FOOD AND AGRICULTURE ORGANIZATION

• Recently, the Union Minister of Agriculture and Farmers’ Welfare addressed the 42nd session of Food and Agriculture Organization’s (FAO) Conference.
• The Conference takes place every two years and is FAO’s supreme governing body.
• It determines the policies of the Organization, approves the budget, and makes recommendations to Members on food and agriculture issues.

Important points:

• India registered an all-time high production of foodgrains at 305 million tonnes as well as in exports during 2020-21, contributing to global food security.
• It was introduced to transport the essential commodities including perishable horticulture produce, milk and dairy produce from the production centres to the large urban markets.
• Under this scheme, free food grains were provided to 810 million beneficiaries and it has been further extended in which workers will be benefited till November, 2021.
• More than Rs.1,37,000 Crore have been sent to the bank accounts of over 100 million farmers under this to provide income support to the farmers.

India and FAO:

• Support of FAO in endorsing the Indian proposal for an International Year of Pulses which was celebrated in 2016 and for declaring 2023 as the International Year of Millets.
• India released a commemorative coin of Rs. 75 denomination to mark the 75th Anniversary of the FAO (16th October 2020).

SOURCE: THE HINDU,THE ECONOMIC TIMES,MINT