Malabo, 15 April 2022 (TDI): The 32nd Session of the FAO Regional Conference for Africa ended yesterday. Sixty-two Ministers from 54 African countries were part of the Conference; which had the largest representation ever thanks to the hybrid model.
This was because more than half of the participating Ministers attended presencially, and the remainder participated online. Furthermore, FAO Director-General Qu Dongyu expressed his content for the success of the Conference.
According to Dongyu, the conference was successful due to the collective engagement and determination to contribute and compromise. Dongyu also urged the countries to adopt enabling policies, innovation and science, and proper investment for agri-food systems transformation in Africa.
Qu then added that there still is a lot of work to do, and the importance to do it together; efficiently, effectively, and coherently. Finally, Dongyu thanked the Government of Equatorial Guinea for hosting the conference; and the Minister of Agriculture, Livestock, Forests and Environment, Francisca Eneme Efua; for the leadership shown as the Chairperson of the Conference.
Furthermore, Deputy Minister for Agriculture of Tanzania; Anthony Peter Mavunde read the Declaration on behalf of the Ministers. Mavunde stressed the call to their partners to support our efforts through enhancing investments as the continent steps up its efforts towards the transformation of agrifood systems through the implementation of the Four Betters.
Dongyu launched a set of investment guidelines for youth in agri-food systems in Africa; together with the African Union. He then added that those guidelines should be incorporated into your policies. Finally, Dongyu stated that the youth are the future of Africa
FURTHER REMARKS DURING THE CONFERENCE
The participants also reaffirmed the importance of women and young people in Africa’s transformation of agrifood systems. The Ministers then called on FAO to accelerate concrete actions to tackle the impacts of the climate crisis.
Furthermore, they called the impacts of the climate crisis a major threat to the African region. FAO held the conference during a difficult time for Africa; with the Russia/Ukraine war causing instability to the continent’s food security, and a devastating drought in the Horn of Africa.
CONCLUSION OF THE CONFERENCE
After the Conference; the participants expressed their commitment to raising their ambitions and also accelerating their actions toward achieving the Sustainable Development Goals.
They included their commitment to ending poverty and hunger in the Declaration shared after the conference ended. In that declaration, the participants welcomed the FAO Strategic Framework 2022-2031.
The reason for the support for the Framework was that it shapes the organization’s work towards achieving the Sustainable Development Goals under the Four Betters principles. According to FAO, those four betters are better production, better nutrition, a better environment, and a better life, leaving no one behind.
Around 800 delegates participated in the four-day event; plus those following the discussions through the live stream. The Conference had the participation of representatives from 34 inter-governmental organizations such as the African Union and ECOWAS, more than 30 civil society and academic organizations, and 28 private sector representatives.
The Director of FAO also held a series of bilateral meetings with many of the country representatives on the sidelines of the conference. Finally, Dongyu then shared that he is the son of a farming family; and that is why he has rural people in his heart.
Dongyu expressed his desire to see agricultural and rural transformation in Africa address the multi-dimensional inequalities, between city and rural areas, between men and women, and between rich and poor.
