FAO Director-General inaugurates the Joint Exhibition of Special Agricultural Products

Rome – Ahead of the 76th Session of the Committee on Commodity Problems (CCP), FAO Director-General QU Dongyu along with the CCP Chairperson Yaya Adisa Olaitan Olaniran, opened an exhibition showcasing Special Agricultural Products (SAPs) as global commodities, highlighting SAPs contributions to local economies, livelihoods as well as to trade potential and opportunities.

The “Committee on Commodity Problems and One Country One Priority Product (OCOP) Joint Exhibition of Special Agricultural Products”, converges the work between FAO’s oldest technical committee (CCP) and FAO’s flagship initiative (OCOP), launched by the Director-General at the beginning of his mandate.

“This Joint Exhibition showcases a real, tangible agrifood centre. Today, we celebrate the diversity, functionality and sustainability of Special Agricultural Products that are of major importance to the countries,” the Director-General said, opening the exhibition.

The CCP plays a complementary role and function in providing technical support to One Country One Priority Product initiative, Qu added.

Special Agricultural Products are not only commodities - they also embody the knowledge of farmers, the tradition of farming, and the profound connection between people and the land. To explore their potential, SAPs must be integrated into mainstream and high-value domestic, regional and global value chains and markets, which requires increased and targeted investments.

The exhibition opening included a tour of the visually engaging and interactive content demonstrating everyone’s role in sustainable agricultural commodity production, markets and trade. It displayed the journey of Special Agricultural Products categorized through three stages: 1. Marketing of fresh products, 2. Trade aspects of agricultural commodities, including SAPs, and 3. Processed or Packaged SAPs.

Some of the Special Agricultural Products showcased at these booths included fresh products such as ginger from Jamaica, cassava from Congo, turmeric from Fiji and large cardamom from Nepal. Processed products including Samoa’s cocoa, Mexico’s amaranth and Georgia’s speciality wines were also on display.

This joint exhibition serves as a platform to share knowledge, best practices and innovative solutions, and foster synergies and collaborations among countries.

The role of One Country One Priority Product

Launched in 2021 by FAO, the One Country One Priority Product initiative promotes at global, regional and local levels the Special Agricultural Products with unique qualities and special characteristics that can contribute to the transformation to  more efficient, inclusive, resilient and sustainable agrifood systems for better production, better nutrition, a better environment, and a better life, leaving no one behind.

When 75 percent of the world’s food relies on only 12 plant and 5 animal species, there is a higher vulnerability to global shocks. Which is why, OCOP is helping countries leverage their potential and identify the Special Agricultural Products adapted to their agroecological production systems and national or cultural heritage, ensuring improved access to stable markets.

OCOP currently supports 85 countries in promoting 54 special products, covering the whole value chain, including sustainable production, storage, processing and marketing.