forces rates being rough. ok, is reynolds okay and out? several asteroids that causes a mask. one health apologies is dozens of people. what killed in the spikes. coming up after the break of documentary i'm looking at china's group on the food and agricultural organization, the ice cold, b, c. pasco, new, an expedition ventures on to places that no one has the climate research in the ice, the dos march, 3rd on the it started as just a cloud. then the sky grew dark. they had arrived between

20192021. billions of locusts spread in great waves over parts of africa. very quickly eating the fields spare. the farmers tried everything they could to save their crops. the then came insecticides from among others, a you in organization. they help to subdue the plaque the but we have learned that the same you and organization approve the delivery of other chemical as to africa. pesticides not to be used for competing locusts or

other natural disasters. can either do you see this during your time? no. no, no, this isn't absolutely shocking, extra. ok. yes, the issue is the 2nd from the start of use in the city is 323. 0 wow. when court cases this film shows how the united nations food and agriculture organization has changed. how do we know an insight or has given us the details? i believe the china is using the organization for its own purposes the

as of midnight, it was the lowest point. months of research took us to 4 continents to countries like panama, spouse, malawi and zambia. the, the story begins in rome at the f, a o, the united nations food and agriculture organization. 2 the employee wanted to expose how the organization was increasingly serving the interest of one of its members states. on

the after much discussion the whistle blower agreed to meet with us on condition of anonymity. the. this is why we did not film them at home, but at another location, we wondered if they would really come to this meeting. okay, what a favor do this say that just that they are on their way. speaking with us meant they were risking their job. but i hope they still want to do this and then they arrived the to protect them. we're having a voice actor, repeat what they told us about why you were speaking with us. a lot has changed in the last 4 years. i believe the china is using the organization for its own purposes, mainly for ju,

political purpose is an interest the f a o has several core mandates, but 1st and foremost, it converts hunger. to this end, it carries out analysis for efficient and sustainable agriculture. it develops crop protection and food quality standards as well as agriculture and nutrition strategies. the organization primarily advises countries in the global south i 1st started working for the fail because i wanted to play a positive role in eating development and cooperation. i've always been very interested in agriculture, but also in nutrition and food policy. and i thought i could contribute a little to improving that global situation on

the inside or is one of 3000 f, a o employees, part of one of the largest specialized united nations agencies comprising 194 nations and the european union with its funding coming from member states, a considerable share comes from germany, who contributed more than $100000000.20 alone. this makes germany, one of the largest donor countries. are inside or has had concerns for some time. i've had this since from the 1st day to arrived. something didn't feel right, which added up over time until it all didn't make sense anymore. something here is

definitely off to don't you? is the current director general of the f a o. and the main character in this story he began his career invasions chinese academy of agricultural sciences in the eighty's. in 2015, he became deputy minister of agriculture and the chinese government. in 2019 china nominated to, for the post of director general of the f. a o and he was elected to the position by delegates from its members states. usually a truck now represented germany at the time. but obviously what's, why is the f i o relevance a tool as a global plan? they develop relevant home escape like stuff because food has to be the tricia and is what we need most advice to be. not that is what the f a o is about as the and

why internationally relevant in time not to not of events in spring 2019. there were 5 candidates in the running for the post of director general of the fail from china, india camera room, georgia and france. then the candidates from cameron roon and india withdrew from the race just prior to the election. china had for given nearly $80000000.00 of camera rooms debt june 22nd 20191 day before the election. julia block, now was there one downside? is that some of these and then there was this rhonda the saw situation in rome. i why? because it was so clear who the favorite had to be. love would have probably designed the french candidate,

which by that's on susan. 3 candidates were left those from france, georgia. and to don't you from china, but a portion funding then she may assist you in kindly that not longer my job as it is by doing the chinese candidates presentation. i came to the conclusion that either he didn't care about winning that or he didn't expect to win and be comfortable on that it would be decided behind the scenes. this does this one's i get the feeling we are pins only give me recognize later on. cut them up, but we have been playing by different rules. and this what am if it went to his missing cops? know the should be it. some delegates were an easy, usually a truck. now remember then voters from climate station mission and said became clear how much money had been spent in the run up to the trade space. tom all us. what great trips have been provided for the ambassadors last families i pods and to

them. they didn't fly economy, oklahoma. it's evidently missed economy. other rumors also made the rounds as long as it kept it on the stage before embody gainesville deserved. it came out that the african countries in particular, had been lightly oscar and to take photos of that balance in the voting of the concise. as a result, telephones were banned from the voting booths. the nfl member states voted and the balance were counted after the 1st round. the dungeon gina, the china garnered a 108 boats to became director general of the f. a o.

