Pre-summit for UN food systems summit: “Food availability, access, utilisation, stability must be holistically addressed” – Agri Minister

Agriculture Minister and other officials from around the world participated on Wednesday in the Pre-Summit for the United Nations Food Systems Summit.
Due to the ongoing global pandemic, COVID-19, the Pre-Summit was held virtually and saw the participation of over 50 countries.
While delivering remarks, Agriculture Minister Zulfikar Mustapha said that in order for countries to ensure safe and nutritious foods remain accessible, food availability, access, utilisation, and stability must be holistically addressed.
“The current food system makes ‘ultra-processed’ foods readily accessible, appealing and affordable, displacing more nutritious foods. Expanding the non-traditional agricultural sub-sector is therefore critical for diet diversification and enabling equality in availability and access, especially for rural populations. Further, of growing concern is the need to reduce on-farm and post-harvest food loss and waste through adopting appropriate harvesting, post-harvest, and storage technologies,” Mustapha is quoted in a release from the Agriculture Ministry as saying.

Following the onset of the current global pandemic, greater emphasis has been placed on building Guyana’s resilience to vulnerabilities, shocks, and stress. Minister Mustapha told pre-summit participants that systems are being put in place to confront such threats thus safeguarding the livelihood of farmers and fishers in the country.
“COVID 19 pandemic has exposed the vulnerability of our food production and distribution systems and exacerbated other challenges such as Climate Change. Guyana must confront these threats to the livelihood of farmers and fishers by making its food systems more climate-resilient,” Mustapha said.

Caricom’s position
Guyana currently holds lead responsibility for Agriculture, Agricultural Diversification, and Food Security in the Caricom.
The Caribbean Region is amongst the most vulnerable to natural disasters and climate change impacts and has been identified as the second most hazard-prone Region in the world. Just recently, economies and food systems were impacted by the eruption of a volcano in St. Vincent and the Grenadines, affecting Barbados and other neighboring Islands, hurricanes left wind and flood damages in Barbados and other islands in the Eastern Caribbean, and Guyana and Suriname experienced unprecedented flooding that resulted in tremendous loss of crops and livestock.
“Actions to reposition Caribbean agriculture include, strengthening linkages between the agri-food, tourism, and health sectors; establishing public-private partnerships in local food production and processing; implementing climate-smart technologies and transitioning towards digital agriculture. Financing for mitigation and adaptation to climate change has become more critical today than ever before and is necessary to protect and transform Caribbean food systems. International support from international financial institutions, and bilateral partners will be critical to ensuring a more resilient agricultural sector through financing, technology, and creating an enabling global environment,” Mustapha said.
The Pre-Summit of the UN Food Systems Summit served as the preparatory meeting for the culminating global event in which is being held in September 2021 by bringing together diverse actors from around the world to leverage the power of food systems to deliver progress on all 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and our shared vision for people, planet, and prosperity. It will consolidate all of the substantive work of the Summit into a common vision and set a tone of bold ambition and commitment to action. The Pre-Summit will deliver the latest evidence base and scientific approaches from around the world; strengthen coalitions of action; and mobilize new financing and partnerships.
Through the Pre-Summit, the UN Food Systems Summit will reaffirm its commitment to promote human rights for all and ensure everyone, everywhere has the opportunity to participate. The event is open to all, with a small in-person component in the context of COVID-19, complemented by a vast virtual programme and platform.