High-level Political Forum General Debate: Joint Statement of FAO, IFAD and WFP delivered by the Director of the FAO Liaison Office to the United Nations, Ms Carla Mucavi

High-level Political Forum

General Debate

Joint Statement of FAO, IFAD and WFP delivered by the Director of the FAO Liaison Office to the United Nations, Ms Carla Mucavi

 

Thank you for giving me the floor. I have the honour to speak today on behalf of FAO, IFAD and WFP.

The 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development clearly presents the future we want: hunger-free, sustainable and inclusive.

It also clearly shows that while we may advance in individual Sustainable Development Goals, sustainable development will only be reached if we advance the 2030 agenda as a whole.

The work of FAO, IFAD and WFP in food, nutrition and sustainable agriculture already incorporates the spirit of the SDGs. Over the past years, we have been working with governments, UN and non-UN partners, and non-state actors to support holistic approaches that tackle the multiple dimensions of food insecurity and malnutrition,.

• This means linking sustainable increase of food production to the strengthening of local and inclusive markets to social protection programs.
• This means supporting sustainable practices, building resilience, responding to emergencies and extreme weather events.
• This means identifying where food, education and health are superimposed and designing responses that are mutually supportive.
• This means focusing on the vulnerable, fisherfolk, pastoralists and family farmers, in particular, women, youth, and indigenous populations, speaking to them to understand their problems, tailoring responses to their needs, and learning from them and involving them in the responses.

All of this is fundamental for rural development, food security and improved nutrition and also for the implementation of the 2030 Agenda.

 

Ladies and gentlemen,

FAO, IFAD and WFP are committed to being part of the wider effort to transform the 2030 Agenda into a reality for all, leaving no one behind.

And if the global community is to stay true to this commitment, we must not forget the rural areas of developing countries where over 70 percent of the world´s poor and undernourished live. It is an astonishing paradox that many of the food insecure are food producers themselves.

Competition over natural resources, including land and water, is intensifying under the pressure of demographic growth, depletion of existing resources, and the impacts of extreme weather induced by climate change makes the situation even more complex.

Climate change reduces the resilience of key production systems and contributes to natural resource degradation. Poor rural families and fisherfolk are among the most affected because they usually do not have coping mechanisms. A lost crop or sick livestock can translate into hunger.

Under these circumstances, individuals and families may be forced to difficult decisions – sell productive assets, downgrade diets to eat empty calories that fills stomachs but do not provide the necessary nutrients, leave their communities many times risking their lives in dangerous escapes. They can also fall prey to extremism.

These are the realities that we are aiming to change. And, if we do, we will contribute to increasing food security and nutrition, sustainable development and prosperity not only of these families, but also of their communities and countries. In this regard, let us not forget that growth in the agriculture sector remains one of the most cost-effective means for developing nations to reduce poverty and end food insecurity.

Adapting to climate change is an integral part of this effort. The agriculture and livestock sectors both contribute to, and suffer from, climate change. Agriculture must become more sustainable and resilient, ensuring food production and providing critical emissions-reducing environmental services. The debate over climate change adaptation versus mitigation is over: By improving agricultural practices and reducing deforestation we access significant potential for both adaptation and mitigation. We need both.

 

Ladies and gentlemen,

To end, I want to emphasize that our action should not be for vulnerable rural communities and families, it needs to be with them. Participation of rural people, with focus on addressing governance problems will lead to a more equitable, and sustainable development path.

Thank you for your attention.