Ahead of the United Nations Ocean conference to be co-hosted by Kenya and slated from June 27 to July 1, Qu Dongyu, Director-General of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), has appealed to stakeholders to scale up ocean actions highlighting the importance of aquatic food systems.
The global impacts of the climate crisis, conflicts and humanitarian emergencies, the COVID-19 pandemic, and soaring food and fuel prices are hitting the poorest the hardest – increasing the number of hungry people and putting livelihoods at risk, Qu said in opening remarks at the “Blue Talks” organized by the Permanent Representations of Kenya and Portugal to the Rome-based UN agencies ahead of the Ocean conference.
“To address these challenges, we need to urgently transform our agrifood systems to be more efficient, inclusive, resilient, and sustainable,” the FAO Director-General said, adding that, “sustainable aquatic food systems are a vital part of this transformation”.
Blue transformation, FAO’s priority
After remarks by Kenyan Ambassador and Permanent Representative to FAO, Jackline Yonga, and Portugal’s Ambassador and Permanent Representative to FAO, Pedro Nuno Bártolo, the “Blue Talks” event also heard video messages from Portugal’s Foreign Minister João Gomes Cravinho and Peter Thomson, the United Nations Secretary General’s Special Envoy for the Ocean. The critical segment of the event was a roundtable on “Scaling up ocean action” to raise awareness and mobilize high-level participation at the United Nations Ocean Conference.
The FAO Director-General said the significant role that can be played by aquatic food systems, including food from the Ocean, food security and nutrition, and poverty eradication, is at the core of FAO’s Programme Priority Area on “Blue Transformation,” which aims to make healthy, nutritional aquatic food available to all.
Supporting the delivery of the FAO Strategic Framework 2022-31, Blue Transformation focuses on the responsible and sustainable use of aquatic resources while protecting the environment, Qu said.
Blue Transformation contributes directly to the Sustainable Development Goals and supports Members in integrating aquatic foods into food security and nutritional strategies at the national and global levels.
FAO supporting Ocean Conference
Qu said FAO had been closely supporting the UN Ocean Conference as it represents a significant opportunity to promote the transformation of aquatic food systems.
The event will also highlight the growing importance of aquatic foods as a vital source of nutritious food and their critical role in supporting and improving livelihoods, a critical part of the FAO mandate and objectives of better production, better nutrition, better environment, and a better life for all, leaving no one to behind.
“We are also highlighting how our expertise, tools, and practices can help Members maximize the contribution of aquatic foods to food security, nutrition, healthy diets, and creation and protection.”
Qu Dongyu
FAO has already submitted 12 Voluntary Commitments to the Conference worth over $140 million, focused on ocean health and transformed aquatic food systems. During the Conference, FAO intends to launch the latest version of its biennial flagship report, “The State of World Fisheries and Aquaculture 2022”, Qu added.
Kenya and Portugal are co-hosting the UN Ocean Conference.
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