Post-COVID-19: FAO reiterates mandate delivery despite pandemic - NaijaAgroNet: ... Linking agrobiz, sustainable environs, people & technology

NaijaAgroNet:

The Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) has reiterated delivery on its mandate while safeguarding the health and wellbeing of its employees, especially since the early days of the pandemic, reports NaijaAgroNet.

The UN agency, NaijaAgroNet gathered had in July, presented the FAO COVID-19 Response and Recovery Program aimed at preventing a global food emergency during and after the COVID-19 pandemic, while working on medium- to long-term development responses for food security and nutrition.

On the normative side, the International Code of Conduct for the Sustainable Use and Management of Fertilizers and the Ten Elements of Agroecology were adopted by the FAO Conference; and the FAO Climate Change Strategy is being implemented.

On the operational side, FAO continued to support its members in combatting plant pests and animal diseases that affect lives and livelihoods of millions of people such as the Desert Locust, a threat that remains a priority for FAO with the pandemic making activities on the ground more difficult.

"Between January and August 2020, over 760 000 have been controlled across 10 countries from the Horn of Africa to Yemen," official hinted.

FAO said that in this area, control operations have averted the loss of an estimated 1.52 million tonnes of cereal in the region, stressing that this amount of grain is enough to feed 9.88 million people for an entire year and is valued at $456 million.

In some countries, including Ethiopia and Somalia, FAO and governments are currently fighting the second generation of a widespread desert locust surge. National governments continue to lead control and surveillance operations supported by FAO through the provision of pesticides, bio-pesticides, equipment, aircraft and training.

FAO has also launched the Global Action for Fall Armyworm Control for a strong and coordinated response to the rapid spread of the Fall Armyworm at all levels.

Additionally, the UN agency said, its providing assistance for a Peste des Petits Ruminants-free world, and measures aimed at countering African swine fever and other major animal diseases.

Isaac Oyimah/Editor