Celebrating the International Year of Fruits and Vegetables

The benefits of fruits and vegetables to consumers, smallholder producers and biodiversity were on the agenda at this year’s Annual Event for Freshfel Europe, the European Fresh Produce Association.

Speaking about the International Year of Fruits and Vegetables 2021, FAO Deputy Director-General Beth Bechdol told the forum: “The benefits of consuming fruits and vegetables are countless and well-known. Trade in fruits and vegetables has a vital role to play in contributing to achieving the Sustainable Development Goals  by securing an equitable distribution of value among value chain participants, strengthening the income opportunities of smallholder farmers and supporting rural development in producing areas.”

“Fruits and vegetables are not only beneficial to consumers and producers, they also benefit the food system,” she added. “The fruit and vegetable sector contributes to increasing biodiversity, generating environmental sustainability, and improving the livelihoods of farmers and employees operating along the value chains.”

Bechdol also highlighted the forthcoming launch of an FAO publication on Fruits and vegetables: Opportunities and challenges for small-scale sustainable farming, which provides technical guidance to farmers on sustainable production.

Other speakers at the event included European Commission Directorate-General for Health and Food Safety Deputy Director-General Claire Bury and Directorate-General for Agriculture and Rural Development Deputy Director-General Michael Scannell and private sector representatives.