FAO Regional Conference in Montego Bay, Jamaica: March 5 – 8, 2018

Well, these are some big issues in the Latin America /Caribbean region. In fact, these are issues wrapped within issues. This major FAO Conference will be held in the Caribbean for the first time in 20 years – and for the second time in Jamaica in 50 years. You can read more at the meeting website. Here is their press release:

Rising hunger and obesity, climate change and rural poverty; these will be the main issues of the 35th Regional Conference of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations.

The 35th Conference will take place from March 5 – 8, 2018, at the Montego Bay Convention Centre in Montego Bay, Jamaica.

Agriculture Ministers from all of FAO’s 33 member countries in Latin America and the Caribbean will come together in Jamaica to set the Organization’s priorities for the next two years.

The meeting will be attended by FAO’s Director General, José Graziano da Silva and Ministers of Agriculture, Education, Social Development and Environment from the region.

According to FAO, this year’s Conference is of particular importance, since, for the first time in decades, hunger is once again on the rise in Latin America and the Caribbean.

“Eradicating poverty in all its forms remains one of the greatest challenges facing humanity.” UN Sustainable Goal #1 NO POVERTY (Photo: UN)

Tackling rising hunger and obesity

According to FAO, hunger has risen again in Latin America and the Caribbean for the first time in decades, reaching 42.5 million, while obesity affects 96 million people.

The FAO Conference is a unique opportunity for countries to call for an immediate and large-scale push, without which the region will not be able to reach the second Sustainable Development Goal: zero hunger by 2030.

Putting an end to rural poverty

Rural poverty reduction has declined in the region. Currently, more than 20% of rural inhabitants cannot afford a basic food basket. Thousands of people are migrating to and from countries, escaping violence, lack of opportunities, poverty or environmental risks.

The FAO Regional Conference will allow countries to share public policies that increase the pace of rural poverty reduction, thereby revitalizing rural areas both economically and socially.

Rice farmer Faustina Selestini weeds her paddy in Kiroka, Tanzania. Climate-smart agriculture is an important topic to be addressed at the conference. (Photo: FAO)

Promoting climate resilient sustainable agriculture

According to FAO, Latin America and the Caribbean must produce more, while reducing greenhouse gas emissions and developing sustainable practices to adapt production systems to new climatic conditions.

The Regional Conference will allow countries to promote a fully sustainable agriculture, resilient to climate change and better prepared to face natural disasters.

 

ACCREDITATION FOR THE CONFERENCE

Journalists must be accredited by entering the following link http://bit.ly/2ElK5ZV. (Mobile version- http://bit.ly/2CeMjVa)

Interviews: Interviews that take place before, during or after the Conference should be previously coordinated with Cecilia Valdez at Cecilia.Valdes@fao.org or Benjamín Labatut at Benjamin.Labatut@fao.org.

FOR MORE INFORMATION:

FAO Jamaica: Gillian Smith, FAO Representation for Jamaica, the Bahamas and Belize, 1-3 Lady Musgrave Road, Kingston 5: Tel: (+876) 927 9162; E-mail: Gillian.Smith@fao.org

Media contact: Benjamin Labatut, Press and Content Officer; tel: (+56) 229 232 174; E-mail:benjamin.labatut@fao.org

“Unfortunately, extreme hunger and malnutrition remain a huge barrier to development in many countries. 795 million people are estimated to be chronically undernourished as of 2014, often as a direct consequence of environmental degradation, drought and loss of biodiversity.” SDG Goal #2: ZERO HUNGER (Photo: UN Development Programme)