[Click for online version<http://www.fao.org/countryprofiles/highlights/newsletter/042013/en/>]
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A precious resource for food security: Sago palm

On 22 March 2013 the FAO Regional Office for Asia and the Pacific has launched the Regional Sago Network for Asia and the Pacific (SNAP)<http://bit.ly/13rPhyF>. The initiative is led by recognizing the importance of promoting underutilized indigenous food crops such as sago palm to ensure food security in developing countries.

By 2050 developing countries are expected to alleviate chronic hunger and increase food production by 77 percent but the stagnation of expansion of arable lands and increasing scarcity of water resources are posing challenges.

Sago palm plays an important role in ensuring food security due to its advantages over other starch-producing food crops. Sago palm has a high starch yield potential and grows in swamps and wetlands with minimal alternatives from other food crops for land and water use. When grown under organized farming practices, sago palm has a potential yield of 10-15 metric tons of dried starch per hectare per year, which is approximately three to four times higher than that of rice or wheat. Sago palm also has a high potential for industrial use such as ethanol production.

FAO Assistant Director-General and Regional Representative for Asia and the Pacific, Hiroyuki Konuma said that "SNAP will act as a neutral forum with a common platform, and will encourage concerned countries in the Asia-Pacific region to promote research, development and conservation of Sago palm and to develop policy measures and strategic approaches that facilitate the promotion of concerted regional efforts geared to the promotion of Sago production".

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Featured resources

Training on biometrics to stop the spread of Avian Influence in Egypt

FAO Emergency Center for Transboundary Animal Diseases (ECTAD) is holding a training course in applied statistics (biometrics) for Veterinary officers to strengthen the capacity of Egypt in epidemiological data analysis and management to fight the Highly Pathogenic H5N1 Avian Influenza (HPAI).

After its first detection in 2006, the disease has spread rapidly in Egypt and become endemic in poultry populations in several governorates. Poultry producers have had considerable economic losses and HPAI outbreaks continue to occur in different production sectors and along the poultry value chain including in commercial farms, household flocks and live bird markets.

To face this situation and implement a sound animal health planning in Egypt, FAO's ECTAD has launched a training course in applied statistics (biometrics)<http://bit.ly/17fmakn> with the goal of enhancing Egypt's capacity in epidemiological data analysis and management. The training, which started on 21 April 2013, runs until 20 May 2013 in Cairo. A total of 24 Veterinarians from the Government -Epidemiologists, Laboratory experts, Virologists and Molecular Biologists - are attending the training.

A(H7N9) influenza virus: FAO assistance

FAO is supporting The People's Republic of China and neighbouring countries to detect the A(H7N9) influenza virus, analyzing it to understand its behavior and its potential impact on humans and animals. This new virus is hard to detect in poultry because the novel virus causes little to no signs of disease in animals. Biosecurity and hygiene measures must be strengthened to help farmers protect themselves from virus circulating in birds or other animals.

More information: http://www.fao.org/avianflu/en/news/news_050413.html<http://bit.ly/17Mcbl5>

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Photo of the month[cid:image003.jpg@01CE40FB.95394350]<http://bit.ly/Y18h8W>



The People's Republic of China<http://bit.ly/Y18h8W>
Poultry sector
(c)FAO/Yang Zheng


Did you know?

The FAO Food Price Index (FPI)<http://bit.ly/11zZS9A> rises by one percent in March 2013 compared with February 2013. The increase is driven mainly by an 11 percent increase in dairy products

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Not to be missed...

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The UN proclaimed 22 April 2013 as International Mother Earth Day<http://bit.ly/1297O2P>

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Links

Data updates in GIEWS Country Briefs:
Belarus<http://bit.ly/10vD27u>, Burkina Faso<http://bit.ly/13rPphE>, Burundi<http://bit.ly/11HY78R>, Chad<http://bit.ly/11xYaXv>, Eritrea<http://bit.ly/10vDdjh>, Madagascar<http://bit.ly/11gy35U>, Mauritania, <http://bit.ly/14LswL4> Russian Federation<http://bit.ly/ZJE5dK>, Rwanda<http://bit.ly/12Emd8h>, South Africa<http://bit.ly/11gzh0Y>

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