FAO at the Forum of the Countries of Latin America and the Caribbean on Sustainable Development 2025: Goal 17 – Partnerships for the goals

Duclair Sternadt,  FAO Regional Office for Latin America and the Caribbean, delivered an statement at the Forum of the Countries of Latin America and the Caribbean on Sustainable Development 2025 panel on ''Goal 17 – Partnerships for the goals".

Achieving the 2030 Agenda requires renewed commitment to SDG 17 through enhanced partnerships, increased financing, improved data, and strengthened science-policy interfaces. Transforming agrifood systems is essential for achieving multiple SDGs, and SDG 17 provides the foundation to mobilize the political will, investments, and collaborative action required.

Official development assistance for food security and nutrition remains insufficient and misaligned. From 2017 to 2021, less than a quarter of total ODA addressed key drivers of food insecurity. Defining clear aid targets and scaling up investments is critical to supporting agrifood system transformation. Mobilizing private sector capital, leveraging innovative finance (e.g., blended finance, carbon markets, fintech), and de-risking investments are key to bridging the funding gap, especially for small-scale producers and SMEs.

Global trade must be fair, open, and rules-based. Strengthening multilateralism, with the WTO at its core, and enhancing regional integration through trade agreements can drive sustainable development. Transparent markets, supported by reliable data—such as through the G20 Agricultural Market Information System —reduce volatility and guide evidence-based decisions.

Technology transfer is essential to close productivity gaps and ensure inclusive, sustainable growth in agriculture, especially in low- and middle-income countries. Yet, many innovations remain inaccessible at the local level. Stronger partnerships are needed to bring science, technology, and innovation to scale.

Data and statistics are fundamental for accountability and action, but investments in statistical capacity remain inadequate. Scaling up data systems, particularly disaggregated data, is critical to track progress and design targeted interventions.

FAO emphasizes that inclusive, multi-stakeholder partnerships—spanning governments, IFIs, private sector, academia, and civil society—are vital to achieve the SDGs. Only through shared ownership, knowledge exchange, and collective action can we deliver on sustainable agrifood systems and ensure no one is left behind.