Transforming food and agricultural systems: a challenge we must face together
We only have 10 years left to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals. With food and agriculture being major players in these 17 objectives, FAO has recognized that a holistic approach is key. All of the world’s challenges are interconnected – as are their solutions. If we promote sustainable food and agricultural systems around the globe, we will reduce the number of poor and hungry, help combat climate change and preserve our natural resources for future generations. By transforming food and agricultural systems, we are transforming our future.
This is no easy task, however. Unsustainable agriculture practices have contributed to environmental challenges such as land degradation, deforestation and greenhouse gas emissions. But the agriculture sector can also be part of the solution. In our current climate emergency, transforming food and agricultural systems to be more climate-aware, sustainable, innovative, nutritious and resilient is at the heart of the needed change.
To achieve this, we must embrace innovation while also drawing on traditional practices and the time-tested agricultural methods of indigenous peoples. We must strengthen livelihoods and ensure that rural communities – often the most vulnerable people in the most vulnerable regions – are resilient in the face of climate change and its effects.
Though there has been some progress in achieving these goals, the world needs to do more and do it faster. With a 10-year deadline in mind, FAO is quickening the pace of progress by finding and implementing innovative solutions, encouraging global best practices and working together with partners to achieve sustainable food systems for all…
