Championing the development aspirations of island states

José Graziano da Silva is an American-born Brazilian agronomist and writer. He has authored several books on agriculture issues, and in 2011 he was elected Director General of the Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO), becoming the first Latin American ever to hold the post. In this piece, originally appearing in the Huffington Post, da Silva takes up the cause of small island states, their role in a modern world, and how the FAO is addressing their needs – including programmes right here in the Cook Islands.

José Graziano da Silva is an American-born Brazilian agronomist and writer. He has authored several books on agriculture issues, and in 2011 he was elected Director General of the Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO), becoming the first Latin American ever to hold the post. In this piece, originally appearing in the Huffington Post, da Silva takes up the cause of small island states, their role in a modern world, and how the FAO is addressing their needs – including programmes right here in the Cook Islands.