Amb. Maurizio Massari, 

President Alvaro Lario, 

Dear Colleagues,

At the outset, I’d like to thank President Alvaro Lario for today’s briefing.

Food security is a fundamental issue that bears on the survival of humankind. As we speak, the world is suffering from grave consequences of the COVID-19 pandemic, climate change, geopolitical tensions and so on, which are taking a toll on global food security. The task of achieving the zero hunger goal of the 2030 Agenda remains daunting. All stakeholders must join hands to transform global food systems, deliver common and sustainable development, and foster a shared future for the global community. 

First, we need to elevate food production capacity. Countries should prioritize food production and agricultural development, invest more in agriculture and rural communities, advance the application of science and technology, improve rural infrastructure, and embrace green transformation to increase food availability in a sustainable way.

Second, we need to keep supply chains unimpeded. Efficient, open and equitable food supply systems are essential to end hunger. All stakeholders should actively promote trade liberalization, facilitate investment, lift unjustified trade restrictions, and reduce food loss and waste to increase the accessibility of food supply.

Third, we need to enhance the governance on food and agriculture. We should leverage the role of UN agencies to deepen North-South, South-South, and triangular cooperation, and provide more financial and technological support to developing countries. This will help us drive progress towards an efficient and sound global food and agriculture governance system.

Dear Colleagues,

China attaches great importance to global food security. With a large population, we have always made it our top priority to ensure that everyone has adequate access to food. China manages to feed nearly one-fifth of the world’s population with less than 9 percent of the world’s arable land, which makes great contribution to global food security. In the Global Development Initiative put forward by President Xi Jinping, food security is one of the eight major areas of cooperation. China has proposed the Cooperation Initiative on Global Food Security under the G20 framework, and put forward our suggestions in eight areas including supporting the central role of the UN in coordination and the work of the FAO, IFAD, and WFP.

China is ready to enhance pragmatic cooperation with all parties under the Global Development Initiative, with a special focus on food security and poverty eradication, so as to make greater contributions to accelerating the implementation of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and building a world free from hunger and poverty.