Statement by Director-General Qu Dongyu at the 42nd Session of the FAO Conference

Your Excellency, President Sergio Mattarella of the Italian Republic,

Honorable President of the Forty-second Session of the FAO Conference,

Dear Independent Chair of the Board,

Distinguished Ministers and Heads of Delegation,

Ladies and gentlemen,

Welcome to the Forty-second Session of the FAO Conference. We extend our heartfelt gratitude to His Holiness Pope Francis for his care and support over the past two years. This is the first time the FAO Conference has been convened in an online format, with 1,325 delegates from around the world participating—marking a record high. We are deeply honored that 117 ministers and deputy ministers attended the session.

The 42nd Session of the FAO Conference was held online from June 14 to 18. Opening remarks were delivered by the FAO Director-General, the President of the Italian Republic, Pope Francis—represented by the Permanent Observer of the Holy See to FAO—the Independent Chair of the FAO Council, the President of the 42nd Session, and the Polish Minister for Climate and Environment, among others. ©FAO

Distinguished guests,

We are living through a pivotal moment in history. With a complex web of interrelated factors, failure to address them could jeopardize the achievement of the goal to end global hunger and all forms of malnutrition. In 2019, the number of people facing hunger worldwide increased by 10 million. As the pandemic continued to rage, by the end of 2020, the global population experiencing chronic food insecurity had risen by an additional 132 million.

In his address, the Director-General used slides to present key points in a clear and visually engaging manner, with each slide simultaneously displayed in all six official languages of the United Nations. The image shows the Integrated Food Security Phase Classification—Map of Acute Severe Food Insecurity. ©FAO

This map illustrates the profound impacts across Africa, Asia, and Latin America. Moreover, 155 million people in 55 countries are facing acute levels of severe food insecurity. The map depicts the latest Integrated Food Security Phase Classification and Harmonized Framework (IPC/CH) classifications for severe food insecurity worldwide. IPC Phase 3 or higher indicates a crisis, highlighted in orange. Without immediate action, these countries could escalate to Phase 4 or even higher—conditions typically experienced by nations embroiled in conflict or hit by major climate shocks.

Turning to other forms of malnutrition, the high prevalence of child stunting remains deeply troubling. In both high-income and low-income countries, the number of people who are overweight or obese continues to rise. In 2012, the number of obese individuals surpassed the number of undernourished people. Globally, more than 3 billion people cannot afford even the most affordable healthy diet. Understanding the current situation helps us set future goals. By 2030, we need to achieve the following objectives:

• The prevalence of food inadequacy worldwide must be reduced to no more than 5 percent.
• Healthy meals must be affordable for everyone!
• The global prevalence of overweight must be reduced to 15%, returning to the levels seen in the 1980s.
• The obesity rate in all countries must be reduced to no more than 5%.
• Childhood stunting needs to be significantly reduced.
• It is imperative to comprehensively address inequalities and achieve sustainable poverty reduction in rural areas.
• It is imperative to halt land degradation, enhance agricultural water-use efficiency, and achieve the objectives of the Paris Agreement.

Distinguished delegates,

The agri-food system encompasses every stage of the journey from farm to table—production, harvesting, processing, distribution, trade, and consumption—and also includes non-food agricultural products. It further comprises the diverse livelihoods that enable us to access food and agricultural goods, as well as all the people, activities, investments, and choices that contribute to this process. To achieve the goals set for 2030, we must:

• Viewing the challenges we face from the perspective of the agri-food system;
• Coordinate and implement comprehensive measures.

The current agri-food system has failed to deliver the food security and nutritional outcomes we aspire to; poverty and inequality within it are deeply entrenched. From the perspectives of employment, livelihoods, and environmental impact, the agri-food system is the largest economic sector, providing direct employment to one billion people worldwide. An additional 3.5 billion people have their livelihoods closely linked to this system.

The Meaning of the Agri-Food System ©FAO

Ladies and gentlemen,

Global food security is facing multiple challenges. Since 2014, the number of people experiencing hunger has continued to rise, and the pandemic has further exacerbated this issue. The impacts of conflict, extreme weather events, and economic downturns are undermining efforts to eradicate hunger, food insecurity, and inequality. Meanwhile, global population growth is placing increasing pressure on natural resources. We must not only ensure that everyone has enough to eat, but also that their diets are nutritious.

Meanwhile, we are facing formidable challenges:

• More than 30% of the world’s land has already degraded;
• More than 20% of the world’s aquifers are being overexploited;
• Agricultural biodiversity is under threat;
• In the agri-food system and other systems—including environmental and health systems—various impacts are mutually reinforcing and interconnected.
• This includes the escalating outbreaks of plant and animal pests and diseases;
• Environmental changes have become the root cause of the COVID-19 pandemic and other diseases;
• The agri-food system not only suffers severely from this interconnected global cycle but also contributes to the degradation of natural resources and poses adverse health impacts, including various pandemics and other diseases.

A comprehensive assessment of the state of the world’s forests conducted by the Food and Agriculture Organization last year revealed that global forest cover exceeds 4 billion hectares, accounting for approximately 31 percent of the planet’s total land area. Moreover, the proportion of land covered by forests—a key indicator under the Sustainable Development Goals—has been steadily declining. Over the past three decades, the world has experienced a net loss of 178 million hectares of forest.

