FAO and United States Strengthen Commitment to Combat Global Food Insecurity
Washington, DC – After attending the 77th session of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA 77), QU Dongyu, Director-General of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) traveled to Washington, D.C. for high-level meetings, marking his first mission to the U.S. capital since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic.
“FAO appreciates the long-standing partnership with the United States of America and the government’s commitment to FAO’s mandate on building efficient, inclusive, resilient and sustainable agrifood systems for better production, better nutrition, a better environment and a better life for all, leaving no one behind,” said the FAO Director-General. “Particularly at this time when alarming levels of food insecurity have underscored the need for sustained investment in the agricultural sector and rural communities.”
The United States is the single largest contributor to FAO’s emergencies and resilience programs and continues to be among the most significant voluntary contributors to FAO overall. This year, the U.S. government (USG) has already provided to FAO a total of $252 million in voluntary contributions. This is one of the highest levels of contributions FAO has ever received in one year, substantially exceeding the U.S. voluntary funding for all of 2021.
During the Washington mission, Director-General Qu met with U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Secretary Tom Vilsack. Among the many topics covered were the importance of science and innovation in agrifood systems, the central role of agriculture to mitigate climate change, and the urgent need to address global food insecurity. In all these areas, U.S. leadership in investment, science and diplomacy has been and will continue to be critical for progress.
Qu made the first visit ever by an FAO Director-General to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), meeting with Administrator Richard Spinrad. During this meeting, the urgent need to step up the protection of marine environments, combat Illegal, Unreported, and Unregulated Fishing, and boost investments in ocean science was discussed Both leaders agreed that the twin challenges of food security and environmental sustainability could be achieved with the right policies and technologies.
High-level consultations also took place with Juergen Voegele, Vice President for Sustainable Development at the World Bank; Fayezul Choudhury, Chair of the Oversight Advisory Committee; U.S. Representative James P. McGovern, Co-Chair of House Hunger Caucus; and Ted McKinney, CEO of the National Association of State Departments of Agriculture.
Beyond his meetings, Qu took time while in the U.S. capital to visit two urban food systems. He visited the Urban Food Hub model run by the College of Agriculture, Urban Sustainability and Environmental Sciences at the University of the District of Colombia (CAUSES) which provides access to fresh food to nearby communities. He also visited the USDA People’s Garden, an initiative to grow fresh, healthy food and support a resilient, local food system.
Prior to his mission in the U.S. capital, the Director-General visited drought-stricken Arizona with Ambassador Cindy McCain, the U.S. Permanent Representative to the UN Agencies in Rome, to see how data, innovation, governance and policy are central to generating sustainable solutions. Following the Washington, D.C. visit, Qu went to Leesburg, Indiana to meet with agriculture sector leaders to discuss innovative and digital solutions to transform global agrifood systems for food security, and the importance of cross-sector collaboration.
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FAO Director-General Visits Urban Food Hubs in Washington, DC
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