UNGA 76 Second Committee: Natural plant fibres and sustainable development

It is an honour and a pleasure to deliver this short intervention, which covers the agenda sub-item 26. (b) “Natural plant fibres and sustainable development”. 

Natural fibres are among the oldest and most important industries in the world, touching the life of almost every person on a daily basis. They lie at the heart of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and the SDGs, by contributing to our common objective of ending poverty, eradicating hunger, and enhancing the sustainable management and utilization of natural resources. 

The production and export of natural fibres provide a source of living for tens of millions of people worldwide; they connect producers in distant zones to markets and bring-in much-needed foreign exchange reserves for countries.  

Natural fibre industries are engines of economic growth and overall development in many countries. They create jobs and generate income.  

Yet, natural fibre production must address a number of challenges. A balance must be found between the requirements of growth and the necessity to ensure sustainability at all stages of the natural fibre value chains. 

In November 2019, the 2nd Committee of the 74th Session of the General Assembly adopted resolution 74/240 entitled “Natural plant fibres and sustainable development”, in recognition of the critical importance of the sector. The resolution aims to scale up international efforts to promote the sustainable production and use of natural plant fibres. 

FAO’s work, in collaboration with various partners, includes reporting on recent trends and prospects in world natural fibre markets and providing technical support by servicing the Intergovernmental Group on Hard Fibres and the Intergovernmental Group on Jute, Kenaf and Allied Fibres. This is very important for the development of evidence-based and data-driven policies and strategies for the sector. 

Recent data on the world fibre markets indicate that the value of natural fibre production at producer level is around USD 55 billion, with an estimated 40 million households earning their livelihoods from the production of natural fibres. When seasonal employment is included, about 200 million people are estimated to be working in the various segments of the natural fibre value chains. 

FAO’s recent analysis of the medium-term outlook for natural fibres indicate changes in consumer preferences, and current trends are supporting robust consumption growth in the next 10 years.  

In this regard, innovation, new technologies, productivity growth, and product diversification will be key to meet the future market trends. 

Guided by the International Year of Natural Fibres in 2009 and the UN General Assembly’s resolution on natural plant fibres and sustainable development in 2019, in FAO, with our partners, including the OECD, WTO, the International Cotton Advisory Committee (ICAC), the International Natural Fiber Organization (INFO), and the Discover Natural Fibres Initiative (DNFI), we have been raising awareness about the economic, social and environmental characteristics and importance of natural fibres and providing knowledge products on the sector. 

Through the Intergovernmental Groups on Hard Fibres and on Jute, Kenaf and Allied Fibres, FAO has facilitated policy dialogue and experience sharing and, as part of its mandate, it is supporting countries in the implementation of an action plan that aims at promoting a more resilient and sustainable natural plant fibre sector.  

It is important that all stakeholders and development partners continue to work jointly. In FAO, we are committed to this. Together, we can achieve more and deliver on our commitment to improve the livelihoods of natural plant fibre smallholder producers and small and medium enterprises (SMEs), enabling the sector to make a better contribution to the 2030 Agenda and the SDGs.  

Thank you for your kind attention.