Countries of Europe and Central Asia are united in protecting food production, supplies and trade, even during times of war. For days at the Thirty-third Session of the Regional Conference for Europe in Łódź, Poland, 50-plus FAO Members discussed possible paths and approaches for realizing this goal and for improving nutrition and food security in the region and around the globe.

The need for a neutral platform for debating current challenges in food and agriculture – among the sectors most affected by the war in Ukraine – was immense, reflected by the record number of countries and delegates participating in the conference.

“The impacts of the war in Ukraine on global food security should be addressed urgently and prevented from escalating further – global food security depends on this,” said FAO Director General QU Dongyu in his concluding remarks read on his behalf. Addressing this, he added, is only possible through “joint, coordinated actions and policy responses, including with FAO’s support and through the guidance provided in the Regional Conference report.”