FAO CONFERENCE 40TH SESSION - Side Event

The 2030 Agenda lays out an ambitious road map to end poverty and hunger and achieve sustainable social and economic development while protecting the environment.

By adopting Sustainable Development Goal 2 (SDG2), Member States committed to “End hunger, achieve food security and improved nutrition and promote sustainable agriculture” by 2030. The experience with Millennium Development Goal 1 – “Eradicate extreme poverty and hunger” has shown that a “business as usual approach” is not good enough. Investment in hunger and poverty eradication needs to be significantly increased and issues that affect food security, nutrition and the management of our natural resource base need to be dealt with in an integrated way. Investing in the comprehensive vision of SDG2 can catalyse achievement right across the 2030 Agenda.

Despite good progress made over the last two decades, much remains to be done: 793 million people are chronically undernourished; over two billion people are suffering from ”hidden hunger”; and 600 million are obese. Moreover, problems of food insecurity, malnutrition and poverty have become more complex due to the impacts of population growth, climate change, urbanization and changing dietary patterns. The “Zero Hunger” side event will demonstrate how FAO, IFAD and WFP are working together to help countries achieve Zero Hunger and implement the 2030 Agenda.

The event will showcase the experiences of three countries in the context of Regional Zero Hunger processes in Africa, Asia and the Pacific, and Latin America and the Caribbean. It will open a dialogue on lessons learned, gaps and opportunities for increasing the impact of national, regional and global Zero Hunger efforts.

Furthermore, this event will provide elements for FAO to strengthen its support to countries through its Regional Zero Hunger Initiatives, as vehicles for increased partnership with regional and national organizations. Regional organizations are key actors for raising political commitment and for improving the capacities of governments and stakeholders.

Agenda

Rome-based Agencies (RBA) collaboration to accelerate the achievement of Zero Hunger.

Introduction by Daniel J. Gustafson, Deputy Director-General, Programmes, FAO.

Remarks by

■ José Graziano da Silva, Director-General, Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO).

■ David Beasley, Executive Director, World Food Programme (WFP).

■ Gilbert Houngbo, President of The International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD).

Panel discussion
ZERO HUNGER
Global, regional and national synergies to achieve SDG2.
Panel to be facilitated by Daniel J. Gustafson, Deputy Director-General, Programmes, FAO.

Keynote Address
H.E. Phil Hogan, EU Commissioner for Agriculture and Rural Development.

Panellists

LATIN AMERICA

CELAC’s Plan to end hunger by 2025
H.E. Hugo Roger Martinez Bonilla, Minister for Foreign Affairs, The Republic of El Salvador, Chair of Community of Latin American and Caribbean States (CELAC) in 2017.

AFRICA
Malabo Declaration
H.E. Eyasu Abraha, Minister for Agriculture and Natural Resources, The Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia.

ASIA
Zero Hunger Regional Initiative
H.E. Dr Liane Thykeo, Minister for Agriculture and Forestry, Lao People’s Democratic Republic.

GLOBAL
CFS perspective on Zero Hunger
H.E Amira Gornass, Ambassador of the Republic of Sudan, Chair of the Committee on World Food Security (CFS).

Questions and Answers.