The Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) director general, José Graziano da Silva has hinted that food and agriculture is key to achieving the 2030 agenda for the Sustainable Development Goals(SDGs)
He said succeeding the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), the ambitious 2030 Agenda is a global vision for people, the planet and for long-term prosperity.
In the introduction to the FAO 2016 document for the SDGs, Da Silva said ”The 2030 Agenda recognizes that we can no longer look at food, livelihoods and the management of natural resources separately. A focus on rural development and investment in agriculture – crops, livestock, forestry, fisheries and aquaculture – are powerful tools to end poverty and hunger, and bring about sustainable development. Agriculture has a major role to play in combating climate change”.
“There is enough food for everyone on the planet today, yet almost 800 million people suffer hunger. Adding that “Tackling hunger and malnutrition is not only about boosting food production, but also to do with increasing incomes, creating resilient food systems and strengthening markets so that people can access safe and nutritious food even if a crisis prevents them from growing enough themselves,” he said.
Da Silva guaranteed that hunger and extreme poverty can be erased through a combination of social protection measures and targeted pro-poor investments in productive activities. Social protection programmes including targeted nutrition initiatives, support smallholder farmers and other poor households in overcoming financial constraints and in better managing risks which, in turn, strengthens their capacity to invest.
