January 3, 2012. (Romereports.com) Meet the new Director General of the U. N’s Food and Agriculture Organization. His name is Jose Graziano da Silva. Fighting world hunger, isn't simple. The 61 year old Brazilian says, the process needs to starts on the ground level.
Jose Graziano da Silva
Director General, Food and Agriculture Organization
“You solve food security problems at your village, at your home, at your neighborhood. Not at a global level. Nobody eats at a global level.”
Because of this, Da Silva says he's planning on assigning the money that's usually lost in the FAO's bureaucracy, to those who work directly with local governments, but above all else to those who help the hungry.
Da Silva is know for his role in Brazil's “Zero Hunger” program which helped lift roughly 24 million people out of poverty in just five years.
He says the program, though successful, may not work in other regions, where infrastructure, economics and different governments also come into play.
Jose Graziano da Silva
Director General, Food and Agriculture Organization
“There is no general formula, no silver bullet to kill hunger.”
During his term, the says his main focus will be Northern Africa. In fact at the end of January he's planning on visiting the Horn of Africa to see what programs have worked best. Fighting world hunger he says, doesn't involve just one group.
Jose Graziano da Silva
Director General, Food and Agriculture Organization
“It's not only the government that fights hunger, Civil society, private sector have an important role to play in this game. Without them, sometimes we can't even find the hungry people, because most of the hungry people are invisible. They don't have names, they are not registered, they don't have a number.”
Da Silva is the eight Director General since the FAO was established back in 1945. He's also the first Latin American to lead the organization.
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