FAO Media Advisory – www.fao.org FAO NEWS RELEASE - www.fao.org FAO at the UN World Conference on Disaster Risk Reduction Sendai, Japan, 14-18 March | "Resilient people, resilient planet" Results of study on impacts of disasters on developing world agriculture to be released 17 March Worldwide, the livelihoods of 2.5 billion people depend on agriculture. These small scale farmers, herders, fishers and forest-dependent communities generate more than half of global agricultural production and are particularly at risk from natural disasters that destroy or damage harvests, equipment, supplies, animals, seeds, crops and stored food. Starting March 14, world leaders and the international development community will be gathering in Sendai, Japan for the United Nations World Conference on Disaster Risk Reduction (WCDRR)<http://www.wcdrr.org/>, where they will be charting a pathway for a broad-reaching approach to disaster risk reduction. The post-2015 framework for disaster risk reduction<http://www.wcdrr.org/preparatory/prepcom3> expected to come out of Sendai has the potential to accelerate the much needed transformations needed to achieve sustainable development. FAO will be at Sendai with the message that risk-sensitive development in the agriculture-food-nutrition sector is an essential building block for enhancing overall global resilience to disasters. For the media On March 17, FAO will release a new study documenting the impact of natural disasters on agriculture in the developing world and is hosting a side event on how agricultural communities can reduce the risks of such impacts. Today the Organization's Forestry Department published a new edition of its UNASYLVA<http://www.fao.org/forestry/unasylva/en/> journal focusing on the impact of disasters for forest-dependent communities and opportunities for abating those risks. FAO's Director of Emergencies and Rehabilitation, Dominique Burgeon, Stephan Baas, FAO focal point for disaster risk reduction, and other FAO experts will be present at Sendai and available for interviews. The Organization will also maintain a booth in the Sendai Mediatheque (booth no. UN-18) providing information on its disaster risk reduction and resilience work. More information · FAO media focal point: George Kourous, [log in to unmask]<mailto:[log in to unmask]>, (+39) 348 141 6802 · WCDRR media focal points: Jonathan Fowler, [log in to unmask]<mailto:[log in to unmask]>, +41 766 910 314 · WCDRR spokespeople: Brigitte Leoni, [log in to unmask]<mailto:[log in to unmask]>, (+66) 899 27 5516 · Media accreditation<http://www.wcdrr.org/media/accreditation> · WCCD online media kit<http://www.wcdrr.org/media/mediakit> Key WCCD events related to agriculture and food security Side event: Post 2015: Enhancing Disaster Risk Reduction - Lessons Learnt from Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries<http://www.wcdrr.org/conference/events/435> FAO | Tuesday 17 March 09:00 - 11:00 | Sendai Civic Auditorium, Meeting Room 2 This session will look at how the agricultural sector can play more proactive role in disaster risk reduction and move towards resilient livelihoods and food systems that are more efficient and productive, preserve natural resources and are better positioned to face risks, shocks and increasing climate variability. Working Session: Food Security, Disaster-Resilient Agricultural and Nutrition<http://www.wcdrr.org/wcdrr-data/uploads/878/Provisional%20Speakers%20List%20-%20Food%20Security,%20Disaster-Resilient%20Agriculture%20and%20Nutrition.pdf> FAO, World Farmers' Organization (WFO) and UN World Food Programme (WFP) | Tuesday 17 March, 12:00-13:30 | Main Hall, Sendai International Conference Centre FAO will present the main finding of a new study detailing the scope and costs of disaster-impacts to agriculture in the developing world. Multi-Stakeholder Segment, Working session - Building Resilient Futures for Rural Areas<http://www.wcdrr.org/conference/events/865> WCDRR | Sunday 15 March, 10:00 - 11:30 | Sendai International Centre, Hagi Hall ( Full WCDRR programme<http://www.wcdrr.org/conference/programme> ) Additional resources · Paper on Agriculture and Disaster Risk<http://www.wcdrr.org/documents/wcdrr/prepcom1/UN/ATTFONWO.pdf> - A contribution by the United Nations to the consultation leading to the Third World Conference on Disaster Risk Reduction · FAO's Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction in Agriculture<http://www.fao.org/docrep/015/i2540e/i2540e00.pdf> · FAO in the Emergencies website<http://www.fao.org/emergencies/en/> Social media · Twitter hashtags: #wcdrr, #in4sendai · Twitter accounts: @FAOnews, @FAOemergencies, @dburgeon, @unisdr · Facebook: FAO<https://www.facebook.com/UNFAO?v=wall>, UNISDR<https://www.facebook.com/UNISDR> Journalists & editors: For photos, audio clips, video material & b-roll, contact: (+39) 06 570 53625 or [log in to unmask]<mailto:[log in to unmask]>. Online tools: Photos via the FAOnews Flickr account<http://www.flickr.com/photos/faonews> FAO's online newsroom<http://www.fao.org/news/newsroom-home/en/> RSS feed<http://www.fao.org/news/rss-feed/en/> of FAO news releases @FAOnews on Twitter<https://twitter.com/faonews/> This media advisory was issued by the Media Office at the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO). To unsubscribe from this news service click the link below or send an email to [log in to unmask]<mailto:[log in to unmask]> with "signoff Media-G-Eng-L" as the only text in the message body. You can also manage your subscription online, here<https://listserv.fao.org/cgi-bin/wa>. FAO | Viale delle Terme di Caracalla, 00153 Rome, Italy | (+39) 06 570 53625 | www.fao.org<http://www.fao.org> ######################################################################## To unsubscribe from the Media-G-Eng-L list, click the following link: &*TICKET_URL(Media-G-Eng-L,SIGNOFF);