Ladies and gentlemen,

The COVID‑19 pandemic has raged for more than a year, imposing profound and lasting impacts on agricultural and food systems and further exacerbating food security and nutritional outcomes worldwide, particularly in countries facing food crises.

The pandemic and related containment measures:

• It has exacerbated existing vulnerabilities, as illustrated by relevant images from countries facing food crises;
• It has widened inequality;
• It has exposed the structural vulnerabilities of both local and global agri-food systems;
• It further exacerbates the plight of the most vulnerable groups.

Hunger is on the rise in both rural and urban areas—this trend is evident in the poorest countries, as well as in upper-middle-income nations and even in developed economies. In developing regions, rural household incomes have been adversely affected by declines in both agricultural and non-agricultural earnings. Nevertheless, global food production remained stable throughout the pandemic. At the aggregate level, food output has continued its longstanding upward trajectory, and in 2021, total grain production is expected to reach a new record high.

Global trade in food and agricultural products remained largely unaffected during the pandemic ©FAO

As the figure shows, despite the pandemic and the measures taken to contain it having impacted global agricultural trade, the agri-food system has nonetheless demonstrated remarkable resilience. To date, trade in food and agricultural products has remained robust, with imports standing out in particular. Measured in 2015 U.S. dollars, the growth rate of agricultural trade continues to slightly exceed the long-term trend. The faster expansion of trade value compared to trade volume indicates rising prices for food commodities. This is corroborated by the FAO Food Price Index shown in the next figure. Consequently, the cost of food imports has reached record highs in many developing countries. Even as the agri-food system has proven resilient, the FAO Food Price Index averaged 127.1 points in May 2021, up 40 percent year on year. The index has risen for twelve consecutive months and now stands just 7.6 percent below its peak of 137.6 points in February 2011. Last month’s sharp price surge reflects the global economy’s transition into post‑pandemic recovery, driving higher demand for vegetable oils, sugar, and cereals, while meat and dairy prices have also strengthened. Overall, over the past year, tighter supply conditions and strong international demand have jointly pushed up prices for most food commodities.

At the same time, this also highlights several underlying risks:

• Whenever climate shocks reduce global output or increase demand in major importing countries, prices come under downward pressure.
• Trade restrictions may also affect prices.
• The contraction of global reserves has weakened buffer capacities.

Ladies and gentlemen,

From my very first day as Director-General of the Food and Agriculture Organization, I have been committed to building a world-class internal governance framework and organizational culture. Over the past 22 months, FAO has undertaken the most profound transformation since its founding. We have established a flexible, modular structure and strengthened cross‑departmental collaboration—actions that respond to member countries’ priorities and best address emerging needs.

Today, FAO’s offices perform critical cross‑cutting functions, while its divisions hold the Organization’s specialized expertise and provide corresponding support. The organizational structure is designed to strengthen FAO’s effectiveness and coordination in advancing the Sustainable Development Goals. The newly established Office for Small Island Developing States, Landlocked Developing Countries and Least Developed Countries ensures that the specific needs of these vulnerable groups and countries are met. The Office for the Sustainable Development Goals coordinates the Organization’s engagement in the follow‑up and review of the 2030 Agenda. The Office for Emergency Response and Resilience provides support for addressing threats and emergencies and for building resilience. The Office for Climate Change, Biodiversity and the Environment assists Member States in tackling the challenges posed by climate change, biodiversity loss, and environmental degradation.

I established the first-ever Chief Economist position in the history of the Food and Agriculture Organization, driving progress on priority areas such as big data, geospatial information analysis, and digital innovation. The Food and Agriculture Organization’s first-ever Chief Scientist Safeguarding the robustness, breadth, and independence of our organization’s scientific work. We have strengthened the functions of existing offices and teams by merging “Partnerships” and “United Nations System Collaboration” into a single division, while also establishing new divisions: the “Project Support Division,” the “Logistics Services Division,” and the “Food Systems and Food Security Division.” In addition, we have created a series of new positions, including an Ethics Officer and a Mediation Specialist. We place particular emphasis on our centers and their strong collaborative capacities:

• We have strengthened the catalytic role of the FAO Investment Centre to support and facilitate countries’ access to large-scale financing.
• We have established the “FAO/WHO Joint Centre,” which is responsible for two key areas of joint work: the Codex Alimentarius and the response to zoonotic diseases.
• We have strengthened our cooperation with the International Atomic Energy Agency and established the FAO/IAEA Joint Centre for Nuclear Techniques in Food and Agriculture.

Our reform efforts do not stop here. Our working methods have become more modern, and our transparency has been significantly enhanced. For example, we have completely revamped our online presence, making all meetings, external engagements, and public speeches available to the public via the internet. I have established a core leadership team comprising three Deputy Directors‑General, the Chief Economist, the Chief Scientist, and the Director‑General’s Office Director. This dynamic team provides me with support across all areas of the Organization’s mandate, embodying FAO’s new collaborative approach. The pitfalls of siloed operations and “independent fiefdoms” have thus been dismantled, and management at all levels has been empowered.

