Page 17 - AWA Vol.37 No.4

FOOD PRODUCTS & PROCESSING EQUPMENT

EU AND FAO CALL FOR THE TRANSFORMATION

OF AGRI-FOOD SYSTEMS

The European Union (EU) and the act quickly and globally to make our In many cases, the causes of food
Food and Agriculture Organization of food systems sustainable. The FAO will insecurity are geopolitical, and can
the United Nations (FAO) have agreed have a leading role in the internation- only be solved through international
to increase joint efforts to transform al work to achieve the United Nations’ cooperation and multilateralism.
agri-food systems, in order to make Sustainable Development Goals. Our
them more inclusive, efficient, resilient joint priorities include the fight against EU-FAO Strategic
and sustainable. antimicrobial resistance, the promotion Dialogue
The FAO Director-General QU of agricultural systems that are respect-
The 2021 Strategic Dialogue focus-
Dongyu and EU Commissioners for In- ful of the environment and the preven- es on five priority areas: food systems
ternational Partnerships, Jutta Urpilain- tion of food loss and waste.” and One Health; climate change, bio-
en; for Health and Food Safety, Stella Commissioner for Agriculture, Janusz diversity and natural resources; food
Kyriakides; and for Agriculture, Janusz Wojciechowski said: “I am convinced crises, food security and resilient live-
Wojciechowski, spoke at the launch of that the EU and FAO have a common lihoods; sustainable agri-food value
the 2021 EU-FAO Strategic Dialogue. priority to advance the global sustaina- chain investments and policies, and
They also exchanged views on global bility, climate and animal welfare agen- food system transformation through
challenges related to the fight against das. The unprecedented crisis we are digitalisation.
hunger and all forms of malnutrition, living today has only reinforced the
the need to preserve biodiversity and importance of working together. As
natural resources, as well as the im- set in the Farm to fork strategy, the
portance of food safety and the One- Commission is focusing on enabling
Health approach for the prevention of the transition to sustainable food sys-
pandemics. tems. For instance, the new Common
Commissioner for International Part- Agricultural Policy will support Euro-
pean farmers throughout this transition.
nerships, Jutta Urpilainen said: “In the However, we cannot do this alone. The
context of the global COVID-19 pan- transformation of agri-food systems
demic, more and more people are fac- needs to happen at global level. I look
ing growing food insecurity. This is a forward to working together on such a
complex issue and we will continue crucial topic.”
working on the world stage to tack- The EU and FAO cooperate closely
le the root causes. Our longstanding The meeting valued the bold steps on agriculture, fisheries, forestry, bi-
partnership with the FAO is critical to the EU has taken with its Green Deal odiversity, food security, food crises
help us address global challenges. I and especially towards sustainable food and food safety. In the last three years
welcome our continued close cooper- systems with the Farm-to-Fork Strategy, cooperation agreements of a value of
ation on agriculture, fisheries, forestry, by keeping this essential transforma- about EUR 540 (USD 650) million were
biodiversity, food security, food crises tion at the heart of its core policies. signed, many with respect to interna-
and food safety.” Participants also acknowledged the tional cooperation and the response
new FAO Strategic Framework 2022- to food crises; the EU and its Member
2031 as a clear path to sustainably States provide over 30 percent of FAO’s
transform agri-food systems, making voluntary resources.
them more efficient, inclusive, resilient
and sustainable for better production,
better nutrition, a better environment,
and a better life, leaving no one behind.
ADVERTISE
The meeting looked forward to the ADVER TISE
upcoming United Nations Food Systems
Summit in New York in September and

IN
THE ARAB
the Pre-Summit in Rome in July, which IN THE ARAB
will aim to spur transformative chang-
WORLD
es in the way the world produces and WORLD
FAO Director-General QU said: “We handles food.
underscore our continued determina-
AGRIBUSINESS

tion to defeat hunger and poverty and Taking a global approach AGRIBUSINESS
to achieve the 2030 Agenda for Sustain- In the context of a deteriorating food
able Development. Through this Stra- security situation globally, a record
MAGAZINE

tegic Dialogue, we are entering into a number of people are facing acute MAGAZINE
new chapter of our relationship marked hunger and require humanitarian as-
AND PROMOTE
by the urgency to act in a coordinated sistance. AND PROMOTE
manner to support the much needed
Participants agreed that more action
agri-food systems transformation.” is needed to build the sustainability
YOUR
Commissioner for Health and Food and resilience of agri-food systems in YOUR
Safety, Stella Kyriakides said: “The fragile contexts, along with stepped up
PRODUCTS
Farm to Fork Strategy, at the core of efforts to reduce conflicts in the world PRODUCTS
the Green Deal, sets a strategic vision and ensure social protection to vulner-
to transform the way we produce, dis- able populations.
tribute and consume food. We need to
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Vol. 37 No. 4 15