have a very good effort to my motherland. resolved that 40 years of successful reform and the open door policy as me, that was the lowest point. the organization seemed important to china, but why we asked all right, the old. they are an expert on chinese foreign policy. why is china interested in the f a o n nibble? actually in the metric some todd audits of for the 1st and foremost food supply is central to the chinese government's domestic security. i know if you had some china itself is known very, very severe families. first tend them i know the course of the last note. in the 19 fifties and sixties,

china experienced one of the worst famines and history. millions of citizens died. the chinese government has prioritized food security ever since. you cannot find the government provided economically for the people and in return were able to stay in power. they insured an economic up turn so that the people try it. the children are better off than their parents. so i get that was all part of the deal and of course in deity and are we still blower thinks the chinese government is using the f a o for this 2 countries are not actually allowed to decide exactly what money should be spent on or in which country, but in china is case, this is different for certain projects. the chinese ministry of agriculture gets direct instructions for both project planning and implementation. if you ask colleagues or superiors about it, they say that's just how it is in china,

or is this true? during our research, we came across a project on the f, a, a website in northern allows, 40000 head of cattle were to be vaccinated before they could be exported to china. the program was financed by the chinese ministry of agriculture. we were sent data from the as a oh and spent months analyzing it. we found the capital vaccination project in laos with an interesting note. the project is in keeping with the one build one road initiative. that is the new silk road. china is massive initiative launched in 2013 into that. so now the, let's see, aim is to realign international relations, trade routes,

and connectivity. let's and ultimately to reshape the world so that china occupies a more central and more powerful position on visor. we see 9 dots and all of the most important countries are those surrounding china. and that's because it has to go through them. you know, if it can't go through them, china will face a major obstacle on the 940 thanks to a major belt and road project. tiny louse is now connected with china via the new railroad line, built by its neighbor. opened in 2021. it takes just under 4 hours to get from the capital vention to the chinese border, some 400 kilometers away. the, the new rail connection allows the simple transport not only of people, but also grain. raw materials or cattle from neighboring countries into china.

but the rail on was expensive. louse is now deeply in debt to china and is on the verge of national bankruptcy the out. meanwhile, china is aggressively promoting the rail line. one the china is trying to expand its influence in the world, including within un organizations. the data contained information on specific people in the field of work. we've nickname them, spice, that officers are paid by the respective as a member states is not unusual in itself. but there was something striking about

the chinese officers. some are paid by what is known as the china scholarship council. we looked at the website and found a job posting for the f a o. it said that the political ideology of applicants was strictly monitored. applicants had to undergo further training in patriotic values and had to report regularly to the chinese embassy. the primary loyalty is owed to the chinese state. and that takes precedence over all other obligations. are all other loyalties that you might possibly have to keep human? somebody's, i'm french economist jones back. god has long been observing the f a o key points to another group of people. yeah. will be the best one as a fellow,

if you don't say it's very is the s i o stuff for the big which is funded through the phone, from the national buttons tool. and then they're all the consultants involved fairly so many observers. and they don't really recorded as such, and the cost of the whole it's not transparent to talk to see the sequel. she thought it didn't have the loss of these consultants off the trying these consultants with chinese interns and so on. because the defense only is consultants are building up know that she collecting information goes to be compiling analyses, please inform us joey calls. and so the facts of influencing the discourse as to taking places of the fit. they just quote, the sewing and something else struck us. this is the organization charged with the to the top 2 and his deputies or at the top of the organization chart, with the directors immediately below. the 2 chinese directors at the time of choose

election had grown to $61.00 newly appointed director shaw senior. when had joined the chinese government in 2001 since 2021. he has led the f, a o department responsible for pesticides we drove to ban switzerland to meet with charles predecessor honey dryer. who now works in public administration. as a subsidy, so we showed him documents and data from the f a o. does his chuckled grace, this is unbelievable. it's almost beyond comprehension. these are dangerous substances because these chemicals are really toxic, not just for the environment to kind of uh, to humans, to being disney. and did you see this during your time?

