Mr. Prime Minister of the United Republic of Tanzania,
Madam Chair of the Governing Council of IFAD,
Mr. President of IFAD,
Honourable Ministers, Ambassadors and Delegates,
Mr. Deputy Executive Director of WFP,
Excellencies,
Ladies and Gentlemen,

It is a pleasure and an honour for me to be here, with you today, to address your prestigious Governing Council. I should like to thank IFAD President Mr Kanayo Nwanze for his kind invitation and to express my best wishes for a successful thirty-third session of your Council.

I should also like to state how pleased I am, that relations between IFAD and FAO, have continued to strengthen, under the presidency of Mr Nwanze. FAO is delighted with its excellent collaboration with IFAD, in seeking to eliminate poverty and hunger in the world.

During the past three years, hunger has increased everywhere in the world on account of soaring food prices. The situation has been exacerbated by the financial and economic crisis that has hit the world. In 2009, the number of chronically hungry people increased by 105 million from the previous year to reach one billion, that is one in six human beings.

There are currently 31 countries in a state of serious food crisis requiring emergency aid, of whom 20 are in Africa.

The sheer dimension of this food insecurity crisis is the result of the low priority that has been given to agriculture in economic development policies. The share of agriculture (including forestry and fisheries) in Official Development Assistance (ODA) has dropped from 19% in 1980 to about 5% today. That has translated in underinvestment in agriculture over the past three decades.

The lasting solution to this problem is boosting agricultural production and productivity in low-income food-deficit countries, where 90% of the world’s hungry live.

Developing countries are home to about 500 million agricultural smallholdings supporting around two billion people. These countries need to improve their infrastructure and modernize their factors of agricultural production. On average, their agriculture accounts for 10% of GDP and 50% of employment. It could still do more if modernized.

To feed the planet’s 9.1 billion inhabitants in 2050, food production must rise by 70% in the world and double in the developing countries.

To eradicate hunger and malnutrition in the world, agriculture in the developing countries need 44 billion US dollars per year of ODA to invest in infrastructure, modern inputs and technologies.

Agriculture must also face the challenge of climate change. Without considering their function as carbon sinks, agriculture and forests account for 31% of greenhouse gas emissions, but we also know that 80% of these emissions can be reduced. This can come for 90% from enhancing their function as carbon sinks and, for the remainder 10%, from lowering emissions. Technically, we know how to do it.

Excellencies,
Ladies and Gentlemen,

Several countries of Africa, Latin America and Asia have succeeded to substantially reduce the prevalence of hunger and the number of undernourished people. Even some countries that were importers of agricultural commodities have become net exporters in just a few years. This shows again that we know what to do to defeat hunger.

The time for talk has long past, and the moment has come for resolute action.

The World Summit on Food Security was organized from 16 to 18 November last year by FAO, in collaboration with IFAD and WFP. It led to several major commitments towards: better governance of world food security; greater investment in agriculture and rural development; a redoubling of effort to halve hunger by 2015 and to eradicate it as early as possible; and, finally, a strategy of adaptation and mitigation of the impacts of climate change.

At its 36th session, held from 18 to 23 November 2009, the FAO Conference approved a profound reform of the Committee on World Food Security (CFS) to strengthen it considerably, as a global platform, for the coordination of expertise and action in the fight against hunger.

Another encouraging sign was the Food Security Initiative of the G-8 Meeting in l’Aquila, in which the Heads of the Rome-based agencies participated personally. For the first time, this initiative emphasized the need for medium- and long-term agricultural development for the benefit of small farmers in the developing countries. The G-8 commitment, to mobilize 20 billion US dollars over three years for this effect, is a step in the right direction, provided that it is implemented effectively and rapidly.

In addition to assistance provided in the framework of national and regional food security programmes, and to emergency projects following natural disasters, FAO launched, in December 2007, the Initiative on Soaring Food Prices to facilitate access by small farmers to indispensable inputs. This initiative, which experienced great success, has been well received and allowed to mobilize 420 million US dollars and to implement projects in the different regions of the world. A total of 301.6 million dollars has been provided by the European Union under its “Food Facility” programme. I wish to thank again the Union.

Mr President,
Excellencies,
Ladies and Gentlemen,

IFAD and FAO are working closely together to improve the living conditions of small farmers in the developing countries, and to ensure sustainable agricultural development. Our cooperation is based on our respective comparative advantages and on our complementarities.

IFAD and FAO are currently working with WFP in the framework of a Tripartite Task Force for the preparation of a medium- and long-term plan of action and the implementation of projects in the field. We are thus providing coordinated support to the Government of Haiti in its effort to revive the agricultural and rural sector in the aftermath of the earthquake that struck the country last month. The immediate priority is preparation for the upcoming spring planting season, which starts in March and accounts for more than 60% of domestic food production. With logistical support from WFP in the field, we have begun the distribution of seeds, fertilizer and tools. This will enable the beneficiary families to proceed with the sowing of crops, which, after only three months, will provide their communities with food for a long period, together with employment and income.

The Rome-based hub of UN agencies, mandated with agricultural development and fighting world hunger, has never been so united and determined. We are aware of the magnitude of the task before us, but we are also confident because we know what needs to be done. And if the necessary financial resources, as promised, are effectively made available, then we will win the great global battle against poverty and hunger.

I thank you for your kind attention.