-The United Nations   The United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) reported today that global food prices were down for the second straight month in May and that the outlook for worldwide cereal supply has improved considerably since last month. FAO's Food Price Index continued its decline from the 10-month high it experienced in March, the agency said in a news release, noting that prices fell as generally ample supplies weighed on...

-FAO FAO publishes first global study of forest genetic resources Rome - FAO today urged countries to improve data gathering and research to promote the conservation and sustainable management of the world's forest genetic resources, which are coming under increasing pressure. According to the first-ever edition of The State of the World's Forest Genetic Resources report, half of the forest species reported as regularly utilized by countries are threatened by the conversion of...

-The Independent   The impact of climate change could increase the price of breakfast cereal and other household foods, a report by Oxfam has claimed, which found Kellogg and Nestle are among the world's 'Big 10' food and drink companies who emit more greenhouses gases than Nordic countries combined. In their report, Oxfam called on the major food and drink companies to do more to tackle climate change after it found that...

-The Hindu   Forest cover loss has occurred at a period when area under jhum cultivation is declining, suggesting that the land use policy has been counterproductive to forests Two spectacular bamboo dances, one celebrated, the other reviled, enliven the mountains of Mizoram. In the colourful Cheraw, Mizo girls dance as boys clap bamboo culms at their feet during the annual Chapchar Kut festival. The festival itself is linked to the other dance:...

-FAO Rome: The FAO Food Price Index rose sharply in March, up 4.8 points, or 2.3 percent, to an average of 212.8, the highest level since May 2013. "The Index was influenced, as expected, by unfavourable weather conditions in the US and Brazil and geopolitical tensions in the Black Sea region," said Abdolreza Abbassian, FAO Senior Economist. These and other influences are reviewed in greater detail in the AMIS Market Monitor report, the...