Director General of the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), Qu Dongyu underscored the FAO’s commitment to collaborating closely with the Latin America and the Caribbean region to strengthen its agricultural priorities and enhance resilience in the face of the climate crisis.
Speaking at the inauguration of FAO’s 38th regional conference for Latin America and the Caribbean (LARC38) on Monday, Dongyu disclosed that the FAO has prioritised resilience-building efforts among vulnerable populations.
Despite being significant food exporters, Dongyu acknowledged that Latin America and the Caribbean, like many other regions, confront numerous challenges, including economic slowdowns, persistently high food prices, and susceptibility to the impacts of climate change.
These challenges, as outlined by the Director General, continue to present significant obstacles to local food security and nutrition.
“Our approach encompasses the comprehensive strategies aimed at advancing inclusive development and sustainable management by integrating traditional knowledge with cutting edge, scientific innovation to address these complex issues,” Dongyu emphasised.
He further mentioned that the FAO is collaborating with 14 countries in the region through the FAO’s hand-in-hand initiative, implementing various programmes and developing investment plans.
Additionally, the organisation has assisted in promoting agricultural products in 14 countries in the region to enhance food security, support sustainable development, and improve the competitiveness of these products.
“The reaffirmation and the strengthening of our partnership in the region on the global level underscore the fruitful collaboration we have tirelessly worked to achieve,” Dongyu affirmed.
The regional conference provides a platform for fostering various discussions aimed at achieving proactive outcomes.
The director general stated, “I firmly believe that this regional conference serves as an important platform among member states to share ideas, share the knowledge on innovative solutions and best practices…”
The FAO 38th Regional Conference is being held in Guyana from March 18 to 21. It is an official forum where the member states of the region are meeting to discuss challenges and priority issues related to food and agriculture to promote regional coherence on global policy issues.
Key among the attendees at the regional conference include government officials from FAO’s 33 member Nations – heads of state, Ministers of Agriculture and other sectors, organisations and specialised agencies of the United Nations system, intergovernmental, civil society, and private sector organisations, academia and research institutions, observers and non-member countries.
