President challenges FAO conference over hunger, climate
Blurb: `We cannot come here with the best ideas, and then forget that we have 700 million people who we represent living in poverty’
President Irfaan Ali has emphasized the importance of addressing global issues such as hunger, malnutrition, and food insecurity.
As he addressed the gathering at the opening ceremony for the 38th Food and Agricultural Organisation (FAO) Regional Conference for Latin America and the Caribbean (CLAC), Ali stressed the need for a more equitable and fair global system, emphasizing the importance of datadriven decision-making in agriculture to combat climate events and ensure food security. He further assessed the need for reorganizing the global production system and implementing secure production systems to protect against vulnerabilities.
Speaking at the Arthur Chung Conference Centre, the President also touched on the issue of financing and insurance in agriculture, stating that concessional loans and financing should be available to support the global adaptation system. He called for greater integration and logistics in the region to ensure food security and reduce the impact of price fluctuations.
“If we had platforms that allowed us to store grains, just like we store fuel… many countries and many nations ensure that they have fuel supplies, storage facilities for eight months [to] twelve months to take care of any shocks to the system. Do we have any facility that can give us six months of grains in any region, six months of wheat in any region? So, whether it’s volatility in price, whether it’s unexpected shocks like war, we at least have some amount of storage capacity. But there is none. That’s why I said we have to look at the entire ecosystem...,” he challenged.
Giving an estimate of the impact poverty will have globally by the year 2030, Ali highlighted the importance of addressing malnutrition and ensuring access to water, food, and education for the 700 million people already living in poverty within the agricultural sector. He further underscored the environmental impacts of agriculture, such as water consumption and greenhouse gas emissions, urging for sustainable practices to mitigate these effects.
The Head of State also discussed investments in the agriculture sector, including increasing ownership of new plots by women and young people and expanding production in various industries. Ali also mentioned plans to address malnutrition and work with international partners such as Saudi
Arabia, Brazil, and China to improve food production systems.
In highlighting the plight of those suffering in places like Haiti, Ukraine, and Palestine, he called for all present to stand and observe a moment of silence to reflect and pray for all those in need.
Ali highlighted ongoing efforts to establish a Centre of Excellence and a Food Production Systems School to support regional food security and sustainability. He emphasized the importance of collaboration with the private sector and international organizations to address global challenges and ensure a prosperous future for all.
According to a Department Public of
Information [DPI] press release, Ali said “We cannot come here with the best ideas, and then forget that