Page 15 - Vol.37-No.3 issue

FOOD PROCESSING

TRANSFORMING AGRI-FOOD SYSTEMS IS

POWERFUL LEVER FOR ACHIEVING GLOBAL GOALS

A holistic redesign of the world›s
agri-food systems can make outsized
contributions to achieving global
pledges such as ending hunger by
2030, FAO Director-General QU
Dongyu said in a keynote lecture at
Italy›s historic Accademia Nazionale
dei Lincei.
“Agri-food systems are the world›s
largest economic system, measured
in terms of employment, livelihoods
and planetary impact,” Qu said, noting
that four billion people are employed
directly or indirectly in food systems,
in which poverty and hunger are
nonetheless endemic.
“Transforming our food systems
is among the most powerful ways to
change course and make progress afford healthy diets; and one in 10 scale producers and green innovation
towards all 17 SDGs and ‘build back people are affected by unsafe food are all key parts of the path forward.
better› from COVID19-,” Qu told the supplies. He also pointed to the scale of
audience. global food loss and waste and the fact Better Nutrition means ending
After his presentation, Qu also that 80 percent of the world›s extreme hunger, promoting nutritious foods
and increasing access to healthy diets,
participated in a round-table on science poor live in rural areas and work in which can be buoyed by tackling food
diplomacy with Joachim Von Braun, agriculture. loss and waste and making sure that
President of the Pontifical Academy of Dramatic improvements are needed markets and trade are accessible and
Sciences, Director of Germany›s Center in these areas, including reducing both open.
for Development Research (ZEF) and undernourishment and obesity to
Chair of the Scientific Group for the below five percent of the population Better Environment involves
2021 Food Systems Summit, and Lincei in all countries, substantially reducing protecting, restoring and promoting
President Giorgio Parisi, a theoretical inequalities, and progress towards a sustainable use of terrestrial and
physicist who has done pioneering host of environment and climate related marine ecosystems, promoting a good
work in statistics and complexity, targets. environment for farming systems, and
«disordered systems» and the dynamics combating climate change through
of Rome›s whirling storms of starlings. Director-General Qu›s lectio reduction, reutilization, recycling and
The Director-General›s presentation magistralis was part of a series of residual management approaches.
Conserving biodiversity, including
high-profile speeches at the Lincei, a
called for more «system thinking», in scientific institute dating back to the agrobiodiversity and dietary diversity,
a broad spectrum of areas including early 17th century that once counted is a critical spur to action on this front.
policies, business models and even Galileo as a member. Among those
culture. Better Life can be achieved by
invited to the series, which focuses on reducing inequalities - between urban
global challenges needing multilateral and rural areas, rich and poor, and men
solutions, are Monsignor Paul Richard and women - and promoting inclusive
Gallagher, the Vatican›s Secretary for economic growth.
Relations with States; European Central
Bank President Christine Lagarde; and The Director-General added
International Atomic Energy Agency that FAO’s signature Hand-in-Hand
Director-General Rafael Mariano Initiative is aimed at boosting rural
Grossi. transformation, urban food systems and
resilient agri-food systems by scaling
The Four Betters up appropriate investments.
Currently 34 countries have joined
Director-General Qu elaborated a
Focusing on the need to move from strategic approach framed by what he the programme, which is based
strategy to action, he outlined how calls the “Four Betters”. on matchmaking between suitable
today›s agri-food systems are “not partners and an overarching targeting
delivering”, noting that as many as Better Production requires ensuring of the world›s poorest.
690 million people are chronically efficient sustainable consumption The lecture today, attended by senior
undernourished, with the COVID19- and production patterns, inclusive figures from Italy’s government and
pandemic projected to add more than food and agriculture supply chains academic institutions, was carried live
100 million; one in five children are at local, regional and global levels. by Italy’s state television broadcaster
stunted; three billion people cannot Digital agriculture, attention to small- RAI. Circle 17 on enquiry card

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