August 2008: The Food and Agriculture Organization of the UN
(FAO), the International Labor Organization (ILO), and the International Fund
for Agricultural Development (IFAD) have announced a call for papers addressing
“Gender dimensions of agricultural and rural employment: differentiated
pathways out of poverty” to be presented at a global technical expert workshop
to be held in March-April 2009 (dates to be confirmed), in Rome, Italy. The
workshop comes as a follow up to recent international policy discussions on
rural employment, a central element in equitable growth and poverty reduction,
but which faces the challenges of the global food crisis and climate change.
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4 August 2008: In an address to the Joint Session of the
Mexican Senate and Chamber of Deputies, UN Secretary-General, Ban Ki-moon,
noted their pivotal role in bridging the local and global, highlighting the
three inter-related challenges faced by the world today, namely, a climate
crisis, a food crisis, and an emerging development emergency.
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25 July 2008: At the first global scientific conference of the Global Cassava Partnership, held from 21-24 July, 2008 in Ghent, Belgium, scientists and the UN Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) called for a significant increase in investment in research and development needed to boost farmers' yields and explore promising industrial uses of cassava, including biofuels production.
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July 2008: Through its Global Information and Early Warning System on Food and Agriculture (GIEWS), the UN Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) provides regularly updated information on
the current situation of global agriculture and food security.
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24 July 2008: The Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) concluded the
work of its general segment, adopting 15 resolutions and 8 decisions, including
on strengthening the coordination of emergency humanitarian assistance.
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23 July
2008: Opening the UN Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) discussion on ‘mainstreaming
a gender perspective into all UN policies and programmes, women and
development, and the advancement of women,' Rachel Mayanja, Special Adviser to the Secretary-General on
Gender Issues and Advancement of Women, noted the particular vulnerability of
women to climate change and the food crisis.
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11
July 2008: In a comment on the G8 leaders' statement on global food security,
Joachim von Braun, Director General of the International Food Policy Research
Institute (IFPRI), welcomed the proposed actions regarding global markets and
increasing food production, while criticizing the lack of actions on social
protection and nutrition for the poorest.
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14 July
2008: The UN General Assembly (UNGA) will consider the global food and energy
crises, with a particular eye to concern about macroeconomic and political
stability in numerous countries, in a plenary meeting on 18 July 2008.
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11 July 2008: Speaking during a Panel discussion on
“Implementation of the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) in the context of
current challenges,” Kemal Dervis, Administrator of the UN Development
Programme (UNDP), noted that economic growth is threatened by shortages of
natural resources such as energy, water and atmosphere, and stressed that MDG 7
on environmental sustainability is an absolute key priority.
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11
July 2008: The July 2008 issue of the
Nairobi Work Programme eUpdate features stories on: the Nairobi Work
Programme's entry into its second phase; action pledges to carry out adaptation
work; calls for action; the adaptation practices interface, which at present
focuses on capacity building and practice; engagement with the private sector
on adaptation; and upcoming 2008 work programme activities and meetings.
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