the country through the construction of a modern slaughterhouse/meat processing facility. It will enhance food safety, build consumer confidence in meat 15 and meat products, stimulate livestock production and help locally produced meats to reach high-end market segments, including the lucrative tourist industry, which currently imports all of its meats and meat products. FAO is

assisting the country through the development of general operating and management plans for the operation of the facility.

Saint Vincent and the Grenadines

FAO’s support to St. Vincent and the Grenadines over the past decade has focused on capacity building, assistance in policy formulation, agriculture planning and agriculture legislation development. Its three main objectives, as agreed upon with the government, are i) fostering agricultural entrepreneurship; ii) boosting production in crops, livestock, forestry and fisheries; and iii) conserving the natural environment/increasing biodiversity. In an income generation initiative, FAO assisted the community in Georgetown, on the Northeast coast of St. Vincent, after losing its traditional sources of income due to the closure of the local sugar factory and the decline of banana production. Decades ago the people of Georgetown were well known for their skills in using bamboo to build baskets and other household items. With the increased use of plastic, the tradition of bamboo weaving was almost lost. The Georgetown Craft Makers Association decided to revive traditional bamboo craft to generate income opportunities for local youth. With the assistance of FAO, the community group registered as a non-profit organisation and employed two local trainers and a facilitator.

Cabbage growing in a Farmer Field School garden in Senegal benefiting from an FAO project on Integrated Production and Pest Management. ©FAO/Olivier Asselin

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Samoa

FAO’s technical support in Samoa is designed to identify and address gaps and constraints in food and agriculture (including fisheries) governance frameworks. The specific objective of a current project is to review and revise the Agriculture, Forests and Fisheries Ordinance of 1959 with a view to produce a modern and comprehensive draft legal framework that will support Samoa’s food and nutrition security and national development goals.

Sao Tome and Principe

In 2013, Sao Tome and Principe joined the Rotterdam Convention. The Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment has sent a request to support the initiation of the activities of the Convention in Sao Tome and Principe. The overall objective of FAO’s assistance is to initiate a proper implementation of the Rotterdam Convention in the Republic of Sao Tome and Principe. The activities include training the actors involved in the management of chemicals based on the requirements of the Rotterdam Convention, the inventory and localization of pesticides and other obsolete chemicals, and carrying out a survey on the effects of pesticides on human health and environment.

Senegal

The agriculture sector, including livestock, forestry and fisheries, is the main source of employment and revenue for about 60 percent of Senegal’s population. Irregular rainfall, declining soil fertility and relatively low levels of investment in the sector have led to a decline in production. FAO is distributing rice, millet, maize, cowpeas and watermelon seeds, as well as fertilizer to vulnerable farmers in an effort to increase their production capacity and diversify the food available. FAO is also investing in agriculture by providing important tools for production and processing and supplying good quality seeds to be stored in stocks. Disparities in agricultural production are localized across the country, and FAO focuses its response in the worst affected areas, particularly in the regions of Diourbel, Kaffrine, Kédougou, Kolda, Saint Louis, Sédhiou, Louga, Matam, Tambacounda and Ziguinchor, including the pastoral zones for livestock interventions.

Seychelles

FAO is assisting the Seychelles in strengthening the governance framework and capacity of its agricultural institutions. The objective is to conduct an institutional assessment in order to strengthen the capacity of the

agricultural sector to mitigate the negative impact of the reform and enhance food and nutrition security in Seychelles. Within this general scenario, the role of agricultural institutions and Ministry of Natural Resources and Industry is revisited with a focus on food security and agricultural policies, provision of rules and regulation, monitoring and evaluation, capacity building, contribution to technical backstopping and the sustainability of agricultural growth.

Sierra Leone

The Government of Sierra Leone, with support from FAO, is helping the country’s smallholder farmers make the transition from subsistence to commercial farming. The five-year, US$ 403 million plan known as the smallholder commercialisation programme seeks to help farmers grow more and varied crops, process more of what they produce and market their goods more effectively. Around 3.5 million people, or roughly two-thirds of the country, depend on agriculture, while some 70 percent of the population lives below the poverty line. By encouraging farmers to farm for business, Sierra Leone hopes to lift annual agricultural growth to the 7.7 percent needed to halve poverty and hunger by 2015. To achieve this, FAO and other partners are working with the government to make sure farmers have better access to quality seeds, fertilizers and machinery as well as training—from improved cropping techniques and group governance to financial management and marketing skills. It is also making a big push to develop irrigation systems, improve feeder roads so that farmers can get their goods to the market and make it easier for them to access financial services.

