2021 Berlin Agriculture Ministers’ Conference - Press Conference

2021 Berlin Agriculture Ministers’ Conference

Press Conference

Statement by FAO Director-General, Dr. QU Dongyu

22 January 2021

Transcript

 

First of all, I would like to congratulate my friend Minister Julia Klöckner, you know you are doing the right things at the right time.

When you initiated the collaboration between FAO and the German Ministry of Agriculture and Food, we designed this year’s theme together and it comes to the three categories of what you have just presented. I think it was in September or October, so the situation during that time was not like what it is now.

Since early this year, I participated in the One Health Approach Summit, One Planet Summit, and now it comes to my third important activity: GFFA. GFFA in its long history is an event with significant global influence and is the kick-off meeting every year just after New Year Celebration.

So, I really, sincerely congratulate your efforts, especially during this pandemic. If somebody is accountable and responsible, she or he needs to do something. And for the people, for the global, I think FAO always stands in line with you, with the German Government. Last time, on behalf of FAO, I saluted the Chancellor Merkel for her leadership together with French President Macron and WHO.

That’s why FAO and I put a lot of effort in the One Health approach. We established a global leadership on the AMR and One Health. They already held their first meeting in early November last year. So, we will have more High-Level meetings to implement the One Health Approach. It should be understandable and build more consensus among the Members on this planet.

Second, as FAO we have to specify how to transform agri-food systems. You know, during the pandemic, luckily we prevented a food crisis so far due to the international agri-trade functioning quite well. We face many big challenges, such as: some disruption of the trade and supply chains and the transportation, and even the shortage of labour force in Europe and some other parts of the world as well.

I’m happy to see that due to all the efforts of the Minister of Agriculture and Food, of farmers and producers and dealers, at least we didn’t see that big catastrophe, disaster for the human being. But at the same time, we saw the fragility of agri-food systems from the environment, to the production, to the processing, to the marketing channel as well as the most vulnerable are affected severely by the pandemic, you see. That’s why we want to build the international consensus, to help the vulnerable first.

So agri-food transformation should feed different Members, because different Members have different agri-food systems. And we want to keep the international trade functional, effective first and then we encourage the locals to produce more and better with less impact, less input, and others.

The solution FAO is encouraging is to have more innovation. That’s also the same message I shared, when I joined the Bioeconomy Summit with Minister Julia last time. Because I think the German government is also one of the key players in this area. We need more high technologies for agricultural seeds, chemicals, fertilizers, vaccines, animal vaccines and other inputs.

So, for agri-food transformation to build One Health approach to prevent another pandemic, we need innovation. Innovation on policy, innovation on the technology. Innovation on the business model. That’s why I salute the organizers of this GFFA to put this on the stage, combining it with One Health approach as a holistic design.

And last but not least, in FAO we are willing to encourage all the Members to have more political engagement. Because agriculture and food is fundamental. Food is a basic human right as the UN Secretary-General just mentioned this afternoon. I always said that publicly. Without food, without basic rights as a human being, because we are now in the modern civilization, we should have all the tools to end hunger. Unless we have strong political willingness, and more investment in agriculture in the rural areas. And third we need international cooperation. Because developing nations can offer more, and the developing nations can learn more, through South-South Cooperation. At the same time, developing countries can learn from developed countries. So that’s why FAO encourages the Triangular Cooperation.

I expect all the Members, especially the German government, Minister of Agriculture, Minister of Economy, and others to strengthen collaboration with FAO. That’s why I come to the Hand-in-Hand Initiative, because I want to bring the matchmaking relationship between FAO and Members, from donor members to recipient members. And also, as you point out also, agriculture is suffering from the industrial revolution during the past 200 years. If we manage very well, properly, agriculture will be a buffer for sustainable development and environment improvement.

And last, not least I think agricultural systems will finally play the role as the contributor. So from the suffering to the buffer and finally will be the last contributor and to keep the inclusive, sustainable, green development and that’s the real end goal and we can end hunger, leaving no one behind. And we can offer them high nutritional food to the people who wish to consume.

Agricultural food transformation is not a one-day or one-year job. We need the persistent and inclusive cooperation globally, holistically and also collectively.

I thank you for the chance again for engaging FAO to cooperate and we are committed to strengthening collaboration with you, and with other partners: multilateral partners, bilateral partners, and civil societies.

So, I want to build FAO to be an accountable, innovative organization, which is dynamic for a better world.

Over to you, thank you.