70th Session of the United Nations General Assembly - 2nd Committee - Item 20 - Sustainable Development

 

 

70th Session of the United Nations General Assembly

2nd Committee - Item 20 - Sustainable Development
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
20 October, 2015, United Nations

 

 

Thank you Mr Chair.

 

The 2030 Development Agenda clearly shows the need to reconcile productivity and sustainability in the use of our natural resources. This is made even more urgent in light of climate change.

 

FAO supports governments in this effort in many ways, based on requests from its Member States, tapping into different technical expertise and working in partnerships. Allow me to share with you some examples.

 

In the Near East and North Africa, water scarcity has been identified as a priority issue. FAO is working with governments, non-state actors and partners such as the Arab Water Council and CIHEAM to help countries adopt and adapt modern agricultural and irrigation technologies, and to increase the efficiency and productivity of water use. Water scarcity is a relevant issue for the SDGs and will be the theme of a Second Committee Special Event that will take place on Friday, November 6.

 

In Africa, frequent droughts have eroded the agricultural sector and coping capacity of poor agro-pastoralist families. With a special focus in the Sahel and the Horn of Africa, we are working with Governments to strengthen national and regional institutional capacity for risk prevention; monitoring risk, providing and responding to early warning; and building resilience at the community-level.

 

In Europe and Central Asia, we are helping family farmers achieve higher levels of productivity and income through sustainable intensification of production, better organization, access to adequate services and integration into agri-food value chains.

 

In Latin America and the Caribbean FAO works with the ECLAC Economic Commission to support the implementation of the Community of Latin American and Caribbean States’ regional food security and nutrition strategy.

 

More generally, FAO’s Blue Growth Initiative is reconciling economic growth and food security with the conservation of oceans and the eco-systems they sustain. This is accomplished through actions focusing on four components: capture fisheries, aquaculture, ecosystem services, and trade and social protection of coastal communities.

 

The Blue Growth approach can be a valuable ally for Small Island Developing States in their efforts to increase food security, improve nutrition and adapt to climate change. FAO will work closely with SIDs in this area, as called for in the SAMOA Pathway.

 

Distinguished delegates,

 

I would also like to highlight the importance of forests to sustainable development. As noted in the 14^th World Forest Congress held for the first time in African soil, in South Africa, past September, forests contribute to food security, improving livelihoods; and adapting to and mitigating climate change. FAO looks forward to continue working with Governments and partners to support the sustainable use of forests .

 

The SDGs commit us to resolving once and for all historic injustices such as hunger and extreme poverty and calls out for an urgent shift in our production and consumption patterns. To a great extent, our future hinges in how well and rapidly we can bring together the three dimensions of sustainable development.

 

Initiatives such as the recently established Technology Facilitation Mechanism, of which FAO is a member, can give an important contribution to this effort.

 

Thank you for your attention.