The government of Fiji will host the 34th FAO Regional Conference for Asia and the Pacific (APRC), from 9-13 April 2018, with an aim to focus on food and nutrition security in the region
Government ministers and delegates from more than 40 member countries across the Asia-Pacific region are expected to participate in the APRC, which is convened every two years.
“This APRC will be a major opportunity to look at the issues impacting not only the Asia-Pacific region but, specifically, the Pacific region, and to develop joint collaborations to address challenges,” according to Kundhavi Kadiresan, assistant director-general and regional representative for Asia and the Pacific at FAO.
Addressing issues relating to climate change and mitigating its effects in Pacific island countries, and others across Asia, is a major focus of FAO’s work in the region and the world.
Kadiresan further pointed out that FAO has worked to bring the agriculture agenda into the climate dialogue in COP23. She added that governments of the Asia-Pacific region, development partners and communities realise the need to be better prepared to deal with and prevent negative impacts of climatic events.
FAO said that in the Asia-Pacific region, nearly half-a-billion people are undernourished which is more than 60 per cent of the world’s total. On average, one child in every four suffers from stunting, due to an inadequate intake of nutrients and micronutrients needed to reach full maturity, physically and mentally.
“In the Asia-Pacific region, there are huge challenges with respect to food and nutrition security, mostly relating to hunger but also to obesity and non-communicable diseases, issues that need to be seriously addressed,” Kadiresan said.
In addition to the 34th APRC, Fiji will also host the Asia and Pacific Commission on Agricultural Statistics to focus on policies, statistics and data, which are important for establishing baselines, clarifying needs and initiating responses to agricultural and nutritional challenges.
