Fresh kick-off for agri-food systems transformation

Global leaders called for an urgent action to transform agri-food systems to make them more sustainable and resilient in the face of the COVID-19 pandemic and other crises, and ensure that everyone has access to affordable, healthy, and nutritious food. The discussion took place at a Special Seminar on Food and Nutrition, organized by FAO, entitled Urgent call for agri-food systems transformation to achieve healthy diets for all.

In his opening remarks, FAO Director-General QU Dongyu highlighted that solidarity, urgency, and action were three crucial elements needed to achieve progress in transforming agri-food systems towards healthier diets. FAO estimates that more than 1.5 billion people cannot afford a healthy diet that meets the required levels of essential nutrients and 3 billion people cannot even afford the cheapest healthy diet.

“The resources – intellectual, financial and material – are not lacking, but unless we are well-organized and coordinated, the probability is that we will be too late and too ineffective for too many people in the Least Developed Countries, the Land-Locked Developing Countries and the Small Island Developing States”, he noted.

The Director-General stressed that actions should be taken not only towards improving production, but also creating conditions for people to consume healthy foods, which requires integrated actions by all stakeholders at local, national, regional, and global levels, and across multiple fronts – not only in agriculture but also in many other sectors such as trade, health, environment, education, and infrastructure.

He singled out three critical drivers:

•  supporting countries, especially the least developed ones, to strengthen their resilience, first and foremost through increased investment;
• shifting agricultural policies towards sustainable production of more healthy foods, such as fruits, vegetables and fish, as well as aquaculture products, rather than high quantities of staple foods like rice, wheat, and maize;
• implementing innovations and digital technologies in agri-food systems to increase agricultural productivity sustainably and integrate smallholders into markets.

QU also highlighted the importance of food loss and waste reduction as the key element “that will allow us to improve food security and nutrition, improve the use of natural resources, and reduce environmental pressures”.

In his closing remarks, the FAO Director-General called on participants to move from discussions to implementing policies and taking concrete actions. He alluded to the importance of political commitment and reinforced the need of working together by breaking silos and designing strategies more holistically, involving all key stakeholders such as NGOs, civil society, academia, and the private sector.

He also mentioned the importance of increasing production, while developing a green economy, providing access to training, education, and applied science as well as empowering women and youth as key elements of achieving agri-food systems transformation, highlighting that decisions should be taken based on science and evidence.

Original source: FAO