no, no, no, no 9. as my own, some chemicals were certainly used in my time. oh so it would have been done that was so dangerous and done with this is shocking of on those on this. so this is absolutely shocking. so key infinity changed. okay. and the documents showed more than $300.00 individual pesticide shipments. according to our analysis, the seo headquarters in rome issued permits for the shipments between 20202023. to use these pesticides as part of f, a o projects and countries of the global. so the q him, it took some folks on treat me the quote, brand new 1st 12 very fast and velocity and see that these insecticides have been used to combat locust investigations. and but the data also list substances that are not used against low guests. rather pesticides used in everyday agricultural

work on the clouds of these hello, besides a seat at all that i've seen are o'clock to these, we'd kind of 0 very talk say unable been found in the folks at the football or 2 of them desirous done system. most frequently benefit substance. it's a fungus site that has also been bound to use even for its no hope of a boat. di room has been banned in europe, but the f a o approved its delivery to numerous countries in the global south. most shipments have gone to africa, then monetize during my tournament, we conscientiously trying to keep the risk as small as possible 9 to attempt to keep the use of such substances to an absolute minimum drum. but this is a really astonishing fitness. we also showed the data

analysis to pesticide expert keith tyrrell, who sits on several f, a o committees. these chemicals are dangerous. they should not be being used by small hold on is in the global science with limited training, limited access to personal protective equipment, limited oversight. i've listed this place it limited access to health care as well . so i'm, i am quite shocked to see an organization like i am promoting these dangerous chemicals in farming systems. the industry often argues that the pesticides are not dangerous if the prescribed protective measures are in place. but in africa, this is often precisely the problem zambia in

mid june, we met with small farm owners to protect their cabbage from insects. they mix up a pesticide cocktail at least they wear rubber boots, though not always when it's $35.00 degrees celsius in the fields. we learned that many of them don't even understand the safety instructions when it comes to visual poisoning. yes, we find the experiences i want that boys on him because we sure didn't stick on the right me. yes. uh definitely. you will have some challenges with the game because pesticide poisoning is a major problem in africa. we travel to a hospital in the long way in neighboring malawi, head physician, patrick g espo,

described his experiences as a hospital, as we have seen, issued the number of cases reciting from this type of use in the past 3. it's 323 is our goal. wow. so when it cut down while i cases die, many here are threatened by pesticide poisoning more than half of the population in zambia and malawi, work in agriculture. we went into one of the pesticide shops that appear on every street corner, much of what is for sale here. pair a clock, for example, is banned in the you for being to toxic the so the fact that the f a o approves pesticides like pare quite as part of its own projects is surprising.

so the idea so bring power quiet is beyond comprehension. there are across just of the following systems where think plus stuff published in 2020 found point $6000000.00 cases of per year in europe and in south america. but in a 1000000 per year, even there used on this continent then in parts of the world wide will approve the use of pesticides due to their toxicity 4th side projects. especially when it stresses it's coming to

a special program and to move away from dependence on pesticides. the f, the students about specific pesticides on answered but we explanation new 2019. she began office on the general assembly, the direct held a breakfast, meeting with representatives from major food companies. here it is new program called and initiative, the d. j. this central initiative of ports into element doctor's connecting partners with

developing countries pop the f has the stated aim of entries in the global south to the implants. and so with a platform to search for investors auto bowman. this is hallmarks a meant this issue of benefits is a very interesting central principle of policy. let me take a vehicle plus an obligation. let me just take a button and if it's calculation times benefits of books and calculus, i'm the investor. i don't want that in october 2020 to the from in room. well, it's meant for me. this is

a dream come true. lose feel is thought it seems if you arrive to fail, come one of director general to projects. thanks maxine uh huh. the implementation of the national this program, it shows how may shift fight the poverty s b g y n n monetary c s gives you 2. and the 2nd now credits during countries presented potential checks, a and prince of pay

a small cost. we looked at their project involved in the fishing industry, new port, tourism for which with the government but we could also concern complete interest. we just needed to take a look of so to me and principi bush island nation, far hustle and bustle, but this african archipelago it poorest countries and is fully in debt. we have proven debt.

