hunger in africa Archives

April 22, 2013

“Enormous opportunity” for ending hunger in Africa

Proposed new partnership will build on successes, political commitment

22 April 2013, Rome – Ministers and senior delegates from five African Nations met today with FAO Director-General José Graziano da Silva ahead of a High-Level meeting of African and international leaders in Addis Ababa next June set to create a renewed partnership for intensifying efforts to end hunger in Africa.

“There is an enormous window of opportunity,” for eradicating hunger in the continent, Graziano da Silva told a side-event organized during a week-long Session of FAO’s governing Council here. The key lies in capitalizing on the successes of the many African countries who have already found solutions for food insecurity and malnutrition.

“By building on these experiences we can eradicate food insecurity and malnutrition in Africa. Together we can stop the suffering of the estimated 23 percent of all Africans who remain undernourished, and 40 percent of children under five who are stunted or malnourished,” he said.

One reason for optimism is the unprecedented political commitment of governments and the African people to end hunger. An example is the decision of FAO’s regional Conference for Africa to set up an Africa Food Security Trust Fund. The Republic of the Congo, Angola and Equatorial Guinea have already announced they will contribute. Continue reading ““Enormous opportunity” for ending hunger in Africa”

March 16, 2011March 17, 2011

Bulgarian Football Star Stoitchkov in Burkina Faso To Beat Hunger

16 March 2011, Rome – Bulgarian football star Hristo Stoitchkov has spoken out in support of the EU and FAO’s efforts to rebuild the livelihoods of people affected by the 2010 food crisis in the Sahel during a two-day visit to Burkina Faso.With a delegation of the Association of European Professional Football Leagues (EPFL), led by its Chairman Sir David Richards, the former European Footballer of the Year Stoitchkov visited several EU-funded FAO projects during two days in Burkina Faso that have helped thousands of families, hit by drought and torrential rains, return to farming.

Having found out first hand about the Sahel-crisis of 2010, which particularly affected rural populations dependent on agriculture for subsistence, Stoitchkov said: “It is vital to enable people hit by disaster to feed themselves again.”

Comparing his time with FC Barcelona’s ‘Dream Team’ in the 1990s, one of the most successful periods of the Spanish football club, to his present activities with EPFL supporting FAO and the EU in the fight against hunger, he added: “A good team wins. Together we can beat hunger.”

Hunger unacceptable

“European football is taking on the responsibility that goes with its ever more prominent role in society,” said Sir David Richards, who is also Chairman of the English Premier League. “We want to contribute to alleviating the plight of nearly one billion people who go to bed hungry every day.”

Representing the 30 largest European professional football leagues and almost 950 clubs, EPFL teamed up with FAO in 2008 launching a “Professional Football Against Hunger” campaign. Recently, they welcomed the world’s biggest humanitarian donor, the European Union – Humanitarian Aid (EU), as a new partner to raise awareness about the unacceptable level of hunger among European citizens.

EU Commissioner for International Cooperation, Humanitarian Aid and Crisis Response, Kristalina Georgieva, urged “We need to do more and we must act quickly if we want to avoid adults and children dying from starvation.” Commissioner Georgieva further added: “In times of economic crisis and a growing number of catastrophes, good coordination among different humanitarian actors is not only desirable; it is indispensible. It is indeed the best -and the cheapest- way to respect the commitment the world leaders have taken to end hunger.”

Help people feed themselves

When disaster strikes, the EU works with FAO to help rural communities return to farming so that they can feed themselves again. Currently, FAO is operating 27 emergency projects in Africa, Asia, Europe, the Middle-East and Latin-America with EU-funding, for a total budget of €37 million.

In Burkina Faso, FAO received around € 1.8 million from the EU that it used to provide livestock and animal feed, as well as support to urban gardening and training, reaching some 80,000 people.

“To ensure the continued support to people in need, it is crucial to communicate on what is being done to help them,” said Annika Söder, FAO’s Assistant-Director General for Communication and External Relations. “Football enables us to inform a wide European audience on the humanitarian programmes involved.”

Meanwhile, in Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso’s capital, Hristo Stoitchkov enjoyed a game of football with school children. “Football gives hope,” he said. “As a kid, I also lived with hunger. As long as you play, you don’t think about it.”

FAO Media Center

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December 21, 2010December 22, 2010

Press Release: First International Conference on Rice for Food, Market and Development

Dear Editor,

Rice is a central part of many cultures and some countries even credit
rice cultivation with the development of their civilization. It is the
staple food for more than half of the world population. Rice is the
world’s most consumed cereal after wheat. It provides more than 50 percent
of the daily calories ingested by more than half of the world population.
It is the most rapidly growing source of food in Africa, and is of
significant importance to food security in an increasing number of
low-income food-deficit countries.

International Trade in rice is only around 28 million tonnes [less than 8%
of global production]. Africa and Asia import over 85% of the
internationally traded rice volume.
Dear Sir,

With a vision to spur the development of competitive sustainable and
inclusive rice industry and rice business in Africa as a pathway to
increased economic growth and food security in the continent, rice-Africa
(A PPP, Not-For- Profit Initiative of Leap Domiciliares Limited) will
host, 1st International Conference on Rice for Food, Market and
Development in Abuja, Nigeria, March 3-5, 2011.

We seek to facilitate the regional integration of rice value chain and
strengthening of rice- industrial linkages that improve opportunities for
added value and serve as effective means of achieving economic
transformation and sustainable livelihoods.

The conference will bring together STAKEHOLDERS from Africa, Asia, South
Asia, South America, Canada, and China that deal with the specificities of
Rice Producers, processors, Grain Merchandisers, Equipment manufacturers,
Exporters, Importers, Traders, Brokers, Freight Brokers, Commodity
Surveyors and Inspector, Procurement Official, Importers, Shipping
Industry Officials (liner and Bulk), Fertilizer and Agro-chemicals
Suppliers, Seed Suppliers and Scientists.

IN VIEW OF THE ABOVE WE REQUEST FOR YOUR Publication of our Press Releases
on site.

Please find enclosed our recent press releases and the full up-to-date
programme on our website www.rice-africa.com.

Much Thanks.

Dale Idoko

dale@rice-africa.com