Solomon Islands

FAO is working with the Government of the Solomon Islands on a project to improve the management of forests by integrating biodiversity conservation, land degradation, sustainable forest management and climate change issues into policymaking at the national level, as well as livelihood activities for local communities living in and around forests. It includes activities targeted at existing and new protected areas that will be the focus of the project, as well as capacity building and institutional development at the national level.

Somalia

Most people in Somalia rely on farming and livestock for their food and income, but drought, conflict, displacement, disease and environmental degradation have wiped out many Somalis’ ability to earn a living.

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One missed planting season or the loss of livestock will push most families deeper into poverty and hunger. In light of these challenges, FAO Somalia is using cash transfer initiatives in the country’s most vulnerable communities while working to help Somali farmers prepare and sow their fields ahead of the rains, providing them with improved seeds, fertilizers and technical support to boost yields. Likewise, FAO is vaccinating livestock and ramping up animal health services and disease surveillance and monitoring. FAO is also working to restore incomes and build stronger local economies through cash-for-work schemes, which provide vulnerable families with daily wages in exchange for work on community infrastructure.

South Africa

FAO remains a central and strategic partner in ensuring that Government priorities in agriculture and food security are achieved. FAO provides technical assistance to relevant Ministries and Departments within the agriculture and rural development sector and the programmes being implemented are mainly funded by the Government of South Africa. FAO’s engagement in South Africa focuses on high-end value-added activities that generate knowledge and information for policies and programmes, as well as activities that promote South-South Cooperation and foster development at the grassroots level. Currently, the most important challenge in the South African agricultural sector is the existence of a dual agricultural economy, comprising a well-developed commercial sector and a predominantly subsistence agriculture sector in the rural areas. Improving food and nutrition security is an important development objective of the Government, particularly addressing household food insecurity. In the years to come, FAO and the Government will focus on the strategic goals of the Food Security and Nutrition Policy to ensure the availability, accessibility, and affordability and consumption of safe and nutritious food at national and household levels. The aim of this Policy will be to reduce the incidents of acute and chronic hunger to zero by 2030 and thereby contribute towards overall poverty eradication.

Sudan

In Sudan, FAO is helping vulnerable rural people, including herding, fishing and farming communities, Internally Displaced People (IDPs) and returnees, to regain their livelihoods and strengthen their food security. FAO’s focus is on sustainable solutions to strengthen local systems and reduce aid dependency, expand livelihood opportunities, facilitate early recovery and improve preparedness on the ground.

Ex-combatants, IDPs and women are learning food processing techniques (cheese-making, fish preservation), business techniques and other skills to improve their incomes. At the same time, FAO is supporting community-based conflict management and negotiation through improved natural resource sharing, such as fuel-efficient stoves, which use less coal and provide a source of income for women who make and sell the stoves. Other ongoing activities include improved crop production, animal health and production, environmental restoration and protection, livelihood diversification (including improved access to markets through market oriented production and value-chain linkages), capacity building for food security policy and strategy and sectoral coordination.

Suriname

FAO assisted the Ministry of Agriculture, Animal Husbandry and Fisheries in formulating seven agriculture subsector white papers on rice, bananas, horticulture (vegetable, fruit, root crops), livestock, fisheries, interior development and agribusiness to support the government in achieving food security targets. A National Stakeholder Consultative Exercise has been completed and the Ministry is utilizing the subsector documents in various national planning exercises.

Swaziland

Since FAO established its representation in Swaziland over a decade ago, it has provided technical assistance to improve food security, sustainable agricultural and rural development. Specific projects have included technical assistance for the formulation of sector and sub-sector policy and strategies; technical assistance for the improved sustainable management of forest and land resources, increasing smallholder access to improved technologies as well as improving their knowledge and skills for enhanced food security, and improved institutional capacities including for the safe handling of obsolete pesticides; improved food safety; and increased resilience of food security systems to climatic shock through strengthened early warning systems. In the future, FAO and the Government of Swaziland will focus on four key priority areas: i) agricultural support systems and strengthening institutions; ii) agricultural productivity, market access and competitiveness; iii) sustainable management of natural resources; and iv) mitigation of food insecurity by improving livelihoods, reducing vulnerability and the impact of HIV and AIDS.

