New Delhi, July 17 (IANS) Outgoing United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) representative in India, Takayuki Hagiwara, met Secretary (West) at the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA), Sibi George, in New Delhi on Friday.
During the meeting, George appreciated services and contributions of Takayuki Hagiwara to FAO's activities in India.
"Mr. Takayuki Hagiwara, outgoing UN FAO Representative in India had a farewell meeting with Secretary (West) Sibi George. Secretary (West) appreciated his services and contributions to FAO's activities in India. He also wished him success and good health in his future endeavours," the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) stated after the meeting.
Hagiwara joined FAO in 2003 and is currently working as the FAO Representative in India. Prior to joining in India, he was serving as the Regional Programme Leader at the FAO Regional Office for Asia and the Pacific. He has been working as a natural resources management specialist for over 25 years.
In May, Prime Minister Narendra Modi was conferred the 2026 Agricola Medal, the highest honour of the Food and Agriculture Organisation, during a ceremony held at the FAO Headquarters here on Wednesday.
The medal was presented by FAO Director-General Qu Dongyu at the historic FAO Plenary Hall in recognition of PM Modi’s contribution to food security, agricultural development and farmer welfare, according to the organisation.
Congratulating the Prime Minister, Qu Dongyu said the honour recognised his commitment to improving the welfare of people through landmark initiatives aimed at enhancing agricultural productivity, strengthening food security and improving the lives of farmers.
He also acknowledged India’s support for FAO’s efforts to combat hunger and poverty and advance universal food security and the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals.
The FAO chief praised PM Modi’s leadership in transforming India’s agricultural landscape through farmer-centric and technology-driven initiatives.
He highlighted the scale of India’s food and agriculture programmes, including financial inclusion initiatives, the food-based social safety net covering around 800 million people since the Covid-19 pandemic, and direct income support to over 110 million farmers.
Qu Dongyu also appreciated India’s push for regenerative and natural farming and its efforts to promote nutrient-rich millets globally through the International Year of Millets initiative in partnership with the FAO.
He lauded India’s emphasis on digital public infrastructure during its G20 Presidency, describing it as a major step towards improving access to digital technologies in developing countries and enabling efficient service delivery. According to the FAO chief, these sustained initiatives have contributed significantly to lifting millions of people out of poverty in India.
--IANS
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