Address by the Director-General at the Regional Groups Dialogues on implementation of the FAO Strategic Framework 2022-31

Address by the Director-General at

the Regional Groups Dialogues on implementation of

the FAO Strategic Framework 2022-31

4 March 2022

Excellences,

Dear Colleagues,

 

1.         During the past 32 months we have faced many challenges.

 

2.         The pandemic has highlighted the fragility of our agrifood systems, and has overlapped with existing drivers such as conflict and other humanitarian emergencies, the climate crises and economic slowdowns and downturns.

 

3.         It has taught us that agriculture is critical and cannot wait for other priorities to be addressed.

 

4.         Protecting rural livelihoods is fundamental for the emergency humanitarian response, and for transforming our agrifood systems.

 

5.         To effectively respond to these challenges we must accelerate implementation of our Strategic Framework,

 

6.         Working together as “One FAO” to transform our agrifood systems to be more efficient, more inclusive, more resilient and more sustainable, for better production, better nutrition, a better environment and a better life for all, leaving no one behind.

 

7.         It supports the 2030 Agenda, with a strengthened focus at the country level, and a results framework linked to the SDG indicators under each of the four betters.

 

8.         It includes corporate indicators for FAO’s delivery under each of the 20 PPAs and integrated CPFs, in line with the repositioning of the UN development system,

 

9.         And results planning, monitoring and reporting, with both quantitative and qualitative baseline data and output indicators.

 

10.       We must move forward with implementation!

 

11.       Ensuring that all FAO units and offices are empowered and supported,

 

12.       With a bottom-up and top-down approach, focused on the SDGs (custodian and non-custodian) where FAO has a comparative advantage.

 

13.       We will scale-up interventions and reduce fragmentation through a forward-looking business model and effective partnerships.

 

14.       I have appointed a core leader to lead each better (both A and B reporting line). 

 

15.       The better leader will promote working across all the PPAs and the four betters at all organizational levels for improved impact as One FAO. 

 

16.       The better leaders have also identified and will follow progress on a set of value-added impact initiatives for special focus during the 2022-23 biennium.

 

17.       The four accelerators - data, technology, innovation and complements – will be at the core of these initiatives.

 

18.       These Value-added Impact Initiatives will accelerate delivery of the PPAs and concretely operationalize the Strategic Framework.

 

19.       They will reflect the impact of our actions on the ground and strengthen complementarities across the four betters.

 

20.       They are country, regional and global focused; build on and scale existing efforts and priorities; and offer important opportunities for investment and partnerships, especially with the private sector. 

 

21.       The reformed FAO Investment Center will be catalytic by guiding public and private investments at country level to achieve impact by providing a strong investment dimension to each of the initiatives.

 

Dear Colleagues,

 

22.       Let me briefly describe the key value added initiatives under each of the four betters.

 

23.       FIRST: IMPACT INITIATIVES UNDER BETTER PRODUCTION

 

24.       These will contribute to sustainable consumption and production patterns through efficient and inclusive agrifood supply chains, and ensure resilience and sustainability to the impacts of the climate crisis.

 

25.       I will provide two examples:

 

26.       One: One-Country One Priority Product: to ensure improved access to markets, and to   facilitate the development of sustainable and inclusive value chains for family farmers and smallholders.

 

27.       Two: Blue Transformation: to increase focus on aquatic foods as a key driver for agrifood systems transformation.

 

28.       The increasing per-capita consumption of aquatic foods can contribute significantly to address hunger and malnutrition, and for healthy diets; and also provides an opportunity to focus on SIDS. 

 

29.       SECOND: IMPACT INITIATIVES UNDER BETTER NUTRITION

 

30.       Data innovation, science and policy actions at large scale are urgently needed to achieve healthy diets for all. FAO is well-placed to take immediate action to fill the identified gaps to support agrifood systems transformation, such as the Food Systems Dashboard.

 

31.       Two of these impact initiatives are:

 

32.       One: Healthy diets for all: the main objective is to use available public budgets more cost-effectively and efficiently; countries must repurpose their agrifood policies and ensure that complementing policies in other sectors create incentives.

 

33.       Two: Building back better by reducing food loss and waste: this is cross-cutting as it is a way to lower production costs (better production), improve food security and nutrition (better nutrition), contribute to environmental sustainability (a better environment), and decrease pressure on natural resources and greenhouse gas emissions thereby contributing to improving life for all (a better life).

 

34.       THIRD: IMPACT INITIATIVES UNDER A BETTER ENVIRONMENT

 

35.       These build on successful projects and best practices that can be scaled up and widely replicated for wider investment and greater impact on the ground.

 

36.       Let me mention two of them:

 

37.       One: REPAIR – “Restoring Environment for Productive Agriculture, Investment & Resilience”: this builds on FAO’s successful support to the Great Green Wall through the Action Against Desertification Programme.

 

38.       It aims to turn degraded agroecosystems into fertile land and will expand the Great Green Wall concept to an additional 40 countries, as well as to non-dryland landscapes, building on ongoing multi-country projects and other funding opportunities offered by the GCF and GEF, and the UN Decade on Ecosystem Restoration. 

 

39.       Two: CARAT - “Climate Action for Resilient Agriculture Transformation”: this initiative proposes to scale-up adaptation and mitigation action by enhancing country support and building on big-win solutions and investment opportunities to accelerate long-term agrifood system transformation and help create a coalition for climate investment.

 

40.       It will integrate food security and nutrition and the agrifood sectors in the global climate agenda, supporting national and regional policies.

 

41.       FOURTH: IMPACT INITIATIVES UNDER A BETTER LIFE

 

42.       Better life promotes inclusive growth by reducing inequalities between rural and urban areas; men and women; and rich and poor countries – and is linked to the vision of “Leaving no one Behind”.

 

43.       Two impact initiatives are:

 

44.       One: Hand-in-Hand: which brings diverse actors together to help the least advantaged, eradicate poverty, end hunger and malnutrition, and reduce inequalities within and among nations.

 

45.       48 member countries are currently participating, and several more are benefitting from the methodologies, platforms and support developed under the Initiative.

 

46.       20 to 30 investment plans will be developed for the 48 countries to attract needed investments from donors and the private sector.

 

47.       The Initiative will also work together with all food crises countries to strengthen the humanitarian-development nexus.

 

48.       Two: Food Crises Countries: Emergency food assistance is critical and saves lives, but we need to give equal priority to investments aimed at local agrifood production, and at improving their resilience in vulnerable countries.

 

49.       We need a collective response that brings together humanitarian, development, peace and climate actors, and the agrifood sector is an ideal entry point as it is resilient in conflict, and can recover fast when stability returns and when appropriate policies and investments are made.

Dear Colleagues,

 

50.       Successful implementation of our Strategic Framework requires us all working together in an effective, efficient and coherent manner. 

 

51.       I am here today to hear how you can collaborate with us as One FAO to implement these initiatives at country and regional level.

 

52.       We are committed to continue working together with all Members, partners and stakeholders to end poverty and hunger in all forms and dimensions,

 

53.       Thank you.