Seychelles, FAO strengthen ties
Seychelles has signed a Country Programme Framework (CPF) with the United Nations’ Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) to further enhance collaboration between the two parties.
It was the FAO country representative Dr Patrice Talla Takoukam and the Seychelles Minister for Natural Resources Peter Sinon who signed the documents during a ceremony yesterday at the Seychelles Fishing Authority’s (SFA) training room.
The ceremony was attended by the Minister for Foreign Affairs Jean-Paul Adam, principal secretaries, chief executives and other invitees.
The CPF outlines the agreed top priority areas between the FAO and Seychelles for a period of four years (2014 to 2017). It is a follow-up to the FAO supported National Medium Term Priority Framework (NMTPF).
The CPF takes into consideration the national development objectives of the government of Seychelles, the Africa Union’s Comprehensive Africa Agriculture Development Programme (CAADP), the draft national policy on food and nutrition security (NFNSP) and other national and sectorial policy documents.
The objectives of the CPF course consistent with global and regional objectives of the FAO, and the document will be the main reference document for cooperation between FAO and the government of Seychelles; and cooperation with bilateral and multilateral partners.
The three priority areas identified in the Seychelles’ CPF are:
• Support to develop a legislative, investment and policy environment with the focus to enhance food and nutrition security in the light of the government’s intention to revitalise an almost obsolete sector;
• Introduction of agro-forestry as further support to improved productivity, enhanced food security through sustainable production and management of natural resources that mitigate effects of climate change with the focus on conservation of soil and water resources, particularly in response to natural disasters and climate change, and on improved productivity and sustainable production;
• Support to create and enhance more inclusive and efficient agri-business and agro-food chains with focus on the market by facilitating the small-scale local producers to enter the local tourist market by meeting international food safety standards. FAO will assist in introducing Codex Standards into the value chains of local products destined for the local tourist establishment.
In his address Dr Talla Takoukam said: “Indeed the vision of the organisation is ‘a world free of hunger and malnutrition where food security and agriculture contribute to improving the living standards of all, especially the poorest, a sustainable economy and environment’. For its part, FAO is committed to excellence and quality of services and technical knowledge and expertise shared with beneficiaries as an organisation specialised in the field of agriculture and supply.”
“The CPF will bring together partners and other stakeholders that are concerned and involved in ensuring safe, traceable and nutritious local food productivity that is produced in a sustainable manner. The stakeholder from the private sector and non-governmental organisations with similar visions are most welcome to partake in this mammoth effort to revive the food producing sectors that have emerging potentials in very different more opened and competitive global arena,” Minister Sinon said.
“Our partners and our dedicative stakeholders go through a lot of challenges to put their efforts and resources together to overcome all obstacles that stand in the way of the inevitable revival of our agriculture and fisheries food producing sectors,” the minister said.
He took the opportunity to thank all the ministries, partners and stakeholders that have worked and are still working to revive the agriculture and fisheries food producing sectors.
It was the FAO country representative Dr Patrice Talla Takoukam and the Seychelles Minister for Natural Resources Peter Sinon who signed the documents during a ceremony yesterday at the Seychelles Fishing Authority’s (SFA) training room.
The ceremony was attended by the Minister for Foreign Affairs Jean-Paul Adam, principal secretaries, chief executives and other invitees.
The CPF outlines the agreed top priority areas between the FAO and Seychelles for a period of four years (2014 to 2017). It is a follow-up to the FAO supported National Medium Term Priority Framework (NMTPF).
The CPF takes into consideration the national development objectives of the government of Seychelles, the Africa Union’s Comprehensive Africa Agriculture Development Programme (CAADP), the draft national policy on food and nutrition security (NFNSP) and other national and sectorial policy documents.
The objectives of the CPF course consistent with global and regional objectives of the FAO, and the document will be the main reference document for cooperation between FAO and the government of Seychelles; and cooperation with bilateral and multilateral partners.
The three priority areas identified in the Seychelles’ CPF are:
• Support to develop a legislative, investment and policy environment with the focus to enhance food and nutrition security in the light of the government’s intention to revitalise an almost obsolete sector;
• Introduction of agro-forestry as further support to improved productivity, enhanced food security through sustainable production and management of natural resources that mitigate effects of climate change with the focus on conservation of soil and water resources, particularly in response to natural disasters and climate change, and on improved productivity and sustainable production;
• Support to create and enhance more inclusive and efficient agri-business and agro-food chains with focus on the market by facilitating the small-scale local producers to enter the local tourist market by meeting international food safety standards. FAO will assist in introducing Codex Standards into the value chains of local products destined for the local tourist establishment.
In his address Dr Talla Takoukam said: “Indeed the vision of the organisation is ‘a world free of hunger and malnutrition where food security and agriculture contribute to improving the living standards of all, especially the poorest, a sustainable economy and environment’. For its part, FAO is committed to excellence and quality of services and technical knowledge and expertise shared with beneficiaries as an organisation specialised in the field of agriculture and supply.”
“The CPF will bring together partners and other stakeholders that are concerned and involved in ensuring safe, traceable and nutritious local food productivity that is produced in a sustainable manner. The stakeholder from the private sector and non-governmental organisations with similar visions are most welcome to partake in this mammoth effort to revive the food producing sectors that have emerging potentials in very different more opened and competitive global arena,” Minister Sinon said.
“Our partners and our dedicative stakeholders go through a lot of challenges to put their efforts and resources together to overcome all obstacles that stand in the way of the inevitable revival of our agriculture and fisheries food producing sectors,” the minister said.
He took the opportunity to thank all the ministries, partners and stakeholders that have worked and are still working to revive the agriculture and fisheries food producing sectors.
Forrás: www.nation.sc