QU addresses High-Level Roundtable on Agrifood Systems Transformation in Lesotho

Rome/Maseru – FAO Director-General QU Dongyu on Tuesday addressed a High-Level Roundtable on Agrifood Systems Transformation in Lesotho, where he called for immediate critical action amid a steady rise in hunger levels in Africa.

Qu addressed the event in Maseru, entitled “Deepening collaboration to accelerate the attainment of Sustainable, Resilient, and Inclusive Food Systems in Lesotho to mitigate future shocks,” on behalf of United Nations agencies working to end hunger and poverty in Lesotho. 

The roundtable was also attended by delegates from the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD), the UN Resident Coordinator Office and the World Food Programme (WFP), as well as His Majesty King Letsie III of the Kingdom of Lesotho.

The Director-General  stressed the importance of coordination, timely delivery, and of not wasting time.

He advised that the first step is to build strength, followed by finding innovative solutions and then swiftly taking action.

Qu also set out the three components of food security, namely food security, food availability, and food affordability, noting that they presented problems of various levels in every country of the world. He also noted the three categories of food quality, referring to staple food (first level) to meet the basic food security requirements of a nation, followed by nutritional food to address malnutrition, and thirdly healthy food for a balanced life.

The Director-General commended the King of Lesotho, Letsie III, for having designated August as “Food Month” in the country, which reflected the importance of food security for the government. Qu went on to say that agrifood systems transformation was critical for food security and that this required the collective commitment and action of all partners, from across the spectrum, in support of the Sustainable Development Goals. “We all need to work together as one big team,” Qu said.

His comments follow FAO’s 2024 State of Food Security and Nutrition in the World (SOFI) report, which estimates that more than 730 million people worldwide faced hunger in 2023 and that more than 2.3 billion were moderately or severely food insecure.

In Africa, hunger has been steadily rising since 2015, and in 2024 Africa was the region with the largest percentage of the population facing hunger - more than 20 percent. If current trends continue, about 582 million people will be chronically undernourished in 2030, half of them in Africa, according to the report.

Regarding the situation in Lesotho, the Director-General encouraged local authorities to take advantage of the country's unique climate and geography, which is characterized by ample water, hills, and valleys that are well-suited for aquaculture. The Director-General also urged them to focus on making agriculture resilient to climate change and to invest in strategies such as increasing irrigation, cultivating drought-resistant crops, and improving livestock breeds.

Qu concluded by saying that “Today’s event brings together key decision-makers and partners, and all friends, together, to discuss how to support Lesotho first, from Lesotho, beyond Lesotho, to Africa and other parts of the world – this is the real value, vision and mandate of FAO, and of all the UN agencies.”

FAO reaffirms its commitment to working closely with all relevant partners, Qu said.