Zero Hunger champions take a bow at FAO ceremony

5 July 2017, Rome – National ministries from Angola and the Dominican Republic, the International Organization for Migration, Rabobank, and the Commission for the Conservation of Artic Marine Living Resources were among those honoured by FAO today for their work on pressing issues of food security and sustainable development.

In a ceremony held today during FAO’s governing Conference, ten organizations and individuals received awards – and thanks – from the agency’s Director-General, Jose Graziano da Silva.

“It is important to showcase positive results, and concrete ways in which we can work together to make a Zero Hunger world a reality, “the Director-General said.

The International Organization for Migration (IOM) and the Netherlands’ Rabobank Foundation received the  Jacques Diouf Award in recognition of their contributions to the improvement of world food security: Rabobank for its consistent technical and financial support to rural producer cooperatives and agribusinesses as well as its commitment to sustainability in food systems, and the IOM for its efforts to link the global debate over migration with food security and development issues.

“FAO and IOM are working closely together to address the structural drivers of distress migration, and also leverage the benefits of migration to sustainable development,” Graziano da Silva said.

Angola’s Ministry of Inland and Marine Fisheries and the National Council for the Development and Regulation of the Dairy Industry of the Dominican Republic’s Ministry of Agriculture jointly received the Edouard Saouma Award for having implemented with particular efficiency projects funded by FAO’s Technical Cooperation Programme (TCP).

The Angolan ministry won for its exceptional implementation of a project aimed at promoting good practices in post-harvest handling, processing and storage of fishery products – work that has been credited with improving the livelihoods of vulnerable, isolated communities in the country. The Dominican Republic’s Dairy Council was recognized for its outstanding role in executing a multi-stakeholder FAO project that has improved the production, collection, inspection and marketing of milk on the island nation.

The winner of this year’s Margarita Lizárraga Award – given to a person or organization that has served with distinction in the application of the FAO Code of Conduct for Responsible Fisheries – was the Commission for the Conservation of Antarctic Marine Living Resources (CCAMLR), for its exemplary conservation and management of marine living resources in the planet’s vast Southern Ocean region.

Kenyan and Samoan journalists also lauded

Two journalists were also honoured with FAO’s A.H. Boerma Award, granted in recognition of reporting that brings food security and rural development issues in developing countries to the attention of civil society.

Zeynab Wandati of Nation Television Kenya won for her reporting on NTK’s weekly Food Friday segment, which has directed public attention towards food security issues in Kenya and throughout the region. Keni Lesa, of the Samoa Observer, was recognised for his dedication to agriculture and food security issues in his role as editor of a leading Pacific daily newspaper – particularly regarding the challenges faced by Small Island Developing States (SIDs).

Kudos to FAO staff for outstanding service

Three FAO staff members also won kudos for their work in the field to promote sustainable agriculture, build resilient rural communities, and improve food and nutrition security, receiving the B.R. Sen Award, which recognizes FAO field officers for outstanding contributions to the advancement of their country or countries of assignment.

Rafael Zavala of FAO’s Colombia office earned the award as a result of his efforts in support of the South American nation’s peace process. The  award also went to Fatouma Seid of FAO’s Mali office, for an innovative voucher system to reach conflict-affected farmers, and Tomio Shichiri of FAO Afghanistan, for helping establish a large and well-supported water management effort in that country.