Latin America and the Caribbean determined to fight hunger

Mar 05, 2016 News

As the 34th Regional Conference of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) concluded in Mexico City on March 3, 2016, FAO received a clear mandate from government representatives from

Participants of the Regional Conference.

Latin America and the Caribbean to support countries in eradicating hunger, promoting rural development, sustainable use of natural resources, and adaptation to climate change.
In addition to these three priorities, governments in the region agreed on measures to respond to the 34 million people who still live with hunger in the region.
In the next two years, FAO will implement an initiative focused on supporting the major regional food security strategies, such as the Hunger Free Latin America and the Caribbean and CELAC’s Food Security, Nutrition and Hunger Eradication Plan.
The Organization will also develop a regional initiative to promote sustainable use of natural resources, climate change adaptation and disaster risk management. The initiative will pay special attention to Small Island Developing States within the Caribbean, many of which are affected by climate change.
FAO will implement an initiative focused on promoting family agriculture, inclusive food systems and sustainable rural development. This initiative will facilitate access of family farmers to assets, financial and non-financial services, strengthening their producer organizations and fostering the integration of social protection policies and productive programs, encouraging public procurement to family farming, short production circuits and improvement of public supply systems.
During the Conference, FAO signed two agreements, one with the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) and one with Consumers International, aimed at combating the rise in obesity and overweight in the region. The Agreement with PAHO will seek to strengthen regional policies to eradicate malnutrition and implement the recommendations of the International Conference on Nutrition (CIN2) and the new Agenda for Sustainable Development. The signed Agreement with Consumers International seeks to promote consumer behavioral changes from health and nutrition aspects and their environmental impacts.
The Regional Conference meets every two years and is FAO’s major governing body in the region where Ministers of Agriculture and senior officials of the 33 Member States of FAO in Latin America and the Caribbean as well as civil society, rural and indigenous communities, NGOs, intergovernmental organizations, regional integration entities and other United Nations agencies gather to discuss the main regional challenges related with agriculture, food and nutrition in order to promote joint solutions to fully eradicate hunger and malnutrition in Latin America and the Caribbean.
Guyana was represented at the Conference by Hon. Noel Holder, Minister of Agriculture and the Hon. Volda Lawrence, Minister of Social Protection.
The 34th Session of FAO Regional Conference for Latin America and the Caribbean was held in Mexico City, Mexico from the 29 February to 3 March 2016.