we accompanied a group of f, a o employees to a remote fishing village, the they were there to take inventory to count and measure votes for their eventual replacement. the, the fisher's were just returning from 10 hours, etc. in wooden boats like these we were curious to see what they had brought in the catch was meeker yard. again, i'm going to be off. it was pensive just

a few years ago that were more efficient. now like go big companies from europe and asia come close to the coast here with that big net. okay. the more fishing everything out, this is where the f a o supported investment project comes in. in the future, the fishermen would be provided with modern fiberglass votes that could be equipped with motors, allowing them to go further out to see this is where the investors would come into play. in addition to phishing, the investment paper also contained a completely different idea for advancing. so to me and prince of pay it referred to this commercial from the 1980s or

do according to the f o investment paper. this type of branding could be used to attract investors for tourism. we drove to the sleepy port town of navies, according to the investment plan. one of for new ports was to be built here, including a cruise ship war. if investors could be found, the local residents were skeptical get the most because they have to get the funding. there are great plans, you simple, but then nothing ever happens because the last time they make big promises that they don't keep the permission. well meant the problem, i just moved to america as well as our quick design contracts, but then nothing comes of it so so, so that we, ordinary people can try as hard as we like people of faith. but in the end, we end up with nothing. with the method with scott,

no one here really believes cruise ships will bring droves of taurus to the island in the foreseeable future. so who will ultimately benefit from the new port? the topic of building ports on so to me and principi is not new for the people here in 2015 china. announce the new deep sea port construction project at a cost of $800000000.00 us dollars a year later. so to me and principal cut its diplomatic relations with taiwan and establish relations with china. in china is traces are everywhere.

at the end of 2021. so to me and principally joined the chinese belt and wrote a glance at the map shows why the small island nation is so attractive for china. it lies in a region where china is influence, is still relatively slight. the boston road project does not, and does not consider not directly at least the atlantic. authentic is quite the of separated from the about the road. political analyst, gustavo placido, de santos, focuses on portuguese speaking countries in africa. he is carefully watching china strategic interest in nations like so. told me and principals. he believes the nfl investment paper is actually about something else entirely. this whole project where they have these 5 or 6 chapters, like the industry infrastructure foods. was it like fisheries as well?

included the kind of resembles the belton roads and internationally sponsors belts are roots to which they can channel influence and resources to, to products that can actually the benefit of china is a global logistics. and mentions is the hand in hand initiative. not only concerned with improving the lives of the people on so to me and principal is china really exploiting the f a o for its own geo strategic interests? now we're at the panama canal. one of the world's most important trade routes. china, is it the 2nd largest client after the us here to a project idea has been floated that could benefit chinese interests. the f a o is looking for investors for

a panama food hub initiative here. green from brazil, for example, could be stored here temporarily before being shipped onward to asia. the china has been investing along the panama canal for years. but according to latin america expert evan ellis. others are leading the way internationally in agricultural product, shipping. the panama canal has really never been used as an agricultural distribution hub. it has been used for ships that are carrying agricultural goods that need to transit from atlantic ports to like those of bruce, illinois, argentina, 2 pacific destinations wide china. but the magic of this proposal from a chinese strategic perspective is it leverages a united nations organization and the government of panama to create something that would give the chinese an advantage that they could not get directly in the market

through competition or acquisitions. the experts agree that the fios hand in hand initiative could become a driving force behind china as built and road project. and there's more back in 2020 jew with already one year into his position at the f. a o. the woman next to him is the then ceo of cop life international. the largest agro chemical industry interest group with members including their and b, s f, the, the document, and the photo shows the new partnership that has just been concluded between f, a o, and crop life. crop life international st. drop life international has been striving for some time to negotiate a partnership agreement with the f, a o 2 minus. so i thought that he's all for you to so that was true in my time as well. so i know when they made another effort to get such

