A new searchable database has been recently developed by the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) and the International Union of Food Science and Technology (IUFoST). Researchers involved in food science and technology research projects relevant to worldwide food needs, especially those of developing nations, can have brief key details of their projects listed in this database. The database is available at the website www.fao.org/INPhO.

The database is intended to collate data about relevant food research projects, facilitate information sharing among food scientists globally and provide a resource and contact base.
The database was constructed and implemented by FAO's Agriculture and Food Engineering Technologies Service as a module of its INPhO mega-database.

It is noted that RCA has been carrying out several food and agriculture related regional co-operative projects under the thematic sector of agriculture in 2003-04 programme cycles. They are 'Improving animal productivity and reproduction efficiency', 'Restoration of soil fertility and sustenance of agricultural productivity', 'Enhancement of genetic diversity in food, pulses, and oil crops and establishment of mutant germplasm network', 'Production of FMD antigen and antibody ELISA Reagent kit', and 'Application of food irradiation for food security, safety and trade'.

For further information: Mr Judith Meech at iufost@ca.inter.net