2015-06_WFO_Farmletter_ENG_web

WFO F@rmletterNEWS & EVENTSBOOSTING FOOD SECURITY IN CITIES THROUGH BETTER MARKETS, REDUCED FOOD WASTERecognizing the growing challenge of feeding the world’s cities and the importance of efficient urban markets, FAO and theWorld Union of Wholesale Markets (WUWM) are partnering to promote sustainability and inclusiveness in the wholesalesector, including developing “best practices” for reducing food waste.“More efficient wholesale markets, and overall urban market outlets, can result in more affordable means to reach the citypoor with healthy food,” said Eugenia Serova, head of FAO’s Agro-Industry Division.http://bit.ly/1BvYDz1SUSTAINABLE FARMING WILL BE NEXT ‘REVOLUTION IN AGRICULTURE’Sustainable farming reduces costs and improves the environment, and according to Dr. John Kirkegaard, farming systemsagronomist, sustainable farming practices are the next “Revolution in Agriculture”.Dr. Kirkegaard said he had witnessed “incredible changes” in cropping and water use efficiency. He said sustainable agricultureand efficiency gains were driven by a number of different factors, but he said efficiency was underlined by simplemotivations. “[Growers] want to look after their farms - most farmers are keen to pass the farm on in a better state than theyfound it.”http://ab.co/1HZLGNhFOOD WASTE AN ENORMOUS ECONOMIC PROBLEM, SAY G20 MINISTERSAccording to the FAO, an estimated 1.3bn tonnes of food, or roughly 30 percent of global production, is lost or wasted annually.Agriculture ministers say countries should ensure excess food is given to the hungry instead of wasted. To fight theproblem, countries need better estimates of the amount of food they waste, as well as the economic impact of food loss.http://bit.ly/1KRt1E9AGRICULTURAL BIODIVERSITY, VALUE CHAINS AND WOMEN’S EMPOWERMENTIn the framework of EXPO Milano 2015, Bioversity in cooperation with the three Rome-based UN Agencies and the ItalianDirectorate General for Development Cooperation, will held a special entitled ‘Agricultural Biodiversity, Value Chains andWomen’s Empowerment’ on the 17 September 2015 at Palazzo Castiglioni, Milan.The event aims at celebrating women’s role in feeding the world and protecting our precious agricultural biodiversity, as wellas highlighting the challenges they face in accessing value chains.http://bit.ly/1GBrUHwUNITED NATIONS SUMMIT TO ADOPT THE POST-2015 DEVELOPMENT AGENDAThe United Nations Summit for the adoption of the Post-2015 Development Agenda will be held from 25 to 27 September2015, in New York and convened as a high-level plenary meeting of the General Assembly.The Post-2015 Development Agenda is the results of the intergovernmental process launched in the framework of the UNConference on Sustainable Development (Rio+20) in June 2012.http://bit.ly/1Le1IGiINTERNATIONAL DAY OF COOPERATIVES 2015The Alliance and the United Nations through COPAC (Committee for the Promotion and Advancement of Cooperatives)jointly appointed equality as the theme for the 2015 International Day of Co-operatives.The day’s slogan is “Choose co-operative, choose equality”. Its purpose is to increase awareness on co-operatives and promotethe movement’s successes and ideals of international solidarity, economic efficiency, equality, and world peace. TheInternational Day also aims to strengthen and extend partnerships between the international co-operative movement andother actors, including governments, at local, national and international levels.http://bit.ly/1BJ9oZj26