OCOP contribution to the FAO Strategic Framework discussed in a Global Think Lab session

Rome - updates on the One Country One Priority Product initiative (OCOP) were provided at a FAO Global Think Labs meeting, a knowledge-sharing platform used by FAO employees to better understand the FAO Strategic Framework, on 13 December 2022.

FAO Deputy Director-General, Beth Bechdol, briefly introduced the OCOP as one of the value-added impact areas under the “better production” aspiration of the FAO Strategic Framework. She highlighted the progress made since the global launch of OCOP by the FAO Director-General in September 2021: a global coordination mechanism established with a Steering Committee at the FAO headquarters and the OCOP Secretariat under the aegis of the Plant Production and Protection Division (NSP). In addition, successful launch events were held in all five FAO regions from March to July 2022, all FAO Members were briefed on this global action in September 2022 and updates were provided to the FAO Programme and Finance Committees as well as to the Council between September and December 2022. The OCOP country projects for the first-round five demonstration countries supported by the Flexible Voluntary Contribution (FVC) mechanism and the OCOP global website were both launched on 3 November 2022.

DDG Bechdol emphasized that the OCOP Initiative is not promoting monocropping. It supports integrated and diversified cropping systems and it is aimed towards the entire food value chain. The scale and breadth of the initiative will enable significant contributions to the sustainable transformation of the agrifood systems because, as of December 2022, more than 80 countries have officially submitted applications to promote over 50 Special Agricultural Products (SAPs).

Jingyuan Xia, the NSP Director and OCOP Executive Secretary, then presented the key components of the OCOP Initiative along with a detailed report on activities so far. Xia reminded colleagues participating in the session of the rationale, objectives, specificity, organizational structure, and contribution of OCOP to the FAO Programme Priority Areas (PPAs). He also shared the major progress of OCOP implementation at the global, regional, and country levels.

Xia emphasized the partnerships and the support received from various sources, including the funding allocated by FVC mechanism and the Government of Japan that enables the implementation of the field projects. He also referred to the partnership established with United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO), United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), the FAO South-South Cooperation and the Carlo Schmid/ Deutscher Akademischer Austauschdienst (DAAD) Programme.

The overview of the OCOP work plan for 2023 and the roadmap for 2024-25 that Xia presented includes the demonstration, extension and scaling-up of successful models from demonstration countries to all pilot project countries; global advocacy and outreach to highlight achievements, as well as providing an opportunity for market promotion activities and events. By 2026, the OCOP will be concluded with the exit strategy to increase the role of national governments with follow-up actions.

The OCOP Regional Focal points from five FAO regions - Yurdi Yasmi, Deputy Regional Representative, (RAF), Xuan Li, Senior Policy Officer (RAP), Pedro Marcelo Arias, Economist (REU), Ana Posas Guevara, Agricultural Officer (RLC) and Maryam Rezaei, Agroindustry Officer (RNE) briefed their progress in implementing the OCOP in their respective regions. The Questions & Answers session was moderated by Hafiz Muminjanov, Technical Adviser, NSP and the Global Coordinator of the OCOP Secretariat.

The closing remarks were delivered by Cristina Amaral, Special Advisor for Deputy Director-General Laurent Thomas, who expressed her sincere appreciation to all the presenters for their excellent presentation, and to the participants for their active engagements. She referred to the importance of the OCOP and mentioned that its further promotion depends on the dedicated support, active engagement and positive contribution from Members, resource and technical partners and their technical, financial and communicative support. In this regard, she invited all colleagues to join forces and work together in promoting the OCOP to develop highly improved agrifood systems for future generations.