2nd Meeting of the Steering Committee for implementation of OCOP Opening Remarks

Excellences,

Ladies and Gentlemen,

Dear Colleagues,

Good afternoon from Rome.

I am pleased to be with you for this 2nd Meeting of the Steering Committee that oversees the implementation of the FAO One Country One Priority Product (OCOP) Initiative.

I have said it already. This platform is a mechanism that leads change, as well as recognizing the national branding of products.

We start with one, but I have always said “one plus N”. If you can do more it is ok, but you should do at least one, because only then can it be a game changer and a business change.

And I am pleased to see the progress achieved so far.

Each time I speak to one of the participating countries I realize that it I not only the Ministries of Agriculture that have understood the concept, but also the politicians have now understood the mechanism of how we are supporting them to change their business model to help them transform their agrifood system.

There are now over 60 countries interested in working together to develop more sustainable food value chains of Special Agricultural Products.

I want to personally thank you for your support in helping to shape, promote and mobilize the resources needed to get the initiative taking off and landing at the country level.

Some big countries have started to use our business model starting at the regional or provincial level. So, that is really the business change methodology and philosophy needed on how to transform agrifood systems.

Today, we will take stock of progress made, discuss priorities going forward, and set up a clear roadmap to guide us in achieving our objectives.

Dear colleagues,

Let me take a moment to revisit the beginnings of the OCOP. 

The initiative was developed to address global issues that are impacting agrifoods systems.

Its focus is on improving production, harvesting, storage, distribution, and consumption of agricultural products that are key to improving food security and nutrition globally.

One of the most important features of OCOP is that it is tailored to the specific needs of each country - it is not a one-size fits all approach.

This is reflected in the wide variety of Special Agricultural Products identified. And has also created the possibility to share agricultural commodities at the international level.

That is also the nature of the agrifood systems. Each country and region have their own natural advantages and disadvantages, along with the different products. That is why we can make more efficient use of natural resources for high quality products, and then ensure exports to other consumers in the other parts of the world, through international open and smooth trade.

It is also a way to build a mechanism on how to globally minimize the negative impacts of climate change because some countries, for example, are facing water scarcity and can still produce high quality watermelons. If you export watermelons, it means you export at least 85 percent of water.

Therefore, we have to consider the agrifood systems transformation with the impact on the environment as well. That is why it is a special entry point on how to integrate the social, economic and environmentally balanced approach.

These effects are wide ranging, and it is also important that we tap into the potential of underutilized crops that are not so famous internationally or nationally, but are more local special products, as well as forestry products and livestock to improve people’s livelihoods, provide income and boost nutrition at scale.

While this Steering Committee oversees the overall progress in implementation of the OCOP, it is the FAO Regional Offices.

Some of the FAO Regional Representatives are also participating today because the OCOP initiative is very important at the regional level, where you are more in touch with the ground and more specifically with the country’s needs. We count on you to lead implementation at the national, regional and global level.

With full engagement across the Organization, together with the Regional Organizing Groups and the National Task Forces. 

These structures ensure that projects receive all the needed support and that good practices across the countries are shared and replicated.

Dear colleagues,

We need to continue to scale up efforts.

Let me share with you four priorities I believe are important going forward:

First, we need to increase the visibility and impact of the OCOP. Not only with the technical community, but also with the political community, as well as the financial community.

The results are becoming visible, and we need to communicate our successful collaborations with and in countries.

I recently visited Cameroon and Morocco where this time I saw how successful they are in promoting OCOP because they have ensured that the non-agricultural people understand the concept.

In Morocco the Prime Minister and Minister of Agriculture are experts in agriculture, but also non-agricultural people are very well informed. They know what the special product from each county and province is, and then they can share high quality foods and products with them. Internationally, they want to promote one or two products for the international markets.

Second, we need to continue to mobilize resources.

Resources are there, but you need to promote them yourself, and with potential investors and donors, then you can make it more visible and impactful.

We need to make sure that all OCOP applicant countries can participate in the initiative.

At FAO, we have a first small fund to kick you off.

Third, promote large-scale implementation of the OCOP initiative.

We also need to build up the partnerships with the public-private partners (PPP), and the local governments that are willing to promote local products from the grass root up to the country level.

In every country in the world, local leaders are also willing to promote their local products at the provincial level and then to the national level.

We are focusing more on the national level, and we ask our partners in the country to encourage the provincial, county or regional levels.

