UNGA 76 Second Committee: FAO Statement for the General Debate

Madame Chair, Distinguished Delegates,

As we speak, up to 811 million people are chronically undernourished, and over 3 billion people cannot afford healthy diets.

The COVID-19 pandemic has exacerbated the situation and increased the number of hungry people by as many as 161 million.

The drivers of food insecurity are multidimensional in nature, and their far-reaching ripple effects across all other SDGs are too grave.

The cost of inaction is high. Climate extremes and conflict are more prevalent; natural resources and biodiversity are under stress; rural people find themselves under extreme duress.

Against this backdrop, FAO Members adopted a new Strategic Framework 2022–2031 at the FAO Conference last June. This is the roadmap for how FAO will contribute to build back better from the COVID-19 pandemic and to the achievement of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.

Aligned with the Statement of Action on the UN Food Systems Summit, our efforts are geared towards supporting the transformation to more efficient, inclusive, resilient and sustainable agri-food systems for better production, better nutrition, a better environment and a better life for all, leaving no one behind.

These "4 Betters" are the pillars of FAO’s reinvigorated, fit-for-purpose business model, one where we pursue systemic approaches that lead to win-win solutions, while managing trade-offs across the different areas of the 2030 Agenda. 

Excellencies, allow me to share two ways in which FAO is operationalizing its support to Members.

• First, FAO’s Hand-in-Hand initiative, which is an evidence-based, country-led and country-owned initiative that prioritizes countries where national capacities and international support are most limited.  The Hand-in-Hand Initiative leverages the most sophisticated tools available, including  advanced  geo‐spatial  modeling,  coordinates and fosters partnerships with multilateral development banks and other UN agencies aimed at accelerating agricultural transformation and sustainable rural development.
• Second, the FAO COVID-19 Response and Recovery Programme, which identified 7 key priority actions to mitigate the immediate impacts of the pandemic while strengthening the long-term resilience of food systems and livelihoods. Through this initiative, FAO seeks to foment and broker meaningful partnerships to prevent a global food emergency.

Excellencies, we all followed the Food Systems Summit a few weeks ago. We know what must be done moving forward.

I can attest that, together with the Rome-based Agencies and a wide array of partners, FAO is committed in ensuring the follow-up, monitoring and implementation of the outcomes coming out of the Summit.

The agri-food systems transformation can only be successful if we: 

• Ensure coherence in the formulation of legislation, policies and investments between the food, health, social protection and environmental sectors. 

• Bridge the digital divide and use the power of science, technology and innovation to empower marginalized groups; and  

• Build on territorial approaches, ecosystem approaches and Indigenous Peoples’ food systems approaches.  

A recent FAO report on progress towards SDG targets specific to food and agriculture shows backward trends across the board. The picture depicted is as alarming as it is telling of what needs to be done.

Let us act now. FAO is ready to work together towards our common goal, our shared vision: a Zero Hunger world.