FAO Director-General highlights merits of Hand-in-Hand initiatives in Peru

Lima – Director-General QU Dongyu highlighted the benefits of FAO's Hand-in-Hand Initiative (HiH) during an informal meeting with Peruvian government officials on Friday.

During the meeting in Lima, which was organized by the Peruvian Ministry of Agrarian Development and Irrigation Reform, Qu noted that Peru has assumed a leading role in this flagship initiative, which aims to eliminate poverty, eradicate hunger and malnutrition, and reduce inequalities by promoting a market-based transformation of agri-food systems.

The Director-General began by recalling his first trip to Peru in the early 1980s and his time at the International Potato Center in the country. He emphasized that, as the birthplace of the potato, Peru's decision to feature this crop as its HiH product will not only benefit farmers but also underscore the nation’s leadership in protecting plant biodiversity, thereby contributing to the preservation of the species.

Qu further noted that with one in every eleven people worldwide experiencing hunger in 2023, there is an urgent need to transform and unlock the potential of global agrifood systems to sustainably provide good food for everyone, both today and in the future.

He emphasized that close cooperation between the public and private sectors, along with targeted financing and investment, are critical for making agrifood systems more efficient, more inclusive, more resilient, and more sustainable.

Qu also stressed the importance of significantly increasing cost-effective financing and targeted investment. He explained that the FAO Hand-in-Hand Initiative is an innovative and evidence-based based initiative designed to bridge the financing gap in a way that is inclusive and equitable, specifically targeting hunger and poverty where the population is most affected, leveraging the potential of agriculture.

The session was concluded by a Q&A session in which private sector entities and Peruvian stakeholders from across the agrifood systems were able to present their work and exchange views with the Director-General on how to accelerate agrifood systems transformation.

Since its inception in 2019, the Hand-in-Hand initiative has grown steadily, now comprising 73 member countries from Africa, Asia, Europe, Latin America, and the Near East.

At this year’s Hand-in-Hand Investment Forum, FAO supported Peru in presenting investment cases worth about $163.7 million for agricultural value chain projects related to native potatoes, avocados, Andean grains, and camelid products. These projects aim to benefit 24 000 direct and 92 000 indirect beneficiaries.

Additionally, Peruvian producer organizations held business roundtables with national and international buyers, marking significant progress in the country’s involvement in the Hand-in-Hand Initiative.

Peru also participated in a new regional initiative focused on the Amazon, which was presented at the Investment Forum. This initiative aims to strengthen regional cooperation and promote ecosystem-based management.

The FAO Hand-in-Hand Initiative supports the implementation of the FAO Strategic Framework 2022-31 and offers innovative tools designed to bridge the financing gap and scale up investment in food security and nutrition. These tools include a Geospatial Platform and advanced socio-economic methodologies to better identify obstacles and unlock agricultural potential using a territorial approach.