FAO’s Deputy Director-General Beth Bechdol calls to invest in agriculture, scale up anticipatory action and build resilient agrifood systems

29-30 April – FAO’s Deputy Director-General (DDG), Beth Bechdol, called for all stakeholders to rethink responses to food crises, urging greater investment in agriculture and the need for emergency agricultural aid as part of our response, during her recent two-day mission to New York.  

DDG Bechdol participated in the Joint General Assembly-ECOSOC Thematic Event "El Niño 2023-2024: Actions for the safety, sustainability, and resilience of people and the planet" and stressed the importance of dramatically improving our ability to anticipate, act swiftly, and build long-term climate resilience in the face of intensifying weather events. Effective anticipatory action is crucial to shield and better equip communities ahead of shocks, helping to save lives and protect livelihoods by preventing damage and losses to crops, livestock, productive lands, water and infrastructure.  

“We KNOW that we can get ahead of disasters, avert and minimize disaster impacts, and ultimately reduce humanitarian needs” she stressed during her statement, after highlighting country examples of FAO’s work in anticipatory action and preparedness ahead of disasters in Somalia, Madagascar, and Bolivia. This is work that FAO is currently carrying out in 23 countries vulnerable to the effects of El Niño. 

“Sophisticated weather data, advanced meteorological models and subsequent early warnings mean nothing unless they are followed by meaningful action,” she added.  

The event considered the new opportunities that recent advancements in climate predictions bring, and the range of actions required to turn enhanced scientific predictability into global, regional, national and local level plans and actions that minimize and address the socioeconomic and environmental impacts of the 2023-2024 El Niño phenomenon conditions on affected countries.  

DDG Bechdol also joined Reena Ghelani, Climate Crisis Coordinator for the El Niño / La Niña Response, at a UN Press Briefing by the Office of the Spokesperson for the Secretary-General on 29 April to urge swift action to tackle El Niño-induced weather events that are currently devastating southern Africa and other regions around the world. Many countries have declared a state of emergency, underscoring that there is no time to waste. DDG Bechdol emphasized the need for anticipatory action – to support farmers to protect their crops, fields and livestock – and highlighted FAO’s work in building agrifood systems that are resilient to climate change.  

Addressing Global Food Insecurity and Famine Risk – Roundtable Policy Dialogue 

During her visit, DDG Bechdol also addressed the Roundtable Policy Dialogue on Addressing Global Food Insecurity and Famine Risk: Reinforcing Collective Impact, co-organized by the Permanent Missions to the UN of Italy, Brazil, and Uganda, the Delegation of the European Union to the UN and the Global Network Against Food Crises. The event featured other high-level representatives from UN organizations and other members of the Global Network Against Food Crises, who shared reflections and discussed solutions based on the findings of the recently released Global Report on Food Crises 2024, which FAO contributed to. 

Bechdol highlighted a few alarming findings from the report and noted that “We are NOT making progress in moving people out of acute food insecurity conditions. It’s unacceptable that food insecurity and malnutrition have become our ‘new normal’.”  

“We need to rethink how we address food crises – investing in agriculture and making emergency agricultural aid part of our response to crises.” She concluded by calling on the international community to collectively action, “It’s time for us to do more, to do it better, to do it together and to do it now.”  

Leaders from UN organizations and representatives from Member States echoed the lack of progress made in addressing acute food insecurity and hunger based on the findings from the Global Report on Food Crises 2024 and underlined the importance of making it a priority by tackling the key drivers of food crises: conflicts, economic shocks, and extreme weather events. 

DDG Bechdol also met with other UN executives and Member States and discussed topics on FAO’s work in emergencies and anticipatory action, communications strategies, the UN Resolution on the International Year of the Woman Farmer, and other possible collaborations.