Presidential Assistant for Food Security and Agricultural Modernization Secretary Francis N. Pangilinan, Food and Agriculture Organization Director General Jose Graziano da Silva, and Department of Agrarian Reform Secretary Virgilio R. de los Reyes. (Photo courtesy of Ms Alessia Pierdomenico of FAO Photo Unit)
On 18 February 2015 in Rome, Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR) Secretary Virgilio R. de los Reyes and Presidential Assistant for Food Security and Agricultural Modernization (PAFSAM) Secretary Francis N. Pangilinan visited the headquarters of the Food and Agricultural Organization of the United Nations (FAO-UN).
During the visit, the country’s top officials for rural development had a meeting with FAO-UN Director General Jose Graziano da Silva. The country’s deep appreciation for FAO’s continued assistance to rebuild rural livelihoods affected by typhoons (most notably, Yolanda) was conveyed. Specific areas of cooperation such as technical support to deal with coconut infestations, as well as a planned agri-related visit to Brazil of legislators were further discussed.
The officials also took the opportunity of the meeting to reiterate to the Director-General the country’s strong support to his re-election candidacy as FAO’s DG.
Secretaries de los Reyes and Pangilinan were in Rome to represent the country at the 38th Session of the International Fund for Agricultural Development’s Governing Council (IFAD-GC) convened at the IFAD Headquarters in Rome on 16-17 February 2015. Discussions at this year’s Council focused on rural transformation as a key to sustainable development. END
