The Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, Luis Planas, said that the EU has intensified its efforts to provide a global response to the world food crisis by fostering solidarity, promoting more sustainable and resilient production, opposing unjustified trade restrictions and promoting coordinated solutions through multilateralism.
Luis Planas today addressed the 43rd Conference of the Food and Agriculture Organisation of the United Nations (FAO), in the session dedicated to reviewing the state of food and agriculture, where he acknowledged the important role of FAO in achieving the Sustainable Development Goals, in particular that of achieving zero hunger in the world.
Speaking on behalf of the EU and its 27 member states, the minister pointed out that the war in Ukraine jeopardises access to and availability of food and fertilisers, especially for developing countries and the most vulnerable communities. He recalled that the EU is committed to providing substantial support to Ukraine of at least €18 billion until 2024, in addition to intensifying collaboration with the FAO, the World Food Programme (WFP) and the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD).
Planas also stressed the need for integrated management of the world's water resources to improve the efficiency and sustainability of their use in agriculture, given the growing scarcity of this resource. To this end, it is essential to promote innovation, new technologies and sustainable agricultural practices, and to be able to count on the commitment of all stakeholders.
In this regard, he expressed the EU's support for FAO's work on integrated water resources management as part of the transformation of food systems. In the same line, he stressed that it is urgent to "intensify global action to achieve sustainable food systems that ensure food security and people's nutrition, while also contributing to achieving the goals of the 2030 Agenda".
Non official translation
The Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, Luis Planas, speaks at the 43rd Conference of the Food and Agriculture Organisation of the United Nations (FAO)