FAO.org

In view of severe consequences posed by climate change on the agricultural, rural and land use sectors, particularly for developing countries and food security, a ”Private Sector Stakeholder Consultation and Dialogue on World Food Security and the Challenges of Climate Change and Bioenergy“, was organized by the FAO Investment Centre Division, from 27 to 28 March 2008, at FAO headquarters in Rome, with the support of the Global Mechanism of the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD) and FAO’s Natural Resources Management and Environment Department.

Collaboration with the private sector will play a crucial role in successfully integrating climate change mitigation and adaptation into national development programming and in creating investment opportunities to support UNCCD implementation. The participants also represented other Rome-based UN agencies: the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) and the World Food Programme (WFP), and major private companies working in food production, energy and investment. They discussed policy options, recommendations and opportunities for public-private sector partnerships in response to the food security challenges of climate change and bioenergy.

Key messages were developed for presentation at the “High-Level Conference on Food Security and the Challenges of Climate Change and Bioenergy”, to be hosted by FAO from 3 to 5 June 2008 in Rome. These include a recommendation for the development of an investment facility to promote climate change mitigation and adaptation projects in the agricultural, rural and land use sectors. Such an investment facility would function as the main tool through which the “Rome Initiative 2007” – led by FAO and the GM - will continue dialogue on promoting investments in emission reductions and rural development.