5th Global Forum of Leaders for Agricultural Science and Technology (GLAST-2016)

6 December 2016. Bangkok. A report described by the UN as “the first post-Millennium Development Goals report of its kind,” cautions that without significant increased investments in agricultural research, especially in Asia, “home to 60% of the world’s hungry people,” global efforts to achieve the zero hunger target by 2030 could fall short. 

The Food and Agriculture Organization of the UN (FAO) launched the report titled, ‘Asia and the Pacific Regional Overview of Food Insecurity: Investing in a Zero Hunger Generation,’ (64 pages) at the 5th Global Forum of Leaders for Agricultural Science and Technology (GLAST-2016).

The report’s key thematic approach examines the challenges of addressing persistent hunger and undernutrition in the context of limited natural resources. It also takes a closer look at other aspects of malnutrition arising from poor diets such as the rise in obesity and ‘hidden hunger.’

In a significant new development, the report introduces a new indicator for monitoring food

insecurity and presents analysis of some of the emerging issues in the region, such as dietary diversification and implications for food production systems, food safety, and policy.

The launch was followed by a panel discussion “Investing in a Zero Hunger Generation”. The panel examined past policy successes and failures in this context and raise new questions to encourage dialogue and shape a new public narrative towards eradicating hunger and malnutrition and creating transformative change for sustainable development.

The panelists were:

• Biraj Patnaik: Principal adviser to the Supreme Court of India Commissioners on the Right to Food. 
• Marco Bertacca: Managing Director at Friesland Campina Thailand. Friesland Campina is one of the world's largest dairy product producers and is promoting Thailand as its export hub for milk and dairy products to other ASEAN countries. 
• Tsetsgee S (Retd.): Former Director of Food Production, Ministry of Food and Agriculture, Government of Mongolia. Currently, National Secretary of Mongolia to the International Dairy Federation.
• Parvathy Ramaswami: Deputy Regional Director, Regional Bureau for Asia & the Pacific, World Food Programme, Bangkok, Thailand