Oleg Kobiakov: Achieving key SDGs depends on dynamics of logistics chains and food systems

On 28 February, Oleg Kobiakov, Director of the FAO Liaison Office with the Russian Federation, participated in two forums, held in Moscow, that included in their agenda, among other things, the delivery of food products to end consumers and, in general, the development of the agro-industrial complex (AIC).

During the joint conference of the International Coordinating Council on Trans-Eurasian Transportation and the Greater Tumen Initiative (CCTT-GTI) dedicated to the topic “Opportunities for the growth of transport logistics and supply chain in North-East Asia and beyond”, Oleg Kobiakov noted that the achievement of the global Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) of combating hunger depends on how fast, reliable, high-quality and safe the entire chain of food products transportation is.

Gennady Bessonov, Secretary-General of the CCTT, spoke about the activities of the International Coordinating Council on Trans-Eurasian Transportation, focusing, in particular, on the issues of facilitating the organization of railway and multimodal services along the routes of international transport corridors. He stressed the importance of sectoral cooperation uniting the potential of government agencies, the business community and transport science.

“14 out of the 17 UN Sustainable Development Goals are more or less related to transport. Our experience shows that sectoral cooperation in the transport and logistics sector can make a significant practical contribution to this work,” Gennady Bessonov said.

“At the same time, continuously developing global and regional multimodal networks absorb all the best, both from the practical activity and from the area of expertise. Strengthening the role of multimodality, increasing the level of containerization, the number and interconnection of transport and logistics terminals, reducing the level of logistics costs, as well as minimizing the impact of vehicles on the environment are not just priorities of national policies, but are also guidelines for the long-term development of market participants,” the head of the CCTT stressed.

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The same day, Oleg Kobiakov participated in the conference “From field to counter” organized by the Association of European Business (AEB).

For the first time, this event was held with the support of all four industrial AEB Committees which are somehow related to the AIC. These are the Committee of Seed Producers, the Committee of Plant Protection Products Producers, the AIC Committee and the Food Industry Committee. Their area of activities conventionally begins in fields, with planting seeds, protecting them from pests, weeds and diseases, producing agricultural machinery, and ends on store shelves in the form of finished products.

The head of the FAO Moscow Office spoke about the decisions of the Food Systems Summit held in 2021 as part of the Decade of Action to Achieve the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) by 2030 and, in particular, about the consolidated opinion of its participants to avoid unjustified bans on the export of food and fertilizers.

Oleg Kobiakov also presented the concept of the FAO “Four Betters”, which serves as a guideline and support for achieving the three fundamental SDGs: SDG 1 (No poverty), SDG 2 (Zero hunger) and SDG 10 (Reduced inequalities). This FAO approach provides for better production, better nutrition, a better environment and a better life, while respecting the principle of “leaving no one behind”. 

FAO proceeds from the interconnectedness of agrifood systems, which is usually manifested in three main areas: agricultural productivity, environmental impact and social sustainability. FAO considers agriculture not only in the context of its production and macroeconomic functions, but also as a means of ensuring food security and resilience, as well as a tool to promote innovation, as an incentive for investment and partnership interaction.

“What is included in the concept of ‘production improvement’?” the head of the representative office of FAO in Moscow continued. “Firstly, it involves productivity enhancement, which increases the incomes of producers and the volume of goods available to the population. 

Secondly, it suggests sustainable agriculture contributing to increasing crop yields and improving food security, developing healthy ecosystems and rational nature resources management. 

Thirdly, it presupposes effective use of freshwater which allows meeting the needs of the population in terms of both irrigation and consumption, which increases its resistance to external influences.

Fourthly, it means sustainable forest management in the interest of generating double benefits – raising revenues of local populations and conserving resources.

On the way to achieving the SDGs in the global agricultural sector, many urgent tasks should be solved,” Oleg Kobiakov emphasized in conclusion. “It is necessary to increase investments in agriculture, science and innovation. There is a need to improve farmers’ access to new agricultural technologies, credit services and information resources. It is vital to support small-scale food producers, conserve plant and animal genetic resources for food production and agriculture and take measures to combat food price volatility.”

BACKGROUND INFORMATION

The International Coordinating Council on Trans-Eurasian Transportation (CCTT) is a non-commercial transport association. The CCTT consists of 80 companies from 19 countries, including railways of Europe, Asia and the CIS countries, leading shipping companies, operators, forwarders, ports and stevedoring companies, public organizations, administrations and scientific organizations, telecommunication and marketing companies, security services and mass media.   

The Greater Tumen Initiative (GTI) represents a mechanism of intergovernmental cooperation in North-East Asia which is supported by the UN Development Programme and includes four countries: The People’s Republic of China, the Republic of Korea, Mongolia and the Russian Federation.

The Association of European Business (AEB) is the main representation of foreign investors in the Russian Federation. Established in 1995, the AEB is an independent non-commercial organization uniting more than 500 companies operating in the Russian Federation. The AEB includes both large international corporations and small and medium enterprises from the European Union countries, the European Free Trade Organization and other regions of the world. The Association also comprises Russian, American, Japanese, Korean and Turkish companies. They are all united by their commitment to strengthening economic ties between the European Union and the Russian Federation, as well as their desire to improve the investment climate in the Russian Federation.