Page 9 - Vol. 39-No.4 issue

FOOD PRODUCTS AND PROCESSING EQUIPMENT

FAO COUNCIL BEGINS, MEMBERS DISCUSS THE ORGANIZATION’S

PROGRAMME OF WORK AND BUDGET 2024-25

QU Dongyu, Director-General of the Making sure that FAO has adequate re- (SOFI). Such rapid trends pose challenges
Food and Agriculture Organization of the sources to lead joint efforts to tackle global but could present “revolutionary oppor-
United Nations (FAO), asked Members to food insecurity is atop the agenda, and tunities,” Qu said.
muster budgetary consensus to enable pro- the Director-General is calling for restoring FAO has addressed a range of topics
gress on the path towards achieving the the Organization’s purchasing power after ranging from the Status of Women in Agri-
Four Betters – Better Production, Better 12 years of flat nominal budgets despite food Systems, biodiversity and aquaculture
Nutrition, a Better Environment and a Bet- inflationary trends that has now reached to notable initiatives in the area of water
ter Life for all, leaving no one behind – and a critical tipping point. scarcity. “It is time to use these knowledge
remain at the forefront of global efforts to “While we continuously seek to identify products,” he urged.
respond to the food security crisis. efficiency savings, any further reductions
Working across sectors to find solutions
Hailing colleagues for results achieved would result in a corresponding reduction is particularly urgent, Qu said highlighting
so far in this FAO’s Year of Excellence, Qu of the Organization’s capacity to deliver and how FAO anticipates intensifying engage-
highlighted the urgency of the “collective meet growing demands,” Qu said. A con- ment with the private sector in the year
long-term goal of transforming global sensual approval of the proposed budget ahead, building on lessons learned and
agrifood systems to be more efficient, level will be a powerful sign both for FAO prioritizing new directions.
more inclusive, more resilient and more and for “the humanity of this society,” he
sustainable.” added.
Qu also emphasized that FAO is devot- Busier workflows
ing more “focus and attention to the ones FAO’s expertise has been in high demand
further left behind,” noting that 61 coun- at multinational fora such as the G7 and
tries are now participating in his flagship G20 in a time when the pandemic, vari-
Hand-in-Hand Initiative, which provides ous conflicts and the climate crisis create
cutting-edge geospatial modelling and an- multiple challenges.
alytics to accelerate market-based agrifood
systems transformation to raise incomes Food and fertilizer prices have posed
and improve the well-being and resilience particular concern. The Director-General A clear sign of how the Organization’s
of poor and vulnerable populations. urged vigilance, noting that while the FAO strategy is working, and its mandate rec-
Food Price Index has been declining, it takes
Hans Hogeveen, Independent Chairper- ognized as of high collective importance,
son of the Council, applauded the strong time for global market trends to transfer is the 30 percent increase in voluntary
to local markets, hindering access to food
turnout for the session, held in person and for poor and vulnerable populations. contributions FAO mobilized in the first
virtually. There are more than one billion three months of 2023 compared to the
people who are now hungry in what is the Beyond responding to emergencies, same period a year earlier. FAO expects
“biggest hunger crisis ever,” he said. “The FAO is tackling macro trends such as ur- extra budgetary resources in the 2024-25
crisis we are in needs our full attention and banization, which will be the topic of this biennium to reach around $3 billion, nearly
our full efforts.” year’s flagship 2023 Report on the State double the level of four years earlier.
of Food Security and Nutrition in the World
Circle 8 on enquiry card
Five actions for G7 to drive progress to

sustainable agrifood systems

With hunger levels rising and domestic needed for concrete actions leading to hosted by FAO, and thanked Japan for its
food prices inflation soaring in much of the tangible results on the ground,” he said. recent contribution of additional resourc-
world, collective actions are necessary to Qu pointed to five key actions in need es to AMIS to help it expand its work on
meet immediate and longer-term global of implementation regarding the roles of fertilizers, vegetable oils and food trade
food security objectives, QU Dongyu, Di- markets, assistance, agrifood systems, the logistics. It is also essential for G7 countries
rector-General of the Food and Agriculture private sector and science and innovation. to continue supporting AMIS, so it can be
Organization of the United Nations (FAO), sustainable and become stronger over time.
said today at the G7 Ministers of Agricul- Firstly, trade continues to be key for Secondly, the Director-General em-
ture Meeting. global food security, and all nations must phasized that vulnerable countries need
commit to well-functioning markets and
“We need to work together in an efficient, market transparency, he said. Qu pointed support to meet their food and fertilizer
effective and coherent manner to address to the value offered by the G20 Agricul- needs. This is why FAO designed the Food
the challenges, and identify the solutions tural Market Information System (AMIS), Import Financing Facility (FIFF). He wel-

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