71st Session of the United Nations General Assembly
24/10/2016
71st Session of the United Nations General Assembly
Statement on behalf of the Rome-based Agencies, FAO, IFAD and WFP, during the General Debate on Agenda item 25 of the Second Committee
24 October 2016
Chairperson,
I am delivering this statement on behalf of the Rome-based agencies. The FAO, IFAD and WFP welcome the opportunity to participate in this discussion of the Second Committee.
Today, with about 795 million people suffering from chronic undernourishment, the 2030 Agenda goes beyond business as usual to achieve a world without hunger.
To truly get concrete transformation in food security, nutrition and sustainable agriculture that directly contribute to SDG 2, and impact on other related SDGs, the three Rome-based agencies will continue to build on our own complementarities, as well as with other development partners, to ensure that people and our planet thrive, leaving no one behind.
The ways in which we grow, process, distribute and consume food will have a profound effect on whether we achieve the 2030 Agenda. Nutrition-sensitive agriculture and food systems should be prioritized to enable all people to access the food they need at all times.
We believe there is a need to revitalize the agricultural sector, invest in rural development, and ensure food security, notably in developing countries, in a sustainable manner, which will lead to rich payoffs across the full range of SDGs. We will only reach our goals by reaching the most vulnerable first, prioritizing human rights, addressing injustice and empowering women and youth.
We face a complex challenge but it can be achieved with strong political will and a contribution of relevant actors, including civil society, the private sector and academia.
We can reduce rural poverty and improve wellbeing through encouraging decent work, and increasing smallholders’ income; empowering women, fishers, pastoralists, indigenous people and through supporting research, innovation or improving land tenure and access to natural resources. Yet, leaving no one behind requires a new holistic vision, urgent action and new ways of working together.
The RBA’s partnering vision strives to bridge the gaps between humanitarian and development approaches to address protracted crises and promote self-reliance of displaced populations, as agreed in the New York Declaration. This includes investing in preparedness and long-term development to build resilience and break the tragic cycle of crises that is far too prevalent today.
Chairperson,
The beauty of agricultural development is that solving one problem can often solve a multitude of others. Sustainable agricultural development makes it possible for poor family famers to lift themselves out of poverty and improve their own food security and nutrition. It also enables them to feed the world’s rapidly growing population and it allows smallholders to contribute to their nation’s economic growth and development.
Climate change is already impacting on food systems, and vice versa. Its effects will require sustainable and climate-compatible agriculture practices, including through diversification of production, but also minimizing food losses during storage, transport and at retailers or consumers.
We’ve learned it is not enough simply to grow more food. Rather, we must ensure that the benefits of growing more food reach the people who need them the most-- for generations to come.
In closing, I wish to assure you of FAO’s, IFAD’s and WFP’s full support as you deliberate the many important issues before this Committee.
Thank you, Chairperson.