B20-G20-FAO Dialogue on Sustainable Food Systems

B20-G20-FAO Dialogue on Sustainable Food Systems

Intervention by

Dr. QU Dongyu, FAO Director-General

17 June 2021 

As prepared

Ladies and Gentlemen,

1. I am pleased to join you today for this timely dialogue.

2. Already prior to the pandemic, the global number of undernourished had reached 690 million in 2019.  

3. The latest assessments suggest that this number may increase by a further132 million due to the pandemic.

4. The economic slow-down caused by the global health crisis raises concerns over food security and nutrition.

5. The poorest and most vulnerable have less access to safe and nutritious food.

6. The causes of malnutrition are complex, but unhealthy diets remain one of the main contributors.

7. Globally, only one in three children between 6 and 23 months of age meets the recommended minimum dietary diversity, with wide variation between regions.

8. And adult obesity is on the rise in all regions.

9. Diet quality is a critical link between food security and nutrition.

10. Diets must be improved!

11. The targets of SDG2 can only be met if people have access to enough nutritious and affordable food.

12. The high cost of healthy diets is linked to different forms of malnutrition, including child stunting and adult obesity.

13. In this context, it is important to understand, that eighty percent of the world’s poorest people — or 600 million people, more than Europe’s entire population — live in rural areas, work in agriculture and, ironically, go to bed hungry.

14. Almost half of them are children under the age of 15.

15. They have fewer opportunities for education and jobs than their urban counterparts do.

16. They also lack access to markets, healthcare and financial services.

17. Governments and the private sector must refocus their energies more on rural areas.

18. In rural areas, agriculture is the best weapon against poverty, undernourishment and unwanted migration.

19. The FAO Hand in Hand initiative is working through its matchmaking strategy to bring the private and public sector together to help countries to start this process of transformation.

20. For this, our agri-food systems need to be transformed, making them MORE efficient, inclusive, resilient and sustainable, for increased food security and better nutrition for all.

21. In that respect, healthy diets are important drivers that protect the environment, respect local culture and contribute to the well-being of people.

22. These are fundamental elements of sustainable development. 

23. We need to ensure these diets are affordable for all!

Ladies and Gentlemen,

24. The rural-urban continuum is central to the agri-food systems transformation.

25. Urban agri-food systems are key for ensuring both sustainability and resilience.

26. And their transformation depends on effective partnerships between the public sector, civil society and private entities.

27. Pooling together resources, knowledge and expertise is key for the implementation of the 2030 Agenda.

28. Multi-stakeholder city networks like the Milan Urban Food Policy Pact play a crucial role in this context.

29. A similar approach needs to be applied to investments that promote food security.

30. For instance, blended finance can help address funding gaps to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals.

31. And while consumers’ preferences continue shifting towards more convenient foods, the private sector should grasp the opportunity to ensure that our foods remain healthy.

32. We believe that the role of the private sector is a central one!

33. The recently adopted modern FAO Strategy for Private Sector Engagement enables us to enhance our strategic partnerships, scale up and steer all our efforts to jointly achieve the SDGs.

34. This makes the event of today of high relevance!

35. It is time for all of us to join hands for better production, better nutrition, a better environment and a better life – leaving no one behind.

36. Thank you