72nd Session of the United Nations General Assembly Second Committee, Agenda Item 19 – Sustainable Development

Madam Chair,

Thank you for giving me the floor.

 

I would like to reiterate the importance of implementing policies and programs that advance the three dimensions of sustainable development. Investing in agriculture, food security and nutrition is a way to do this.

 

Promoting sustainable agriculture and ensuring food security and nutrition is critical not only to SDG2, but to the efficient use of water, land, oceans, to sustainable cities, sustainable production and consumption, and to address climate change.

 

Agricultural technologies can play a key role in reaching these objectives, including increasing the food security and nutrition of poor rural families, increasing sustainable production and reducing food loss and waste.

 

I would like to underline the importance of ensuring that responses are demand-driven, accessible to all, builds on the knowledge that exists and is adapted to the needs of local communities. 

 

As we move collectively towards sustainable development, it is important to recognize that there is no single way forward.

 

Solutions should address specific needs and priorities of countries. FAO is working at the global, regional and national levels with this in mind, helping Member States identify, develop and implement proposals that are in line with their individual contexts.

 

To achieve this, FAO focuses on five main areas: hunger and malnutrition, rural poverty, sustainable agricultural production, food systems and resilience. Together, they are the lenses through which FAO contributes to the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and supports countries.

 

At the national level, our country programming frameworks are prepared with the governments to help address national priorities and considering the wider cooperation offered by the UN System to ensure coherence, efficiency and complementarity.

 

I would like to stress that, in this effort, FAO gives the upmost importance to climate action and disaster risk reduction.

 

Through its climate change portfolio of over 300 projects worldwide, FAO is supporting countries implement Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) to achieve the goals of the Paris Agreement. And we are ready to do more.

 

Furthermore, through the A2R initiative, FAO is working with partners to strengthen the ability of countries to anticipate hazards, absorb shocks, and reshape development in a way that reduces risks.

 

Ladies and gentlemen,

 

I would like to emphasize that different countries face different challenges and require different programs to reach sustainable development.

 

As part of the effort to tailor responses to specific needs and responding to the SAMOA Pathway, FAO, DESA and O-H-R-L-L-S partnered to develop the Global Action Program on Food Security and Nutrition for SIDS.

 

The program aims to help countries accelerate action towards food security and nutrition in a sustainable way. The main objectives guiding the program are:

 

• First, strengthen enabling environments for food security and nutrition;
• Second, improve the sustainability, resilience and nutrition-sensitivity of food systems; and,
• Third, empower people and communities for food security and nutrition.

 

FAO is investing about 4.5 million US dollars to kick start implementation of the global action program. But ensuring food security and nutrition in SIDS will require much more. This needs to be a collective enterprise and we call on all partners to join it.

 

Thank you for your attention.