المنتدى العالمي المعني بالأمن الغذائي والتغذية

In the Czech Republic, the impacts of the climate crisis, particularly drought, on agricultural production are being keenly felt. The problem is largely due to increased variations in rainfall and temperatures compared to times gone by. The growing instability in weather patterns, which has led to an increase in sudden events such as floods, storms, and extended dry spells around the world, will be more and more common. This global emergency needs can be partly addressed by introducing changes in technology that align with innovations in breeding practices.

A well-targeted agricultural policy and a meaningfully designed agricultural subsidy scheme would do much to improve practice in this area. Consumer preferences, which are increasingly taking sustainability into account, are especially important. The global agricultural community must make a commitment to change the way in which crops are grown by optimising production and taking an approach to rearing livestock that embraces new methods and technologies.

For instance, developing and investing in the field of performance recording and breeding value estimation has the potential to transform animal breeding. Indeed, a wide range of sustainability-related traits are already being bred, with the quest for new traits set to continue long into the future.

The key will be to develop practical business models and agrarian policies that respect the needs and constraints of different stakeholders, while striking a balance become economic realities and opportunities. On this front, the FAO has a major role to play in stimulating the debate.