FAO work toward improvements in global food security

UN’s Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) and Japan’s University of Tsukuba pledge to work together toward improvements in global food security

New generation of agricultural scientists critical to achieving a food-secure world

Tsukuba, Japan, 6 February 2015 – A top-ranked university in Japan is teaming up with the UN’s Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) to improve the regional knowledge base and promote joint efforts in the fight against hunger and under-nutrition, the FAO’s Regional Office for Asia and the Pacific announced today.

A Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) entered into effect today between FAO and the University of Tsukuba during a signing ceremony at the university in Japan’s Ibaraki Prefecture, 65 kilometres northeast of Tokyo.

The MoU was signed on behalf of FAO by Hiroyuki Konuma, Assistant Director-General and FAO Regional Representative for Asia and the Pacific and Kyosuke Nagata, President of University of Tsukuba. At the ceremony, University of Tsukuba was represented by Dr Caroline Benton, vice president, and Professor Kazuo Watanabe.

“In an age where agricultural studies have been on the decline worldwide, this partnership with one of Japan’s top ten and well respected universities will promote agriculture education and raise awareness of the importance of food, agriculture and food security,” said Konuma. “The signing of this MoU with the University of Tsukuba further indicates the importance FAO places on the partnership with academic institutions, agricultural research and development and the critical and innovative roles they will play in producing enough food to feed a hungry planet in the not too distant future,” Konuma added, pointing out that the world will need to produce a minimum of 60 percent more food by 2050 when the earth’s population is expected to surpass nine billion inhabitants.

ENDS

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