COP28 UN System Pavilion: Agrifood systems transformation to achieve triple wins: for people, for climate and for nature Opening Remarks

COP28

UN System Pavilion:

Agrifood systems transformation to achieve triple wins: for people, for climate and for nature

Opening Remarks

By

Dr QU Dongyu, FAO Director-General

 

2 December 2023

 

Excellencies,

Ladies and Gentlemen,

 

Achieving the 2030 Agenda and the SDGs is only possible if we transform our agrifood systems to be more efficient, more inclusive, more resilient and more sustainable.

 

A transformation that is urgently needed to ensure nutritious and healthy diets for 7 billion people today, and 10 billion by 2050.

 

A transformation that ensures a just transition for the 80% of global rural poor who depend, directly or indirectly, on agrifood systems for their livelihoods.

 

A transformation that empowers and provides decent employment to more than one billion  people employed by the sector worldwide.

 

Let’s look at where we are today.  Over 700 million people live  in hunger.

 

Agrifood systems emit 30% of greenhouse gas emissions globally and are a leading cause of deforestation, land degradation, ocean pollution, and ecosystem degradation.

 

FAO estimates the hidden costs of agrifood systems on our health, environment and society to amount to at least USD 10 trillion.

 

But I have not come here to set out all the challenges – you are well aware of them. I have come here with a clear message and positive message: agrifood systems solutions are climate solutions! They are also solutions for biodiversity, poverty, and health.

 

They underpin FAO’s Strategic Framework for the next decade and shape our priority areas of work.

 

To deliver these solutions we need collaboration across countries, communities, the private sector, research institutions, international organizations and all partners to:

 

ONE: set enabling policies and adequate institutional and regulatory frameworks;

 

TWO: scale up innovation and digital solutions;

 

THREE: invest in agrifood systems that are good for people, climate, and nature; and

 

FOUR: reach the smallholder farmers and producers.

 

Yesterday, the COP28 UAE Presidency stressed that any path to fully achieve the Paris Agreement must include agriculture and food systems.

 

The COP28 Declaration sets out intentions to work collaboratively and quickly to scale up action to:

• reduce the vulnerability of all farmers and producers,
• promote food security and nutrition,
• strengthen integrated management of water, and
• maximize climate and environmental benefits through agrifood systems.

 

It is up to us to turn these intentions into action, and we are not starting from square one.

 

Under the umbrella of this year’s World Food Forum held at FAO headquarters in October, the Science and Innovation, and Investment fora mobilized countries, investors, youth, farmers, scientists and Indigenous Peoples around the theme: “Agrifood systems transformation accelerates climate action”.

 

It highlighted the importance of working together on concrete and bold actions, the need to leverage investments, and the power of science and innovation for the transformation of global agrifood systems.

 

The Sharm El Sheikh Joint work on implementation of climate action on agriculture and food security launched at COP27, will advance at COP28.

 

We must continue to build on this momentum.

 

As we proceed at COP28, and beyond, we need to keep three elements in mind:

 

First, financing must be strategic.

 

In 2021, only 20 percent of climate finance was allocated to agrifood systems – 12 percent less than the previous year.

 

The unique potential of agrifood systems to tackle the climate crisis can only be realized by scaling up and targeting investments in agrifood systems solutions and actions.

 

We are operating under challenging and competitive economic conditions. We need to make sure our investments are tactical and bear results for climate, nature, and people.

 

This is why the Food and Agriculture for Sustainable Transformation partnership initiative, launched by the Egyptian Presidency at COP27 to boost the quality and quantity of climate finance for  agrifood systems, must be accelerated under the COP28 UAE Presidency.

 

Second, action must be integrated and coherent.

 

Climate, biodiversity, food, water, land, and energy challenges are interlinked.

 

Agrifood systems are solutions at the crossroad of these challenges and should be streamlined in national commitments to address them holistically.

 

For example, FAO, IFAD and WFP collaborate on a number of joint projects, such for example the GEF-supported integrated programme on food systems led by FAO and IFAD, to assist countries with their sustainable agrifood system transition.

 

Third, we must be inclusive, leaving no one behind.

 

Transforming to MORE efficient, resilient and sustainable agrifood systems must be equitable, inclusive of Indigenous Peoples and gender and youth responsive.

 

Small-scale farmers, herders, fishers and fish farmers, forest dwellers, food workers and their families are the stewards of our natural resources and provide over one-third  of the world’s food. Yet they face the greatest losses from the impacts of the climate crisis.

 

The FAO Report on Loss and Damage launched here yesterday clearly shows that agriculture is the most impacted sector, as reflected in Nationally Determined Contributions.

 

Agrifood systems transformation must reach the communities at the frontline, including youth - this is their future to inherit.

 

Political will for agrifood systems transformation is increasing.

 

We have the science, innovation, and technology needed to produce more with less. The benefits of investing in agrifood solutions are clearer than ever. The wind is at our back with immense opportunities lie ahead.

 

Let us sail together to achieve triple wins: for people, for climate and for nature.

 

Thank you.