FAO at the Forum of the Countries of Latin America and the Caribbean on Sustainable Development 2025: Opening of the dialogues on regional action

FAO delivered an statement at the Forum of the Countries of Latin America and the Caribbean on Sustainable Development 2025 plenary session on ''Opening of the dialogues on regional action: Presentation of the eighth report on regional progress and challenges in relation to the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development in Latin America and the Caribbean".

Agrifood system transformation is central to the 2030 Agenda in LAC. Some progress has been made, however not at the scale and speed to achieve the necessary systemic transformation by 2030.

FAO estimates that closing the gender gap in farm productivity could boost global GDP by USD 1 trillion and reduce food insecurity for 45 million people. Meanwhile, overfished stocks continue to grow, demanding urgent attention to sustainable management practices. We must accelerate progress across several critical and interconnected SDG targets: improving health outcomes through the One Health Approach (SDG 3); implementing gender-transformative policies ensuring women's access to land rights and financial services (SDG 5); creating decent employment opportunities, especially for youth and vulnerable groups, while eradicating child labour in agriculture (SDG 8); implementing ecosystem-based, science-driven fisheries management while empowering small-scale operators (SDG 14); and strengthening science-policy interfaces through multistakeholder partnerships and innovative financing (SDG 17).

With just five years remaining until the 2030 Agenda deadline, allow us to emphasize to all Member States, stakeholders, and partners present here that UN Food Systems Summit +4 Stocktake, will take place on 27-29 July 2025 in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. It presents a critical opportunity to review progress, enhance accountability, and unlock investments for transformative action. The UNFSS+4 will showcase successful country-level transformations, highlight innovative practices, and address challenges in fragile and conflict-affected settings. It will also contribute to a coherent global narrative on sustainable development, fostering synergies across key SDG transitions to accelerate collective action toward resilient and inclusive food systems.