19th Session of the Commission on Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture (CGRFA) - Opening Remarks

19^th Session of the Commission on Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture (CGRFA)

Opening Remarks

By

Dr QU Dongyu, FAO Director-General

17 July 2023

 

Excellences,

Ladies and Gentlemen,

 

I am pleased to welcome you to the 19^th Session of the Commission on Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture.

 

We are at an important crossroads – at a time when global biodiversity and the health of our ecosystems are declining at an alarming rate. A time when global trends in urbanization, diets, employment and trade, compounded by the impacts of the climate crisis, are undermining our natural resources and putting at risk global food security.

 

We can see this phenomenon in the historic heat wave that is currently affecting Rome and many of the key cities across the world. We can see the high loss of biodiversity over the past 45 years due to urbanization and industrialization on the one hand, and global warming on the other.

 

We are all affected on this small global village we live in, and we need to work together to address the impacts collectively.

 

In the past 2 years since the last session of the Commission in 2021, important steps forward have been taking in affirming biodiversity on the global agenda.

 

In December 2021, the FAO Council endorsed the Framework for Action on Biodiversity for Food and Agriculture. This Framework addresses the whole of biodiversity for food and agriculture, including plant, animal and microbial germplasm. For plants we have gene banks across the world to preserve germplasm, but for animals and micro-organisms the situation is even worse and we therefore need to focus on them in particular.

 

The link between biodiversity conservation and agriculture is critical, and we need to ensure that all relevant government ministries, organizations, academia and all key partners work together to ensure collective responsibility and ownership.

 

In December 2022, the COP15 adopted the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework.

 

Both frameworks are fundamental for a new international biodiversity policy agenda, and FAO is committed to support its Members in implementing them.

 

Through the FAO Strategy on Mainstreaming Biodiversity across Agricultural Sectors and its Action Plan, we support Members in mainstreaming biodiversity and in strengthening the conservation and sustainable use of genetic resources for food and agriculture.

 

The new global biodiversity policy agenda therefore sends out a clear political message:

 

Biodiversity conservation needs agriculture, and agriculture depends on biodiversity and the services it provides. This includes: resistance to pests and diseases, soil and water conservation, pollination, healthy soils, and resilience and adaption to climate change.

 

For this reason, many targets under the Global Biodiversity Framework refer to food and agriculture.

 

Achieving the 2030 Agenda and transforming the world’s agrifood systems requires approaches that make sustainable use of, conserve and restore biodiversity for food and agriculture, while improving livelihoods and economies, healthy ecosystems and the supply of ecosystem services.

 

Genetic resources for food and agriculture, and biodiversity, are fundamental to achieving this transformation.

 

Over the past 40 years, the Commission has become a key intergovernmental body dealing with all matters specifically related to biodiversity for food and agriculture.

 

The Commission’s many achievements include among others:

• the International Treaty on Plant Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture;
• country-driven global assessments on biodiversity for food and agriculture;
• global plans of action for plant, animal, forest and aquatic genetic resources; and
• global information and monitoring systems that provide information on the status and management of genetic resources in countries.

 

Looking to the future, the Commission needs to continue working, together with relevant partners, in an efficient, effective and coherent manner to ensure that all components of biodiversity for food and agriculture are addressed in a holistic and integrated manner.

 

Scientific and technological advances provide new opportunities to unlock the full potential of biodiversity for food and agriculture to mitigate and adapt to the climate crisis, but we need to change the business model to see visible results for food security and nutrition.

 

And to transform global agrifood systems to be more efficient, inclusive, resilient and sustainable, for Better Production, Better Nutrition, a Better Environment and a Better Life – leaving no one behind.

 

I wish you a successful session with concrete recommendations and suggestions, which I will bring to the FAO Members.

 

Thank you.