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Tanzania

FAO’s partnership with Tanzania centres on three main priority areas: i) group economic growth and economic governance; ii) environment and climate change; and iii) emergency preparedness/response and refugees response. The first element promotes poverty alleviation among small-scale farmers through the introduction of improved agricultural practices and rural employment creation. The second element focuses on ensuring sustainable use of natural resources and adapting to/mitigating the impact of climate change. The third provides a twin-track approach to improved disaster risk reduction and management by the Government and supporting communities to reduce the negative impact of large scale refugees influx. In a recent project, FAO developed a selection of climate-smart agricultural practices for smallholder farmers based on participatory assessments and consultative processes at multiple levels. Some 2 500 farmers in Tanzania and Kenya—46 percent of whom were women—received training on climate-smart agricultural techniques specific to their region’s given agro-ecological and socio-economic situation. Additional recent projects in Tanzania include: transboundary agro-ecosystem management for the Kagera River Basin; monitoring African food and agricultural policies; FAO-USDA joint effort to strengthen agricultural statistics in Tanzania; various SmartFish workshops and meetings organised in the country; the Regional Cassava Initiative; the Regional Lake Tanganyika Authority support programme and various emergency related activities.

Timor-Leste

Since the January 2014 launch of Timor-Leste’s Zero Hunger Challenge by the Prime Minister, FAO has been working with the Government to formulate a National Action Plan (NAP) to Achieve Zero Hunger in East Timor until 2025. FAO provided technical assistance to support family agriculture and aquaculture development, in strengthening food and nutrition security through the promotion of conservation agriculture, and other measures to adapt to climate change. Additionally, FAO assisted in raising awareness and capacity building to reduce post-harvest losses in horticultural chains; in formulation of a project to promote climate smart agriculture for disaster risk reduction and food security; in identifying and developing practices to adapt to climate change in the fisheries and aquaculture sector; and in the implementation of a project for the development of the coconut industry as a source of livelihood for the rural sector. A boy carries a jackfruit on his head at the Kiroka market in

Tanzania. ©FAO/Daniel Hayduk

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Togo

After devastating floods and sharp increases in food prices from 2007-2008, Togo’s farmers suffered losses and malnutrition in rural populations was exacerbated. FAO, with funding from the EU, responded by providing seeds and fertilizer to some 15 000 farmers to grow staple crops such as maize, rice and sorghum. An additional 5 500 more farmers received inputs for market gardening. FAO estimates that the total value of what they produced is nearly double the amount invested by the EU. In addition, the EU-funded FAO efforts also delivered structural support to Togo’s agriculture, in particular to its seed sector and the market information system. More recently, FAO started a project in Togo to promote the right to food and good governance around food security, with the primary aim of empowering stakeholders for their effective involvement in the management of processes related to the right to food and food security.

Tonga

FAO is providing technical assistance for the development of commercially viable and environmentally-friendly milkfish aquaculture systems in Nomuka Island and Tonga’s Tapu Island that will result in a sustainable source of food and income for the island communities. The immediate objectives of the project are to: demonstrate the commercial viability of milkfish pens and pond farming systems; develop cost-effective technologies and techniques for input production and supply (seed production and farm-made feed production); grow-out management, post harvest and marketing; utilize local manpower to produce continuous harvests of milkfish for the communities; and to train interested community members in the management and operations of milkfish pens and pond culture systems.

Trinidad and Tobago

FAO and the Government of Trinidad and Tobago focus their partnership on three priority areas: i) food security and nutrition; ii) agriculture and rural productivity and business development; and iii) the modernization of food and agriculture sector. An important aspect of agriculture sector development and food security is the ability to collect and review information and to use the data to develop future strategies. FAO is working with the government to strengthen agricultural data and information, specifically by helping to develop a one-year plan to establish a National Agricultural Data and Information Division, operational guidelines for the division’s systems, processes, programme planning and protocols, as well as a strategic plan and work programme for the division. Other ongoing projects include improving food security in the region, expanding a cocoa drying facility for the Tobago Cocoa Farmers Association, and improving forest and protected area management.

Tuvalu

FAO is currently collaborating with the Government of Tuvalu on the development of a community-based aquaculture system and management of inshore fisheries. This project will support the development of small-scale aquaculture by up-skilling traditional aqua-farmer’s knowledge, providing new fishing techniques, attracting offshore fisheries resources, and managing inshore/offshore fisheries resources for food security and sustainable livelihoods in Tuvalu.

