14 December 2012: The Food and Agriculture Organization of the UN (FAO) has signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with the African, Caribbean and Pacific group of States (ACP) to strengthen collaboration on food insecurity, malnutrition, hunger, natural resources management and climate change.

Collaborative efforts will be undertaken in the following areas: food security; sustainable intensification of crops and livestock; fisheries and aquaculture production; food crisis early warning systems; detection and prevention of transboundary plant and animal diseases; disaster risk management; and sustainable forest management.

A variety of international funds will be mobilized to facilitate the agreement. Speaking at the signing ceremony of the MOU, José Graziano da Silva, FAO Director General, stressed the risks facing African countries that have faced drought in recent years, as well as small island developing States (SIDS), which are particularly vulnerable to sea level rise.

The MOU was signed by the Secretary General of the ACP Group, Mohamed Ibn Chambas, and Graziano da Silva, during the seventh Summit of ACP Leaders held in Malabo, Equatorial Guinea, from 13-14 December 2012. The ACP Group includes 40 least developed countries (LDCs) and 36 SIDS. [FAO Press Release]