FAO official warns of El Nino threat to food security

A senior official with the UN Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) has called for early action to protect farmers and rural communities from the impact of El Nino, warning that the weather phenomenon could heighten pressure on already fragile food systems.

Dunja Dujanovic, senior emergency and rehabilitation officer at the FAO, told in an interview that agriculture-dependent communities are among the most exposed as changing weather patterns disrupt production and livelihoods.

She said the recurring nature of El Nino gives governments and aid agencies a window to prepare before the worst effects are felt. El Nino, a recurring warming of surface waters in the central and eastern Pacific Ocean, can disrupt weather patterns around the world and is closely watched for its impact on crops, water supplies and food prices.