The 2021 International Seminar on Global Poverty Reduction Partnerships was held in Beijing on Oct. 19 and featured the “Post-COVID-19 Global Rural Development and Poverty Reduction: Innovations for Agri-Food Systems Transformation” theme.

As the fifth annual seminar, this year’s session was organized by three United Nations Rome-based agencies (RBAs) – the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) and World Food Programme (WFP) – in cooperation with the International Poverty Reduction Center in China (IPRCC), and China Internet Information Center (CIIC). More than 120 participants from governments, academia, international organizations, NGOs, and the private sector attended the conference in person, and high-level representatives from the UN and officials from developing countries participated via videoconference.

The seminar focused on interventions and innovations that have been implemented and are being considered by development actors in the post-COVID-19 era and provided an opportunity for its audience and participants to discuss China’s development experience and how it can further empower global poverty reduction governance, highlight the work that UN entities have done alleviating poverty and food insecurity; and explore opportunities to strengthen partnerships, especially through the South-South and Triangular cooperation frameworks.

Based on the United Nations Food Systems Summit (UNFSS) held in September, the first section of the seminar discussed the key information of the United Nations Food System Summit (UNFSS) and follow-up actions related to rural poverty reduction, and exchanged how to face the impact of COVID-19 pandemic on food access and poverty. The second section discussed the application of new technologies and new measures in promoting agri-food systems transformation, poverty reduction and rural development.

On Oct. 19, 106 of the case studies that were collected during the second call of the Global Solicitation on Best Poverty Reduction Practices were recognized for their excellence at the 2021 International Seminar on Global Poverty Reduction Partnerships in Beijing. Five cases involved FAO have been selected. The third round of solicitation was also launched at the event.