FAO welcomed as the Swiss Salon’s international guest of honor
Salon visitors encouraged to take action for ZeroHunger
FAO was the international guest of honour at the 2017 Salon Goûts et Terroirs, a Swiss cultural and gastronomic exhibition that took place from 29 November - 3 December.
FAO’s teams from Rome and Geneva have been working closely with the Office fédéral de l’agriculture (OFAG) and the Permanent Representation of Switzerland to the Rome-based UN agencies to introduce FAO’s mission to the broader Swiss population. FAO’s participation in the Salon was an important opportunity to foster this dialogue with the general public.
The Opening Ceremony of the Salon on 30 November was attended by FAO’ s Deputy Director-General, Maria Helena Semedo along with the Swiss Federal Counsellor, Johann N. Schneider-Ammann.
Semedo gave the welcome address of the 1 December event, co-organized with the “Origin, Diversity & Territory” Forum. At this same event, FAO’s Special Goodwill Ambassador for Zero Hunger in Europe and President of Slow Food International, Carlo Petrini, gave a keynote speech highlighting the crucial role smallholder farmers play in sustainable and healthy food systems.
FAO also had a stand at the Salon that showcased the Organization’s work in achieving the Sustainable Development Goals and the work towards Zero Hunger, presenting simple actions that we can all make to preserve the earth’s natural resources, eat better, waste less and become more climate-smart.
The stand included a shop for products of small producers of the Mountain Partnership and the Forum “Origin, Diversity and Territories.” It also featured a discovery area with a food truck where healthy menus were prepared using pulses and other nutritious ingredients. This area also presented best practices in how to avoid food waste and how to make environmentally-friendly consumption choices.
Presenting the topics in a simplified and interactive way, these areas highlighted FAO’s work in sustainable agriculture, rural development, biodiversity, food loss and waste and nutrition.
The Salon was one example of Switzerland's wide-ranging collaboration with FAO and clearly demonstrates the country’s commitment to our common goals of food security and sustainable agricultural development.