The United Nations pre-summit on Food Systems opened in Rome to define future strategies and initiatives to promote food security and sustainability. At the center of the debate the impact of the pandemic on food systems and the importance of an environmental transition. This is the first part of the summit that will end in September in New York, but also the most important according to the deputy director of FAO, Maurizio Martina: “This must be the real space for sharing and then taking action, because at the final summit to be held in New York, during the next UN General Assembly, we need to be ready to act”.
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The FAO Director General, Qu Dongyu, opening the three-day work in Rome, announced the historic goal of achieving a system that registers “zero hunger”. But for this to happen “we need to define a new, more holistic approach, transform food systems and make them more sustainable,” he said. The pandemic has aggravated poverty in less developed areas and highlighted economic inequalities in access to food and care. This, together with the worsening of economic inequalities and the consequences of climate change, have slowed down the achievement of the objectives of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development of the United Nations. For this reason, the general secretary António Guterres he wished in a video message that we might be able to devise “fair and sustainable solutions” to get back on the right track.
The Italian Prime Minister is also involved in the opening ceremony Mario Draghi who pointed out how the Covid-19 pandemic has pushed millions of people below the poverty line. Already at the end of last year, Italy promoted a Food Coalition to which more than 40 countries joined with the aim of achieving food security and combating the insecurity generated by the pandemic. But according to Mario Draghi “we need more funding from governments and development banks, in order to reduce the risks for investors in the agricultural sector and improve access to credit, especially by small farmers”.
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The ongoing health crisis will increase malnourished people by 130 million, bringing the world total to 800 million. According to Draghi, “we must act with determination to improve access to an adequate amount of food supplies. Nearly 3 billion people around the world do not have access to a healthy diet: in sub-Saharan Africa and South Asia almost the 60 percent of the population cannot afford it. “Already at the end of last year, Italy promoted a Food Coalition to which more than 40 countries joined with the aim of achieving food security and combating food insecurity generated by the pandemic . But second Draghi now more funding is needed from governments and development banks.
The work will continue tomorrow with a working session dedicated to the G20 Matera Declaration and a round table moderated by the Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, Marina Sereni. The closing day, on the other hand, will be held on Wednesday and will see the interventions of the various delegates on the objectives of the Summit.
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