Thailand: UN Thematic Group on Poverty Reduction and Food Security develops pilot programme to fight poverty

The UN Thematic Group on Poverty Reduction and Food Security (TGWG-PRFS) in Thailand discussed the draft concept paper of the joint pilot programme on poverty reduction and food security that seeks to implement an effective UN joint intervention during the upcoming year.

Representatives from the member agencies of the Thematic Group United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (UNESCAP), FAO, United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), United Nations Environment Program (UNEP), United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), United Nations Development Fund for Women (UNIFEM) and United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) met in July to maximize concerted efforts among UN agencies by starting a consensus building process.

Following a decision made during the Heads of Agencies Meeting on 2 April 2002, the name of the Thematic Group had been changed from "Poverty Alleviation, Rural Development and Food Security" to "Poverty Reduction and Food Security".

The Thematic Group decided to establish a sub-working group formed by officials of UNESCO, UNICEF, ILO, ESCAP and FAO in order to prepare a detailed proposal including principal guidelines, pilot locations, funding and starting date and duration of the joint programme.

In order to devise strategies to strengthen collaborations among member agencies to ensure a multidisciplinary approach and to effectively tackle the issue of poverty, the Thematic Group is reviewing on-going and planned activities of the involved UN agencies to identify the best way of collaboration.

Following consultation with each UN agency, the preparation of the full pilot programme is scheduled for November-December 2003. The three-year pilot programme is expected to begin January 2004 in a site still to be selected.

For more information on the UN Thematic Group meeting please contact the Deputy Regional Representative of FAO in the Regional Office for Asia and the Pacific who is Chairman of the Thematic Group: hiroyuki.konuma@fao.org or the FAO representative in Thailand at FAO-THA@field.fao.org