PR91895

NEW YORK, Sept. 24, 2021 /PRNewswire=KYODO JBN/--

    The first ever UN Food Systems Summit convened world leaders in an effort

to spur national and regional action to deliver the UN's 17 Sustainable

Development Goals (SDGs) through transforming food systems. It featured

commitments from more than 85 heads of state around the world.

   Following from the latest IPCC report

[https://www.ipcc.ch/assessment-report/ar6/], which raised a 'code red' for

human-driven global heating, the United States administration pledged $10

billion to address climate change and food insecurity.

   Half of these funds will be invested domestically in 'recognition that all

countries, even those that produce a surplus of food, must take steps to

improve nutrition and adapt their food systems to a changing climate.'

   The COVID-19 pandemic increased poverty levels by up to 124 million people

and undernourishment by around 9.9 per cent.

   Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern, who announced New Zealand would join the

Indigenous Peoples' Food Systems Coalition, said: "We are committed to ensuring

Indigenous Peoples can help lead the way forward."

   Other countries pledged support for indigenous rights, including Honduras,

Samoa, Peru and the Philippines.

   "We, as the global community, are not delivering on our promises to

eradicate hunger," said President Sauli Niinistö of Finland.

   Prime Minister of Bangladesh, Sheikh Hasina, highlighted the need to focus

on 'quality food for everyone.' Likewise, Burkina Faso committed to including

the right to food in their constitution.

   Cambodia pledged to work towards the promotion of gender equality and the

creation of job opportunities for youth and women.

   Josaia Voreqe Bainimarama, Prime Minister of the Republic of Fiji said:

"Just as our environment, peoples, and food systems are profoundly interwoven

and mutually sustaining, so must our response be, for the sake of our and

future generations."

   The United Arab Emirates announced the Agriculture Innovation Mission (AIM)

for Climate launched with the United States.

   "We must use the power of ingenuity to improve on food systems so they

provide safe, nutritious, affordable, and accessible food for all, while

conserving natural resources, and combating the climate crisis," said the U.S.

Secretary of Agriculture, Tom Vilsack.

    All submissions are being compiled in an official compendium, while all

commitments are lodged in an online commitments registry.

   New five-year funding of US$922 million focussed on nutrition was also

announced by Melinda Gates of the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation.

   Media contact:  

   Katie Taft

   fsscommunications@un.org

   Source: UN Food Systems Summit