Director-General holds in-person meetings with 25 Latin American and Caribbean FAO Members during the Regional Conference in Ecuador
Quito - During the 37th Session of the FAO Regional Conference for Latin America and the Caribbean (Ecuador, 28 March – 1 April), the Director-General QU Dongyu held in-person bilateral meetings with representatives of 25 Members out of a total of 33.
In the discussions, Members expressed appreciation and commended the Director-General’s leadership for the various initiatives FAO has launched during the past three years, particularly under the difficult situation facing the region’s agrifood systems. This has included the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic, rising food prices and the conflict in Ukraine, which have increased food insecurity and generated difficulties for countries to import agriculture inputs such as fertilizers.
In this context, Members stressed the importance of speeding up the transformation of agrifood systems, making them more efficient, inclusive, resilient and sustainable. They also highlighted that the FAO Strategic Framework 2022-31 provides a pathway to achieve better production, better nutrition, a better environment and a better life, leaving no one behind.
Investing in innovation and digitalization was crucial among the measures identified as the way forward to advance the transformation of agrifood systems, especially to better connect family farmers to local, regional and international markets. This would be key to tackle rural poverty and increase food security in rural communities. The importance of tackling pests and diseases was also highlighted by several countries.
Caribbean nations and countries of the Central America Dry Corridor (El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras and Nicaragua) stressed the increasing threats of the climate crisis to their food and agriculture sectors, with most of them noting their intention of investing in resilient local food production to mitigate their vulnerability to natural disasters and the international scenario.
The Director-General reiterated the importance of strengthened collaboration and cooperation with FAO and its Members in agrifood systems transformation. He encouraged Members to participate and take full advantage of the FAO Hand-in-Hand Initiative and the One Country One Priority Product Initiative. FAO is committed to provide the assistance as needed.
The Director-General also delivered opening remarks at a side-event organized by the Government of Ecuador to exchange experiences and explore opportunities of collaboration between countries of the Andean Community (CAN) and the Caribbean Community (CARICOM).
In addition, the Director-General met with the United Nations Resident Coordinator in Ecuador and representatives from WHO, WFP UNDP and UN Women based in that country, as well as with representatives from CGIAR and the private sector.
Flickr gallery of the Director-General’s bilateral meetings