A crop voucher beneficiary farmer in Zimbabwe prepares her sorghum for storage. ©FAO/Believe Nyakudjara

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Uganda

Agriculture is the main source of livelihood for roughly 77 percent of Ugandans. Climate change and environmental challenges, such as erratic rainfall, prolonged dry spells and flooding, pose a threat to crop and livestock productivity. To help farmers face these challenges, FAO is supporting the production of drought-tolerant crops, constructing infrastructure for water and soil conservation, training farmers on sustainable farming and animal husbandry practices and facilitating community planning. Specifically, the farmer field school approach, widely adopted by FAO Uganda, is very effective for farmers to improve production and learn about post-harvest handling and farming-as-a-business—from processing their goods to marketing them more effectively. The schools also encourage farmers to join village loan and savings schemes to increase their access to credit. The approach places particular emphasis on women and youth; it also serves as an excellent way to raise awareness on nutrition, gender, HIV/AIDS and climate change.

Vanuatu

Compared to other countries like Fiji and Tonga, Vanuatu is lagging in terms of vegetable production and the necessary networks to support marketing and trade of these crops. While a large range of vegetable varieties are indigenous and can be grown in the local conditions, production is usually concentrated on a narrow range of varieties. The Government of Vanuatu has requested FAO’s technical assistance in strengthening rural farmers’ knowledge through training/up-skilling to narrow this knowledge gap in vegetable production for rural farmers in Vanuatu. The project will set up on-farm demonstration trials and on-site training on seed selection, seed quality, open pollination varieties and other relevant topics. The project will also collaborate with other stakeholders such as different government agencies, the private sector and NGOs.

Zambia

FAO works extensively with the Government of Zambia on several priority areas, including crop diversification, processing/value added, irrigation, livestock disease control, agricultural statistics, fisheries, forestry and natural resources management. FAO’s programmes in the country focus on creating more efficient and sustainable food systems. A recent project on the promotion of agro-food processing among small scale farmers focuses on the reduction of postharvest losses, assuring food

security through increased shelf life of products, and value addition through processing. FAO is also helping the government promote climate smart agriculture by developing and implementing practices, policies and investments for climate smart agriculture, and subsequently formulating strategic frameworks and investment proposals. Zambia has an immense resource base for livestock production, so protecting animal health is a priority area. FAO successfully facilitated several livestock disease control training workshops for veterinarians, lab technicians and veterinary assistants, led by veterinary epidemiologists and other experts in the field.

Zimbabwe

Agriculture continues to be one of the key drivers of the Zimbabwean economy, contributing about 14-18 percent to GDP. To help improve agricultural development and food and nutrition security in the country, FAO has implemented several projects in conjunction with the government and other strategic partners. Recent achievements include: providing technical assistance for the preparation of the Zimbabwe Agricultural Investment Programme and supporting preparation of the Irrigation policy document and Contract Farming Framework; training on input handling and business management of 164 agro-dealers participating in the FAO inputs programme; supporting 47 800 farmers with crops and livestock input vouchers; supporting 2 400 farmers in contract farming resulting in an average yield of 4mt/ha for maize compared to the national average of 0.6mt/ha; providing 260 000 Foot and Mouth (FMD) and 475 000 Anthrax doses to assist livestock farmers; conducting Training of Trainers (TOTs) on crop & livestock production, and production of technical guidelines; and rehabilitated 365 boreholes for livestock water points in nine districts. In the years ahead, FAO will continue to pursue opportunities to provide support to the agricultural, forestry and fisheries sectors, especially in strengthening research and extension institutions and improved irrigation infrastructure, which should contribute positively to improved production and productivity.

Cover photographs (from left to right):©FAO/Giuseppe Bizzarri, ©FAO/J. Ciganovic, ©FAO/Giulio Napolitano, ©FAO/A.K. Kimoto

“The ACP Group is a powerful ally for FAO in our unified mission to achieve food security, sustainable development and economic growth in the African, Caribbean and Pacific regions.”

José Graziano da Silva, FAO Director-General

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FAO’s partnership with the African, Caribbean and Pacific Group of States (ACP) addresses a number of salient issues in the respective regions, with the overall goal of achieving the ACP Group’s objectives on sustainable development, economic growth, peace and stability, and consolidating unity and solidarity in its member states.

This collaboration has resulted in a number of successful initiatives, including the Action Against Desertification programme. The initiative was launched in 2014 and aims to fight hunger and poverty by fostering stability and building resilience to climate change in some of the world’s most vulnerable areas. The 4.5 year, €41 million programme is bolstering sustainable land management practices to benefit the more than 70 percent of people living in drylands and other fragile ecosystems across Africa, the Caribbean and the Pacific who derive their livelihoods from natural resources.

Food and Agriculture Organizationof the United Nations

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