Nizami Ganjavi International Center Board of Trustees Meeting “How to end hunger and poverty: vision for a better world”

Nizami Ganjavi International Center Board of Trustees Meeting

“How to end hunger and poverty: vision for a better world”

Speech

By

Dr QU Dongyu, FAO Director-General

As prepared

 28 April 2022

 

Excellences,

Ladies and Gentlemen,

 

1.         I am pleased to address the leaders who have dedicated to improving the world, and continue to do so. 

 

2.         Today we come together to understand how we can end hunger and poverty, and address food security,  health security and social security in a holistic manner.

 

3.         We live in challenging times.

 

4.         Our agrifood systems need a paradigm shift, and must be transformed.

 

5.         Not only must we provide enough food for the 811 million people who are hungry today, but we must also think of the additional 2 billion people we will have to feed by 2050.

 

6.         It is now more than two years that the COVID-19 pandemic continues to negatively impact our lives, our health,  our social-economies,

 

7.         Hitting the poorest, the hardest as they face greater exposure to the pandemic, and are the most affected by rising food and fuel prices.

 

8.         This month, food prices, as we measure them by the FAO Food Price Index, reached a new all-time high, up 12.6% from February, with a large increase for the price of cereals price up 17.1%, and vegetable oils 23.2%.

 

9.         In particular, prices for staple foodstuffs such as wheat and vegetable oils have been soaring lately, imposing extraordinary costs on global consumers, particularly the poorest.

 

10.       The war in Ukraine has made matters even worse.

 

11.       With energy prices rising in parallel with food prices, the purchasing power of vulnerable consumers has further decreased.

 

12.       This additional burden comes at a time when higher health spending and the costs of controlling the pandemic are already squeezing the budgets of many governments and people.

 

13.       Furthermore, the rise in fertilizer prices we are experiencing today could lead to lower fertilizer use next season and possibly beyond, with the real prospect of lower food productivity resulting in even higher food prices.

 

14.       This would potentially result in even more undernourished people in 2022 and in the years to come.

 

Ladies and Gentlemen,

 

15.       Despite the enormous challenges that threaten our efforts to end global hunger and poverty, I remain cautiously optimistic.

 

16.       I was born the son of a rice grower in a Chinese village in the 1960s.

 

17.       At that time, China was enduring a nationwide starvation.

 

18.       The feeling of hunger has been engraved into my memory ever since I was a small child.

 

19.       When I was 12 years old, I came to learn about Professor Yuan Longping’s hybrid rice for the first time.

 

20.       That is when I realized that problems could also be the drivers of progress.

 

21.       I understood that agricultural technology holds the power to produce more food for all the people.

 

22.       I made up my mind that when I grew up I would devote myself to agriculture, work for farmers, and promote rural development by all tools in the toolbox.

 

23.       Freedom from hunger is a basic human right.

 

24.       In the 21st century, we have all the necessary conditions, knowledge and capacities to eradicate hunger.

 

25.       Agrifood systems hold the key to achieving the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development,

 

26.       And agriculture is the most inclusive tool to end poverty and hunger.

 

27.       Today, as Director-General of FAO my vision is that of a world with better production, better nutrition, a better environment, and a better life for all, leaving no one behind – the Four Betters.

 

28.       The Four Betters are also at the core of the FAO Strategic Framework for the next 10 years.

 

29.       Better production means increasing farming incomes through higher yields, enhanced labour productivity, optimized resource utilization, and an increased market for agricultural products.

 

30.       This requires integrating and up-scaling technology in agriculture and less food loss.

 

31.       Better nutrition means increasing agricultural productivity to produce enough, safe and high quality food for healthy growth and development of people; it also includes ensuring efficient and sustainable production, along with balanced consumption and zero food waste.

 

32.       A better environment means developing precision and circular agriculture, which optimizes the use of water, land, pesticides and fertilizers. Produce more with less inputs and less negative impacts on environment.

 

33.       We must develop green & climate-resilient agriculture, promote the sustainable management of forests and marine resources to protect biodiversity, and maintain ecological landscapes.

 

34.       A better life for all means helping the vulnerable (SIDS, LDCs and LLDCs and conflict areas) in the world by Hand in Hand Initiative, promoting inclusive rural transformation by scaling-up investment and facilitating access for the rural poor to assets, services, finance, decent work, and improved livelihoods and business opportunities.

 

35.       We must remove the constraints faced by women from participating in, and benefiting equally from, this process of transformation, and we must promote the empowerment of the youth – we must ensure that no one is left behind.

Ladies and Gentlemen,

 

36.       The FAO Strategic Framework 2022-31 aims to support the 2030 Agenda through the transformation to more efficient, inclusive, resilient and sustainable agrifood systems.

 

37.       To achieve this transformation we need a holistic approach to minimize trade-offs using data, science, technologies and innovation, and enabling policies.

 

38.       We are currently developing the first FAO Science and Innovation Strategy, to prioritize science, innovative solutions and technological tools, in full alignment with the 2030 Agenda.

 

39.       The Strategy will place science and innovation at the core of all our work over the next decade.

 

40.       Recent FAO flagship initiatives are further concrete examples of our commitment to strengthening the Organization’s leadership role on science and innovation as drivers for the transformation of agrifood systems.

 

41.       Let me mention 3 of them:

 

42.       The Hand-in-Hand Initiative, which is based on a geospatial data platform, identifies gaps in rural transformation and matches countries with partners to deliver tangible results.

 

43.       The One Country One Priority Product Initiative helps countries develop inclusive, profitable and environmentally sustainable value chains of special agro-products.

 

44.       The 1000 Digital Villages Initiative puts digitalization at the core of rural transformation and prosperity by converting villages across the world into digital hubs.

Ladies and Gentlemen,

 

45.       My vision and firm commitment is rooted in transformative partnerships, which generates game-changing solutions to address the complex set of agrifood system challenges and achieve the SDGs.

 

46.       But we cannot do this alone, we need to work collectively towards our common goal.

 

47.       Cooperation and partnerships are essential to finding innovative solutions for the growing and complex challenges facing our agrifood systems.

 

48.       In collaboration with our partners, FAO focuses on developing and sharing knowledge and expertise and harnessing the foremost technologies and innovations,

 

49.       To deliver on our shared goals of feeding the world, nurturing the planet, advancing equitable livelihoods and building resilient ecosystems.

 

50.       Let us work together to end hunger and poverty for a better world.

 

51.       Thank you.