The Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) of the United Nations plans to put climate action at the center of all its projects and offices, following a meeting in Rome to evaluate a new strategy and discuss its impact.

Speaking to participants, FAO chief Qu Dongyu said the world is facing a climate crisis and food systems are a critical component of both problems and solutions.

Qu said the recently released report from the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) was a “reality check for us all,” as extreme weather affected multiple continents and drove home the severity of the climate situation.

“Green and climate resilient agri-food systems are fundamental to resolving the climate crisis,” Qu said. “We need to provide nutritious food with a low carbon footprint, in a sustainable manner.”

The FAO focus is on producing the most food with the highest socioeconomic benefit while leaving the smallest carbon footprint. It’s aligned with four new themes: private sector engagement, biodiversity, science and innovation, and corporate environmental responsibility

“We need game-changing, innovative and wise solutions, based on collaboration and partnerships to transform agri-food systems to more efficient, more inclusive, more resilient and more sustainable,” Qu said.

The meeting was chaired by Hans Hoogeveen, Independent Chairperson of the FAO Council. It featured presentations by Morocco’s Abdallah Mokssit, Secretary of the IPCC, and FAO’s Maria Helena Semedo.

Image: FAO file