FAO Statement at the First Preparatory Committee Meeting for the Fourth International Conference on Small Island Developing States
Statement by Angélica Jácome, Director of the FAO Office of Small Island Developing States, Least Developed Countries and Landlocked Developing Countries
22/01/2024
Thank you, distinguished Co-Chairs.
SIDS confront multiple, interconnected challenges including vulnerability to climate change, natural disasters and external economic shocks; fragile ecosystems; heavy reliance on food imports, high rates of malnutrition- including overweight and obesity- and non-communicable diseases as well as high levels of debt.
Charting the course toward resilient prosperity in SIDS requires integrated, inclusive and transformative actions, increased collaboration and partnerships, and robust financing- where agrifood systems are seen as part of the solution.
In recognition of the above, FAO has prioritized the transformation of agrifood systems in SIDS through various programmes and initiatives, including Hand-in-Hand Initiative, the Digital Villages Initiative, and the Blue Transformation Roadmap.
FAO also established an Office of Small Island Developing States, Least Developed Countries and Landlocked Developing Countries; launched the SIDS Solutions Platform; and convened the High-Level Ministerial Event Transforming agrifood systems to achieve the 2030 Agenda: Harnessing the potential of Small Island Developing States, Least Developed Countries and Landlocked Developing Countries, where Ministers issued a Call for Action and requested the establishment of a Ministerial Network.
FAO has also supported SIDS to access climate financing through a robust and growing portfolio of 133 million from the Green Climate Fund, as well as USD 280 million in grants and USD 1.4 billion in co-financing from the Global Environmental Facility.
At UNFCCC COP 28, FAO launched part one of the Global Roadmap: Achieving SDG 2 without breaching the 1.5C threshold aimed at offering a package of solutions to provide good food for all, today and tomorrow.
Before closing, FAO reiterates its commitment to support SIDS to transform their agrifood systems to be MORE efficient, inclusive, sustainable, and resilient, as well as to develop and implement, hand-in-hand with SIDS, an action-oriented blueprint for the next decade.