FAO statement at high-level event ahead of UNGA77 – The Global Food Crisis, A Global Protection Crisis: Its impact on refugees, internally displaced peoples, and host communities

The Global Food Crisis, a Global Protection Crisis: its impact on Refugees, Internally Displaced People and Host Communities 

High Level Event ahead of UNGA77 High-Level Week

Statement delivered by FAO Representative in Colombia, Mr Alan Bojanic 

 

Mr. Chair, Dear Colleagues,

In Colombia, there are 7.3 million people in need of food assistance. Among other things, this is explained by persistent levels of violence, especially in rural areas, but also strong external migration, internal displacement and restrictions to peoples’ movement. And of course, climate-related disasters, compounded social inequalities, and so on.

Maybe Colombia has not gotten the same attention of other displacement crises, but yes, there is displacement in Colombia. At least 5 million people are internally displaced people, and approximately 2.5 million Venezuela immigrants.

Rural populations in Colombia – and in particular Afro-descendants and Indigenous Peoples – have historically suffered disproportionately greater impacts of decades of armed conflict and violence. Today, these communities play host to highly vulnerable Internally Displaced Populations, returnees, in addition to hosting migrants. They face high levels of food and nutrition insecurity and are particularly vulnerable to protection risks.

The soaring food prices have pushed these already vulnerable rural populations to the brink. In response to these challenges, FAO, together with local governments, civil society and other key territorial actors strives to reduce the vulnerability of displaced populations and their rural hosts’ populations, and invest in durable solutions to forced displacement. 

For FAO emergency agricultural assistance and investment in lifesaving agricultural livelihoods is critical to meeting the specific food and nutrition needs of IDPs, returnees and migrant populations. 

FAO recognizes the importance of placing these communities in the driving seat, tailoring interventions prioritizing local and Indigenous Peoples needs and preferences, paying special attention to particular vulnerabilities of women and youth.

FAO interventions on the ground have not only improved the longer-term food security of affected populations, but also have contributed to building trust and to reducing local-level tensions and conflicts, and re-establishing social safety nets for communities affected by the conflict.

To reinforce its interventions to save livelihoods, FAO is building on synergies on multi-sectoral interventions, encompassing water, sanitation and hygiene, protection, and health to address the underlying vulnerabilities of migrants and displaced populations, and their rural hosts, while strengthening their resilience over time.

FAO is currently scaling up its presence in forced displacement contexts and is strengthening partnerships with key displacement actors, like UNHCR, to incorporate livelihoods and nutrition as critical elements of emergency agricultural assistance and to achieve meaningful protection outcomes that reduce overall risks to those affected persons.

Mr, Chair, Dear colleagues, Dear Participants, when timely emergency agriculture assistance is people-centered and focused on supporting and rebuilding rural livelihoods, it not only saves lives, but also lays the foundations for longer-term development, which is inclusive and peace sustaining. 

Investing in strategic partnerships, like the one I just mentioned with UNHCR, is crucial to achieving truly durable and permanent solutions to forced displacement. 

To sum up, the triple nexus in action is really the key approach that we use to overcome and, of course, to advance this key agenda for Colombia.

Thank you very much, Mr. Chair. Thank you very much to all of you.