70th Session of the United Nations General Assembly - 2nd Committee - General Debate

 

70^th Session of the United Nations General Assembly

2^nd Committee - General Debate

Statement by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations

Delivered by the Director of the FAO Liaison Office to the UN, Carla Mucavi

9 October, 2015, United Nations

 

Mr. Chairman,

 

1. Allow me to congratulate you and the Bureau members on your election, and to assure you of FAO’s support to the Committee. I would also like to congratulate Ambassador Cardi, of Italy, and the previous Bureau for their work.
2. FAO welcomes the adoption by Member States of the 2030 Development Agenda, in particular, the bold commitment to eradicating hunger, achieving food security, improving nutrition and promoting sustainable agriculture which falls under our mandate in Sustainable Development Goal number Two.
3. FAO supported the Sustainable Development Goals negotiation process. FAO’s own strategic objectives fully embody the purpose and ambition of Agenda 2030. We are ready to work with Governments and partners in the implementation of this transformative agenda.

 

Mr. Chairman,

 

1. The 2015 State of Food Insecurity in the World (SOFI) estimates that the number of undernourished people has dropped by 216 million since 1990. 73 developing countries out of 129 monitored by FAO have met the Millennium Development Goal 1 target on hunger.
2. However, almost 800 million people worldwide remain hungry despite the fact that the world produces enough food to feed the entire humanity. 
3. Hunger today derives from a combined number of factors. They include inadequate distribution, insufficient production in specific areas, conflicts, and lack of access to food.
4. To ensure food security we need a comprehensive approach. Strengthening social protection must be an integral part of our effort, complementing pro-poor investments and the sustainable increase of production, especially by small-scale producers and family farmers, whose importance was recognized in the 2014 International Year of Family Farming.
5. Around 75% of the world’s poor live in rural areas of developing countries. Agriculture and rural development can catalyse the local sustainable development of their communities, improving health and livelihoods and creating the conditions that will allow them to engage in eradicating hunger and poverty not solely as beneficiaries, but as agents of change. 
6. We must also not forget the critical impact of climate change. It puts at risk the existence of many Small Island Developing States and it is a threat to poor farmers and fisher folk that usually depend on scarce and degraded natural resources. We must assist family farmers and small-scale producers adapt and build resilience. The 2015 International Year of Soils draws attentions to the need to manage our natural resources in a sustainable manner.
7. An often asked question is how much ending hunger costs? According to a recent report published by FAO, IFAD and WFP, an additional annual investment of 267 billion US dollars between 2016 and 2030 could lift every person out of hunger. This means an extra 160 US dollars per year for each individual living in extreme poverty.
8. The areas in which this additional funding should be used will vary from country to country according to specific contexts.
9. Allow me to recall that hunger is only one face of malnutrition. While undernourishment is falling, obesity is a concern in many nations, including middle income and developed countries.
10. The need to tackle malnutrition in all its forms, the central role of governments and the importance of international cooperation was highlighted at the Second International Conference on Nutrition (ICN2), co-organized by FAO and the World Health Organization. The 2013 International Year of Quinoa and the International Year of Pulses that will be celebrated next year draw attention to different foods that can help improve our nutrition.

 

Distinguished delegates,

 

1. Partnership is vital to reaching the SDGs. South-South cooperation is crucial to support developing countries and those in special situations, complementing North-South and triangular cooperation.
2. Reaching the future we want requires political commitment from governments and the participation of different actors at all levels. This includes farmer associations, producer cooperatives, the private sector, academia, parliamentarians and civil society. All of us are partners.
3. In closing, allow me to reiterate FAO’s commitment to working with Member States and all stakeholders towards achieving zero hunger and promoting inclusive and sustainable development for all.

 

Thank you for your attention.