The Food and Agriculture Organization's Sub-Regional Coordinator for the Pacific, Ms Xiangjun Yao, visited the Minister of Foreign Affairs Hon. Fekitamoeloa ‘Utoikamanu, on 8 September, in Nuku’alofa.

FAO Tonga stated that they held discussions on several areas, such as increasing partnership opportunities in sustainable management of Fisheries and Agro-Forests, resilient crop and livestock production, greener value chain development, digital agriculture and innovation, support for an Agri-food system transformation that provides healthy, affordable diets for all, in a sustainable manner in a context where global crises coexist.

Ms Yao reaffirmed FAO’s support to the Tonga Government through the mobilisation of technical and financial resources, assistance for development of innovation across all the relevant areas for resilient, efficient, inclusive and sustainable agri-food system transformation in Tonga.

From China, Ms Yao assumed her role as the FAO Sub Regional Coordinator for the Pacific in 2020. She oversees FAO’s work in providing policy advisory and technical assistance to its 14 Member Countries to improve food security, income-earning opportunities in agriculture, fisheries and forestry, and increasing resilience of small farmers and producers in the Pacific. She joined FAO Headquarters in June 2011 and has held leading roles in several technical divisions/offices within FAO.

Ms Yao began her career at the Institute of Energy and Environmental Protection, the Chinese Academy of Agricultural Engineering in 1983, and as Director from 1998 to 2004. She served as Deputy Director-General of the Centre of International Cooperation Service, Ministry of Agriculture, China. She was also a Council Member of the China Energy Research Society and Evaluation Expert for Engineering Construction Projects authorized by the Chinese Ministry of Agriculture.

FAO

The Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) is a specialised agency of the United Nations with the goal of achieving food security for all and to ensure that people have regular access to enough high-quality food to lead active, healthy lives. With 195 members, 194 countries, and the European Union, FAO works in over 130 countries worldwide. The FAO Sub-regional Office for the Pacific Islands was established in 1996 in Samoa to coordinate the work of FAO in the Pacific region.

FAO also works with the line ministries in providing technical support to ensure the needs of vulnerable groups such as women and youth in agriculture and fisheries are met.

FAO initiatives includes, collaboration with the Ministry of Fisheries to strengthen resilience of Tonga’s fisheries sector and designing Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) for disaster preparedness, response and recovery in line with National Emergency Management Office (NEMO) Policies.