Read-out of the meeting between FAO Director-General QU Dongyu and Theo De Jager, President of the World Farmers’ Organisation

23 June 2021, Rome - FAO Director-General, QU Dongyu, and Theo De Jager, President of the World Farmers’ Organisation (WFO), today met virtually to discuss cooperation between the two organizations.

The FAO Director-General and the WFO President shared views on the importance of technology, innovation, science and youth in driving the transformation of agri-food systems.

They agreed that broadband infrastructure and connectivity, e-commerce, and other digital solutions play a critical role in linking small farmers to markets and supporting rural development. In particular, the Director-General highlighted that FAO is developing several initiatives focused on digital solutions in agri-food systems, such as the International Platform for Digital Food and Agriculture and the 1,000 Digital Villages Initiative. He also pointed out that both organizations are working to serve farmers, who often require support in gaining access to investment, technologies and markets.

The discussion also focused on the importance of revitalizing rural areas and preserving food diversity. In this respect the Director-General highlighted FAO’s Green Cities Initiative, which aims to improve people’s wellbeing through increased availability of and access to products and services provided by green spaces, including urban and peri-urban agriculture as well as a green lifestyle.

Both agreed that investing in youth is critical to the future of agri-food systems. In that respect, the Director-General invited WFO to the first World Food Forum (WFF), which will take place in October 2021 after the UN Food Systems Summit (and will take place annually in the future). The WFF is a youth-led movement and network, initiated by FAO’s Youth Committee, to transform agri-food systems and achieve the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), in particular “zero hunger”.

The two parties also discussed the importance  of policies based on science; the status of the Memorandum of Understanding between FAO and WFO, and potential areas of collaboration moving forward as well as the upcoming UN Food Systems Summit and its Pre-Summit.