Rome
The United Nations (UN) office in Rome is the seat of the UN Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO), the World Food Programme (WFP) and the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD). These UN agencies share the common goal of eradicating hunger through food assistance and they work to eliminate the root causes of food insecurity.
Here, SI’s United Nations Representative, Liliana Mosca, advocates for inclusive, sustainable, and innovative food production and distribution, works to defend women’s land rights, and raises awareness about the impact of water and food stability on migration and human rights.
During the 8-11 of February, SI UN Representative, Liliana Mosca, will attend the Committee on Food Security (CFS)’s high-level virtual event on ‘Global Governance of Food Security and Nutrition’. The event will be held virtually and offers a full schedule of side events. Speakers will include the UN Deputy Secretary General, Heads of UN agencies (FAO, WFP, IFAD, WHO, UNICEF and ILO), ministers of agriculture from around the globe, and a variety of food security leaders from every continent. The event will introduce the latest reports on the current food security situation, reflect on the impact of COVID-19, and examine leading examples of how to “build back better”.
Recommended reading:
Ahead of the event, the CFS has released ‘Guidelines on Gender Equality and Women’s and Girls’ Empowerment in the Context of Food Security and Nutrition’.
Click HERE to find out more and register for this event.
Soroptimist International salutes the World Food Programme (WFP)
Last October, the WFP was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize 2020 for its outstanding “efforts to combat hunger, for its contribution to bettering conditions for peace in conflict-affected areas and for acting as a driving force in efforts to prevent the use of hunger as a weapon of war and conflict”[1].
Click HERE for more information about the WFP’s response to receiving the award as it plans to make food an instrument of peace.
[1] Nobel Peace Prize announcement
FAO – International Year of Fruits and Vegetables (IYFV)
Last December, Qu Dongyu, Secretary-General of the FAO, announced 2021 as the International Year of Fruits and Vegetables. The focus of this initiative is to raise awareness about the impact of fruits and vegetables on food security and health, and to improve the coordination of global efforts towards sustainable food production and the reduction of waste. Qu Dongyu, has described the initiative as an opportunity to highlight the role of digital technologies in improving nutrition and market opportunities.
The FAO, together with the World Health Organisation (WHO), recommends that each adult maintains a daily intake of 400 grams of fruit and vegetables to maintain a healthy immune system and prevent chronic diseases. The COVID-19 pandemic has bought health to the forefront of international concern and subsequent restrictions on travel have renewed international understanding of the importance of short, inclusive production and distribution chains.
Reports suggest that up to fifty percent of fruits and vegetables produced in developing countries are lost in the supply chain between harvest and consumption. These losses represent a waste of ever depleting resources of quality soil and water. When there is a reduction in food waste, food security improves and greenhouse gas emissions reduce, water and land resources come under less strain and there is a greater yield in economic growth.
The way we produce and consume food directly relates to progress made towards achieving the Sustainable Development Goals. Levels of sustainability, equality, and inclusivity, in the production and consumption of food, have an impact that extends far beyond SDG 2: zero hunger, but influences, and is affected by, all of the other goals.
Click the image to learn more about the Sustainable Development Goals
Throughout the International Year of Fruit and Vegetables, SI will continue to advocate for …
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- Increased recognition and prevention of the causes and consequences of food insecurity.
- The protection of women and girls’ right to inherit and own land and have authority over the land’s use.
- Increased inclusivity in leadership and knowledge sharing across the food production and supply chain.
- Ensure that the health benefits of a balanced, sustainable, and affordable diet are recognised in policymaking in respect of the human right to food.
- Urge States to fully implement the Paris Agreement.
The International Year of Fruits and Vegetables 2021 falls within the UN Decade of Action on Nutrition (2016-2025) and the UN Decade of Family Farming (UNDFF 2019-2028). Click on the links to find out more.
Related resources:
World Food Programme’s Interactive Hunger Map (see lead image).
The International Year of Fruits and Vegetables, 2021, Background Paper, FAO.
Visit the SI website for more news and blogs from Rome.