Adapting to change

Presentation by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the

United Nations (FAO)

Highlights

• UN Conference on Environment and Development (June 92).“Think globally, act locally”

• Millenium Summmit (Sept 2000). Achievement 70% of MDGs related to local entities

• World Food Summit: fyl (June 2002) Alliance Against Hunger

Agriculture and food security today

• New awakening to agriculture in development

• World population from 6 to 9 b. by 2050• 854 million people undernourished• Need to double food production in first half

of century• FAO will convene a high-level conference in

late 2008 on “how to feed the world in 2050”

Adapting to change

New challenges• Climate change: Unpredictable effects. Yields

could drop by 50% in Sahel• Bioenergy, both risk and opportunity for food

security• Transboundary pests and diseases:

Globalization favours movement of people and livestock.

• June 08: FAO Conference on climate change and bioenergy

Globalization and decentralization

• Regional authorities, active partners in development

• FAO has structured the first Decentralized Cooperation Programme among UN Specialized Agencies.

• Pioneered by Italy (2003), now active also in Spain, France and Belgium.

Features

• Focus on concrete action • Priority to water management, agricultural

diversification, strengthening of local institutions, urban and peri-urban agriculture

• Favours direct North-South cooperation between regions and cities

• Supported by FAOs network of country offices (113 countries), regional and subregional centres

The partnership framework

Region local govt

North

Region local govt

South

Civil society Civil society

Private sector

FAO

The active involvement of local communities strengthens pragmatic approach, ownership and sustainability.

Research institutions

Research institutionse

Other Int’l. orgs

Private sector

Figures/partners

Main partners: Regions of Tuscany, Piedmont, Marche, Molise, Valle d’Aosta; Province of Bolzano (Italy); Régions Auvergne, Pays de Savoie, Provence-Alpes-Cote d’Azur (France); Comunidades Autonomas de Cataluna, Galicia, Pays Basco, Murcia (Spain); Region of Flanders (Belgium)

Going forward

• FAO now has 192 members, including the EC• In a process of renewal • First budget increase (13%) since 1993 agreed by

membership• Challenges ahead require bold efforts, concerted

action• FAO offers vast network, technical expertise to

regions willing to join the fight against hunger and poverty