Some countries have even more specific levels. I always take the example of the United States in the Napa Valley. If we did not promote the Napa Valley wine producers, nobody would know. It is a huge country and a small area.

Therefore, even in big countries, you still focus on some special areas, not only on the administrative name, county or province. In Europe they are called geographic indicators. In China, we also call them geographic areas and products.

Let us build on the work being done in the 16 identified demonstration countries. I also encourage the Secretariat to share best practices.

Earlier this year I asked the country offices like Nepal, Thailand and Sri Lanka, to share experiences, even on how to promote the Four Betters.

At the Cameroon Country Office I saw how they gathered all the advantages and integrated them together.

If you see some examples, you can base it on that and modify it through the FAO network first. Otherwise, you cannot convince your Ministers in your host country.

Therefore, through the FAO network, let us share on how to promote and demonstrate the OCOP.

Four, strengthen synergies between existing FAO flagship initiatives such as the Hand-in-Hand, the 1000 Digital Villages, and the Green Cities.

With the Green Cities Initiative now more and more politicians understand what the value for them is to transform their industrialization, urbanization and agricultural modernization.

I had a very intense discussion with the Prime Minister of Morocco and Prime Minister of Cameroon. I was surprised because they understood this very much beyond my expectations.

Within FAO, and especially the country offices, you should integrate all these initiatives. I do not want to launch a new initiative. That is why I invited Laurent Thomas as my Special Representatives to discuss with you how to build all the initiatives in one - that is so called “all in one”.

In Chinese there is a proverb that says: “When you see the rain from the sky there are so many lines, but when it reaches the ground, it is just one small piece.”

Those ideas come from the “all in one”: all the initiatives, Hand-in-Hand, 1000 Digital Villages, Green Cities, OCOP, and others.

For the Blue Transformation, if we develop aquaculture, it should be all in one city, village, town, province or country. This is what “all in one” means.

You should also discuss this with some potential Country Offices willing to lead all in one. You combine three or five initiatives together and land in the Four Better village, and then land in the Four Better County, and then on an island in Indonesia, so the “Four Better Island”.

From strategic thinking to action on the ground, and then partners will say that the FAO Strategic Framework is a flexible initiative – they are not only talking!

For the almost eight years I worked in the local government in China, I got support from different Ministers, but they only considered their own small silo or small initiative. But when it reaches the local government, we always try to implement it with different combinations and integrations based on different support from different Ministers.

These initiatives are complimentary and should be implemented seamlessly at the country or county level. Even in one specific valley, like the Napa Valley that covers several counties.

Let us say we have a Four Betters valley in Napa Valley. What it means, the wine maker first, then we can develop some aquaculture and then we promote a one valley one commodity. I will just give an example for you to understand it.

It is not a theoretical talk; you have to think in a different way. We said it is a one country OCOP, it is for the initiative to make an example and introduce the new potential partners.

Let us continue to work together in an effective, efficient, and coherent manner, in support of agrifood systems transformation for the Four Betters.

I said it already, OCOP is a leverage to lead the Four Betters villages, the Four Betters County, Four Betters island and Four Betters mountain. It depends on commodities, not only crop commodities: on one mountain maybe they have three, one is crops, one is livestock, and one is aquaculture.

Next year we will celebrate FAO’s 80th anniversary. It will become the first Specialized Agency to celebrate 80 years. We have one year and six months to go - so 18 months from now on!

What I discussed with DDG Beth Bechdol is to organize an exhibition next year for seeds and seedlings and asked her to contact the International Seeds Association and other relevant partners.

Then, we should encourage all the 194 Members to offer at least one special product. No matter whether you are developed or developing. Ideally, if you are a big country, you can bring ten.

Then FAO can become a real food and agricultural center for new products. That will create a real attraction, not only for the Members, for the Italian people, consumers and international partners. A front seat to food and especially the OCOP.

That will be a good celebration.

Please take the leading role. You can also consult with other divisions like forestry. Some countries might have a special product from forestry, some countries maybe from livestock and some maybe from fish.

I know that crops are easier to manage, but not limited to crop products.

Then you will get the Members’ ownership and partnership, that is the real driving force to lead the OCOP on the ground. Otherwise, we are only talking among ourselves with no marketing drive.

I always use the marketing drive as a driving force to lead the change on the ground, and the business model change at FAO.

Then in 2025 it will be one of the flagship activities. I hope that before this summer you will give me a concept note on how to organize the event.

Let us open our minds to be even more meaningful in what we do!

Thank you!