World Humanitarian Summit: FAO stresses early warning, better management of risks and crises

Figure: A farmer in Thailand tending to his ducks. These are well protected by a net covering which prevents contact with outside birds that may be infected with the avian flu virus.

24 May 2016, Istanbul - Building resilience is crucial to enable fragile communities, especially in rural areas, cope with the increasing frequency and magnitude of natural disasters and the growing threat of pandemic diseases, FAO Director-General José Graziano da Silva today told participants at the World Humanitarian Summit.

"We need to be prepared: with climate change, extreme weather events will happen more often and with greater intensity," he said.

In developing countries, the agriculture sectors absorb around one quarter of damages and losses caused by climate-related events with around 2.5 billion smallholders particularly at risk, Graziano da Silva noted.

Similarly, emerging or re-emerging disease threats are arising due to globalization, demographic growth, climate and land use change, as well an intensification of agricultural activity, he added.

"Agriculture, forestry and fisheries have a key role to play in changing the way we manage risk and crises. They are central to ensuring food security and nutrition in the face of climate change," Graziano da Silva said.