Another pioneering initiative is the “dual reporting system,” which ensures transparency in operations and fosters team collaboration. The reporting hierarchy includes a “Lead Supervisor A” and a “Lead Supervisor B,” with the “B” role serving as a backup. However, both roles provide mutual support and engage in regular communication to share the latest updates. In this way, we have created a healthy and efficient work environment.

Another historic first for FAO was the establishment of the Women’s Committee and the Youth Committee. As a result, career prospects within the Organization have become more diverse, staff morale has improved, and these committees have also served as platforms for engagement and collaboration with member countries. Over the past year, both committees have played a highly constructive role in fostering unity and a sense of belonging.

This is the brand-new Food and Agriculture Organization, which today opens its arms to all of you—a organization committed to demonstrating transparency and teamwork across the board! The newly revitalized Food and Agriculture Organization boasts a flattened, clearly accountable, and highly cohesive organizational structure, achieving dual gains in efficiency and effectiveness by reducing transaction costs and eliminating bureaucratic red tape. It is a lean, inclusive, and innovative organization, committed to better serving its member states. The organization actively expands its partnerships, with collaborators spanning the globe, and boasts globally recognized knowledge and expertise, while remaining dedicated to delivering tangible results.

This is the new FAO—deeply rooted in 75 years of history, guided by its Fundamental Principles, and steadfast in staying true to its original mission and vision.

Director-General Qu Dongyu addressed the conference. ©FAO

Ladies and gentlemen,

Analyzing the changes and evolving dynamics we are experiencing naturally raises a key question: how can the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations better “align with needs”? In my view, the Organization must remain dynamic and capable of supporting its Members in implementing transformative change to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals. The digital world of food and agriculture holds immense promise, and FAO must open the door to this realm, for the future of agriculture must be built on science, innovation, and digital solutions. Innovation—in technology, policy, business models, and mindsets—arises from and serves people. Digital tools can significantly enhance efficiency, foster well-functioning supply chains, and strengthen sustainability. FAO should take the lead in global efforts to turn this vision of a future agricultural and food system into reality.

Over the past 22 months, we have built Digital FAO, enabling seamless connectivity among all our staff across distances and time zones. Even in challenging times, the Organization has demonstrated an exceptional capacity to transition to new ways of working. The revamped digital landscape of our platform reflects the core mission of our mandate, while member countries, farmers, consumers, and partners alike have experienced enhanced convenience. In terms of organizational digitalization, we stand well ahead within the United Nations family and will continue to lead the way in driving digital transformation across the Organization.

The FAO’s “Hand-in-Hand” Initiative, a flagship program, calls for the active participation of member countries. This evidence-based mechanism, driven by member-state-led decision-making and implemented on a voluntary basis, is steadily expanding, bringing together diverse stakeholders to help the most vulnerable countries and populations achieve the following objectives:

• Eradicate poverty;
• Eliminate hunger and malnutrition;
• Reduce inequality within and between countries.

To date, 39 member countries have joined this action plan, and we have provided them with critical support to identify and channel funding into areas that can unlock the greatest economic opportunities. The action plan’s accompanying geospatial information platform features big‑data analytics and advanced geospatial modeling capabilities, serving more than 38,000 users across nearly all FAO member countries. We have also launched the “Digital Thousand Villages” initiative, which focuses on leveraging digital technologies to enhance production, improve agricultural enterprise management, and strengthen market‑oriented and social services. Through “Digital Agriculture,” we aim to boost productivity by harnessing information and communication technologies and related digital solutions; through “Digital Farmer Services,” we seek to expand farmers’ access to social and economic services; and through digitized services, we are advancing “Rural Transformation” to elevate the quality of public services in health, education, employment, social welfare, ecotourism, and agritourism. This holistic approach integrates all the necessary digital components, supporting the transformation of agri‑food systems and rural development, and thereby contributing to the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals.

• “Strategic Framework 2022–2031”;
• The Medium-Term Plan 2022–2025;
• “Work Plan and Budget for 2022–2023.”

• Sustainable Development Goals, efficiency, inclusiveness, resilience, sustainability;
• The overall importance of the agri-food system;
• Four better;
• Leave no one behind.

• Maintain the nominal budget at US$1.0056 billion, with no increase or decrease;
• Absorb all additional costs without adversely affecting technical work;
• Maintain the current organizational structure.

• Indigenous peoples, civil society organizations, and members of parliament;
• Producer organizations and cooperatives;
• Academic and research institutions.

Bill Gates, Co-chair of the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, delivered a speech at the ministerial roundtable discussion on the first day of the opening ceremony. ©FAO

• In 1943, at the Allied Food and Agriculture Conference held in Hot Springs, Virginia, the idea of establishing the Food and Agriculture Organization was conceived.
• In 1945, 42 countries established this organization in Quebec City, Canada.
• Prior to relocating to Rome 70 years ago, the Food and Agriculture Organization was first headquartered in Washington, D.C.
• For decades, the Food and Agriculture Organization has carried out outstanding, pioneering work.