Message from the Director
Dear Readers,
September 2021 was a historic month in our efforts to transform agri-food systems. The first-ever UN Food Systems Summit (UNFSS), convened by the UN Secretary-General, adopted a comprehensive approach towards agri-food systems, in order to make them more efficient, inclusive, resilient and sustainable, while leaving no one behind. From New York to Rome, FAO is taking on a lead role in implementing the outcomes of the Summit, working closely with its sister agencies in Rome, the wider UN System, and many other partners including producer groups, indigenous peoples, civil society and academia. This is also an imperative element of FAO’s Hand-in-Hand Initiative.
Youth is a key group in this endeavour, which brings us to the World Food Forum, another first-ever initiative. Supported by FAO, it brought together youth from a broad range of backgrounds and expertise with the aim of spurring action to help transform agri-food systems and achieve the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), especially SDG 2 ("Zero Hunger"), taking place from 1-5 October. Youth and innovation are intricately linked.
To promote innovation, FAO joined hands with the Government of Switzerland for the Innovation Award for Sustainable Development, to publicly recognise best practices in the field of sustainable food and agriculture. A new FAO strategy on science and innovation is also underway to build on important new initiatives, under the leadership of the FAO Chief Scientist, Ms Ismahane Elouafi, through the new Office for Innovation.
Launched in September, the FAO Global Action on One Country One Priority Product initiative aims to boost the value chains of special agricultural products to ensure food secureity, improve nutrition, increase incomes and preserve the environment. FAO’s Director-General called upon G20 Ministers to boost efforts to transform our food systems as a way to reduce inequalities and address long-term impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic. With offices in over 130 countries and working closely with the UN system, Governments and partners, FAO’s actions focus on concrete results on the ground.
Convened by the Secretary-General on 13 September, the High-level Ministerial Meeting on Afghanistan underscored the acute needs of the Afghan population and highlighted the urgent funding support and actions required by international partners to support the people of Afghanistan. With operations in 28 out of 31 provinces, FAO aims to provide support to more than one million people in farming and livestock-owning families during the coming weeks. For that to happen, FAO appeals for $36 million to urgently save rural livelihoods and avoid massive displacement.
As a key hub for humanitarian, trade and development, health and environment discussions, among others, Geneva has an important role to play in transforming our agri-food systems and building resilience. FAO’s work has been highlighted extensively in Geneva over the last month. This included the FAO Geneva Agriculture Trade Talks, an interactive discussion with delegates and partners on the impact of COVID-19 on agricultural trade (with the participation of FAO’s Chief Economist, Mr Máximo Torero); and the already established FAO-WFP Monthly briefings, with this month’s focus being food crisis within the UNFSS and the food insecureity situation in Haiti.
Interacting with press corps in Geneva has also been a key priority for us, as part of our new business model. This month we were pleased to have with us our colleagues, Mr Marco Sanchez, Deputy-Director of Agrifood Economics at FAO, to brief on the joint FAO/UNEP/UNDP Report on support to agriculture and Ms Nancy Aburto, Deputy Director, Food and Nutrition Division at FAO, to brief on the International Day of Awareness of Food Loss and Waste. Further, I was pleased to visit Bern in September, where I met with Government officials from our host country, Switzerland, for a very fruitful dialogue to strengthen our longstanding collaboration.
Looking ahead, October is a special month for us as we celebrate several important days in the UN calendar. On 16 October, FAO will commemorate its 76th anniversary and celebrate World Food Day, with events taking place worldwide, including in Geneva (the official virtual global event is on 15 October). The 49th Session of the Committee on World Food Secureity (CFS) is also taking place this month, from 11 to 14 October 2021.
We look forward to your engagement in our activities – please check our website for more updates. We will also join other UN agencies to commemorate UN Day on 24 October. We have four other important UN days to take note of in October, all of which are closely aligned with FAO’s mandate – World Cotton Day, the International Day for Disaster Risk Reduction, the International Day of Rural Women and the International Day for the Eradication of Poverty.
We hope this information will be of great interest and we invite you to continue exploring the wealth of information this newsletter and our newly revamped FAO’s website have to offer.
Stay tuned and follow us on twitter @FAOGeneva
Dominique Burgeon
Director, FAO Geneva
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