SHARM EL-SHEIKH: Egypt’s presidency of the ongoing UN climate conference and the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) launched on Saturday a food and agriculture initiative to increase climate resources to support the most vulnerable communities.
In a statement, the presidency of the 27th session of the Conference of Parties (COP27) to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) said the initiative, dubbed the Food and Agriculture for Sustainable Transformation (FAST), will reimagine agrifood systems to deliver triple wins for people, climate action and nature.
The COP27 presidency said in the statement that FAST’s action priorities are access to finance, knowledge and capacity, and policy support and dialogue.
“Through the FAST initiative, we will be mobilizing the world to unlock finance flows to increase climate resilience and implement urgently needed transformation across agrifood systems,” COP27 President Sameh Shoukry said.
Shoukry added the impact of climate change is disproportionately impacting vulnerable communities around the world.
“To address this imbalance, we need to develop sustainable farming and food systems and meet the urgent needs of food-importing developing countries,” he added.
Meanwhile, FAO Deputy Director General Maria Helena Semedo said bold actions are needed to transform agrifood system, support countries and ensure that resources reach food producers across the value chain. –Agencies
