HLPF hails benefits of fruits and vegetables ahead of International Year in 2021

The Permanent Missions of Chile and India to the UN and FAO co-hosted an event on the sidelines of the High-Level Political Forum 2020 to highlight the key role of fruits and vegetables in contributing to nutrition, health, sustainable production systems, income and employment generation, as well as other relevant dimensions of sustainable development. Moderated by the FAO Director of Partnerships, Marcela Villarreal, the side event also served as preparation for the official launch of the International Year of Fruits and Vegetables 2021.

The Permanent Representative of Chile to the UN, Ambassador Milenko Skoknic Tapia, opened the event outlining four key areas of focus for the upcoming International Year of Fruits and Vegetables: raising awareness and policy attention to the nutrition and health benefits of fruits and vegetables; promoting and diversifying balanced and healthy diets; reducing food loss and waste; and contributing to food security and to the generation of income and employment for smallholders and family farmers. “Chile is committed to reducing food loss and waste, and building agriculture systems more resilient to climate change,” emphasized Skoknic.

The Deputy Permanent Representative of India to the UN, Nagaraj Naidu Kakanur, explained how his government deploys ICT to revolutionize agriculture using mobile applications SMS services, and even an online platform for trading agricultural commodities designed to connect small-scale farmers across India. Kakanur highlighted the importance of maintaining a diet rich in fruits and vegetables, noting that “Low intake of fruits and vegetables is among the top ten risk factors for mortality in the world, attributed to unhealthy diets in the developed countries, and to poverty and food insecurity in the developing world.”

India is the second largest producer of fruits in the world and responsible for 9% of world vegetable production. In his opening remarks, the Deputy Permanent Representative of India to the UN, Nagaraj Naidu Kakanur, explained how his government deploys ICT to revolutionize agriculture using mobile applications, SMS services, and even an online platform for trading agricultural commodities, designed to connect small-scale farmers across India. Kakanur highlighted the importance of maintaining a diet rich in fruits and vegetable, noting that “Low intake of fruits and vegetables is among the top ten risk factors for mortality in the world, attributed to unhealthy diets in the developed countries, and to poverty and food insecurity in the developing world.” He went on to encourage fostering seed diversity, which would have a positive impact not only on fruit and vegetable ecosystems, but also on the lives of millions of women who are the primary seed keepers across the globe.

In the panel section of the event, the Director of FAO’s Nutrition and Food Systems Division, Anna Lartey, began her presentation remarking that fruit and vegetable production may be labor-intensive, but it generates income and employment for smallholders and family farmers who are vulnerable to big market competition. Echoing Kakanur’s thoughts on the need for seed diversity, Lartey urged all relevant actors to invest in research on indigenous fruits and vegetables. “If every country can identify one fruit and vegetable that is disappearing and work on bringing them back, I think that will be a wonderful contribution to the International Year and to the UN Decade of Action on Nutrition 2016-2025,” she said.

The Regional Advisor for Food, Nutrition and Physical Activity in Schools for the Pan American Health Organization, Leo Nederveen, called for implementing subsidies to increase the intake of fruits and vegetables and help boost people’s immune system against non-communicable diseases. To that end, Nederveen encouraged governments to use the Global database on the Implementation of Nutrition Action, a resource established by FAO and the World Health Organization to help countries establish action areas and define SMART commitments.

The Representative of Slow Food Slow Food International, Federico Mattei, underscored the importance of fruit and vegetable production for shaping landscapes and culture identities. Mattei commended FAO’s Globally Important Agricultural Heritage Systems project that seeks to identify and safeguard dynamic agricultural landscape and knowledge systems.

Concluding the panel, Alejandra Domper, the Executive Secretary for Chile of “5 a Day”, global alliance for the promotion of fruit and vegetable consumption, emphasized the role civil society will have in the International Year, and spoke of the importance of supporting family farming, sustainable food systems, and boosting investment and research in innovation and technology to ensure the sustainable and safe production.

More information on the event, including the webcast, is available here.