a partnership agreement going off a shelf top committee for that was an absolute no go in my day on an officer because no go to mine inside the chairman of the board of directors of crop life. is here on the left, eric fear, walt head of the chinese state owned syngenta agro chemical group. in the same year, the f a o entered into another partnership with syngenta itself for you. i'm from the for human or individual crop protection companies on so that was completely on thinkable. and since you were to me to see them in the thomas jefferson general, have you heard back then that would have been impossible. 9 alan roscoe was the f, a o official responsible for crop protection in latin america and the caribbean for many years. we asked him what these agreements mean for you in organization like the f a o. to no longer are we in

a spot where we can discuss with member countries that human health hazards are pesticides and with the companies and play this role of neutral broker that is so important for f, a l for you into play. now this partnership with a couple, i for nasa out destroys that completely because now there we are. you know, there's the director general smiling with the head of crop life saying we're in this is strategic partnership together. and we're moving forward together. well, to me as sense just the wrong image and message to everybody that i say it was no longer an honest a neutral broker. as we went through pesticides shipment data that could be traced to specific companies, one firm stood out. the chinese state owned syngenta the

how could the as a oh, change its course on pesticides so drastically? the frequent answer is that the u. s. also wants more corporate influence. i think that's the space that the us in china is sort of agreed you within the feel that we can work together because we have common interest. here we ask the f a o for a statement regarding the partnership with crop life. we were told that there were no legal, financial or other obligations, and that the f a o is currently reviewing all existing partnerships the. as for best decide shipments, we were told only that the active ingredients must be approved in the recipients country. in certain cases, safe for alternatives or being explored. we would have liked to interview to don't

you or a representative, but we were refused. many of our questions remain on answered the to, let's see how big i go. flock the finish. we have a letter with us tested. i'm quick as that's pulse. yeah. hops, you could always connect, let's say, what comes to mind at say it was the best thing. that's one time that was the time is about one is with the fence. ok. an experiment. the next f a o director general will be elected starting july 1st i the like because i'm off in your opinion, what will happen? china will stay in the driver's seat shy tibits live. it isn't probable it is up in violet because there are no other candidates. in spring $22033.00 candidates were in the running for the next election. then the candidates from tajikistan and iraq

mysteriously withdrew. and you don't, you was in fact elected for a 2nd term for me personally, it's a bitter disappointment that the european union, even in cooperation with the us, did not manage to put forward a candidate for the new election that is in comprehensive will to me our request for an interview was refused by the german ministry of agriculture. we were told in writing that any instrumental ization of the f, a o for unilateral interests is unacceptable. so what happens now plus plus 10, such as to what happens now. now depends on how other countries position themselves, how much they show that f a o pa this is important to down us or to see and that

they won't just look away from the something i don't see where down. if you look at what has happened and what could happen, that could well be an intensification of chinese input is enough for the also she was the

pico africa, have some good ideas for sustainability. keep them coming out of time or on down the latest innovation. the travels across the country for the do need accelerator, lead to talk to inventors, and promote sustainable development. in the 1st few minutes on the w, the music from the new home and the young musicians of touring the especially since a rita this is an important active reason. a young cousins fled some baton leading the logo in 19 minutes

by long d w. the get ready for an exciting. i've been trying to look surprised. hi, i wish up. and i'm ready to dive into the hands of human to which you have you have a window port on this, please go to the spot on the on expected side to side the . this is the,

the news life from berlin. israel is ministry says it's false as have friends. 2 hostages in a raid in gaza is rather carried out a series of strikes on the southern city of rough up. because i have boss drawn has a thought of 3, says dozens of people were killed in the strikes. also coming up nato flex is muscle. one thing, the biggest military exercises in europe since the cold war, some 90000 troops from the lines of taking part along with candidate countries suite. and did the kansas city chiefs with american football super bowl with pop superstar tennis way of getting them on.