Statement
of José Graziano da Silva, Director General of the UN FAO on the occasion of
World Food Day on 16 October read on his behalf by Dr Perpetua Katepa-Kalala,
FAO
Representative
in the Islamic Republic of The Gambia
This
year, World Food Day is devoted to analyzing how food and agriculture should
evolve in order to face the impacts of climate change.
Thus
this year’s World Food Day theme “The climate is changing - Food and
agriculture must too.”
Erratic
weather patterns and the increase of pest and disease outbreaks are affecting
agricultural productivity and therefore undermining global food security.
As
usual, the poorest and most hungry people suffer the most. 80 percent of them
live in rural areas. They earn their
living and feed their families from the very sector that bears the brunt of the
impacts.
Climate
change is already undermining our efforts to end hunger and all other forms of
malnutrition by 2030. Today, nearly 800 million people remain food insecure
around the world. Almost 160 million children under the age of five are
stunted.
There
is growing international recognition that the agricultural sectors can play a
transformative role in addressing the impacts of climate change. World Food Day
2016 is an opportunity to identify how best to respond to these challenges.
Actions
to promote resilience in agriculture cut across the usual distinction between
adaptation and mitigation. In fact, as we promote adaptation, we also mitigate
the effects of climate change.
Agriculture
and food systems must become more resilient, productive, inclusive and
sustainable. To bolster food security in
a changing climate, countries must address food and agriculture in their
climate action plans and invest more in rural development.
Targeted
investments in these sectors will build resilience and increase the incomes and
productivity of small farmers, lifting millions from poverty. They will help to reduce greenhouse gas
emissions and safeguard the health and well-being of ecosystems and all people
who depend on them.
In
the COP 21 last December in Paris, most countries included agriculture in their
Nationally Determined Contributions. In November, these countries will gather
for COP 22 in Morocco to put these pledges into motion.
By
working together, we can seize the transformative potential of the Agricultural
sectors. The climate is changing, food and agriculture must change too.
I
thank you for your attention.
