Tag: FAO

Zim activates contigency plan for climate hazards

Kuda Pembere

The Zimbabwean Government last week set in motion its National Contigency Plan to help it counter climate hazards before reaching peak levels to prevent the loss of life and people’s livelihoods. By Kudakwashe Pembere Responding to questions from legislators last week, Public Service, Labour, and Social Welfare Minister, Cde July Moyo, said the Civil Protection Unit (CPU) activated a contingency plan to tackle harsh weather impacts on people. We have a contingency plan, which is drawn and led by the Civil Protection Unit in the Ministry of Local Government. Every…

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Zim Scales-Up Efforts To Control Invasive Alien Species

Kuda Pembere

Zimbabwe will soon be reviewing its National Biodiversity Strategy and Action Plan (NBSAP) expected to be giving prominence to the management of Invasive Alien Species. By Kuda Pembere In a speech read on his behalf, Permanent secretary in the Environment, Climate, Tourism and Hospitality Industry Ministry Ambassador Tayerera Faranisi said they are about to commence the revision of NBSAPs.  He said they are behind in their schedule for producing an NBSAP. Colleagues, this is an important topic for us as Ministry of Environment. Just to highlight for you, we are discussing…

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Hand-in-Hand Initiative to turnaround Zim’s agri-food fortunes

Kuda Pembere

THE Hand-in-Hand initiative is expected to proffer solutions that will enhance mobilization of targeted investments and innovation to transform Zimbabwe’s agri-food sector. By Kudakwashe Pembere This was said by the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) Subregional Coordinator for Southern Africa, FAO Representative for Zimbabwe, Lesotho and eSwatini Dr. Patrice Talla Takoukam on Friday during the last day of the Agrifood Investment Forum. “The defining characteristics of the Hand-in-Hand Initiative including fostering stronger partnerships, use of advanced data and analytical tools, spatial planning will shape our discussions over the next two and…

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International Year of Millets: a global opportunity to direct policy attention to the nutritional and health benefits of millets

Healthtimes

By Patrice Talla – FAO Subregional Coordinator for Southern Africa and FAO Representative in Zimbabwe, Eswatini and Lesotho. This year we are celebrating the International Year of Millets. The year was endorsed by Members of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) and its Governing Bodies and declared at the 75th Session of the UN General Assembly (UNGA) in March 2021. FAO is the Agency taking the lead in celebrating this year. The focus on Millets could not be timelier. They offer valuable solutions in the face of…

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FAO,WHO and Zim Gvt Capacitate Poultry Farmers In Managing AMR

Kuda Pembere

Mr Tonderai Bungu (46) a Rusenverde villager within Odzi District has been in the broiler farming business for five years. However, lack of information around poultry farming and management had been hampering progress in his poultry venture. By Kudakwashe Pembere For years, he had been using unorthodox means of medicating and treating his birds, a move he says would affect output of his chickens and compromise quality if birds. “This is my fifth year rearing chickens but so far it has been a year doing this training. Back then, I…

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Africa Records 63% Jump In Zoonotic Diseases

Michael Gwarisa

Diseases transmitted from animals to people in Africa have jumped 63 per cent in last decade, compared with the previous ten year period, according to a World Health Organization (WHO) analysis released on Thursday. By Staff Reporter A zoonotic disease is an infectious disease that is transmitted between species from animals to humans (or from humans to animals). According to the WHO analysis, since 2001, 1,843 substantiated public health events were recorded in the African region – 30 percent of which were zoonotic outbreaks. While the numbers have increased over…

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Food poisoning diseases affect 10% of world population annually, says WHO

Michael Gwarisa

ten people annually, and the magnitude of the public health burden due to foodborne diseases was comparable to that of malaria or HIV and AIDS, the WHO said Globally, foodborne diseases affect one in ten people annually, and the magnitude of the public health burden due to foodborne diseases was comparable to that of malaria or HIV (human immunodeficiency virus) and AIDS (acquired immunodeficiency syndrome), the World Health Organization (WHO) has said. On World Food Safety Day on June 7, food safety experts called on attention and action to help prevent, detect and manage…

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Fleming Fund In Major boost for Manicaland AMR Surveillance

Michael Gwarisa

THE Fleming Fund has extended support towards the refurbishment and upgrading of two laboratories in Manicaland Province, one at Victoria Chitepo Provincial Hospital and another one at the Department of Veterinary Services, with the aim of addressing gaps in the surveillance of Antimicrobial Resistance (AMR). By Michael Gwarisa Antimicrobial Resistance (AMR) occurs when bacteria, viruses, fungi and parasites change over time and no longer respond to medicines making infections harder to treat and increasing the risk of disease spread, severe illness and death. According to statistics, more than 1.2 million…

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Zimbabwe evaluates progress of its AMR National Action Plan

Healthtimes

Antimicrobial Resistance (AMR), is a growing threat where the substances (“antimicrobials”) used to kill or neutralize pathogens lose their effectiveness. FAO Communication Department Every year, on average, 700,000 people die because of AMR, this number without global action, will continue to rise in tandem with food production losses leading to food insecurity. More recently, a research has shown that around five million human deaths were associated with AMR in 2019. To combat such a crisis, in 2015 and using a One-Health (OH) approach, three leading Tripartite organizations (the Food and Agriculture…

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Suspend Sale of Captured Live Wildlife in Food Markets Warns WHO and Partners

Michael Gwarisa

THE World Health Organisation (WHO), the Food and Agricultural organization (FAO) and the World Organisation for Animal Health (OIE) have issued a statement condemning the sale of live wild mammals as well as the slaughtering of sickly wild animals as a means to prevent the spread of new SARS-CoV-2 variants between humans and wild animals. By Michael Gwarisa The call follows indications that certain wildlife species have been observed to be infected with the SARS-CoV-2 virus in some parts of the world.  These species include domestic animals, free-ranging, captive or…

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