Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile (UC): Report presented to promote resilient and environmentally sustainable food systems
With the aim of making a call to build socially and environmentally sustainable food systems, this Monday the Report on Rural Development of the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) was presented.
El documento, que tiene por título “Transformando los Sistemas Alimentarios para Promover la Prosperidad Rural”, fue presentado por Romina Cavatassi, División de Investigación y Evaluación del Impacto, FIDA quien dio a conocer la publicación que contiene sugerencias sobre pasos concretos que pueden seguir los tomadores de decisiones en políticas públicas, para hacer que los sistemas alimentarios mundiales sean más resilientes, inclusivos, justos y sostenibles.
Given the consequences, due to the increase in the incidence of hunger and poverty in the world, due to the COVID-19 pandemic and the war in Ukraine, this document is seen as a contribution and in this sense, Rossana Polastri, Director Regional Office for Latin America and the Caribbean of FIDA, indicated that “the findings of this report can constitute a fundamental contribution when it comes to building more resilient societies that are prepared to face this type of crisis.”
The event was led by the Minister of Agriculture, Esteban Valenzuela , who pointed out that “this work is very relevant because it links rural development, not only as an aggregate of policies, but as something essential, which has to do with agri-food systems , territorial, to make them fairer. Both from wages to a competitive, entrepreneurial, diverse rural economy. So we go with this structural vision of strong and cohesive development”.
“This work is very relevant because it links rural development, not only as an aggregate of policies, but as something essential, which has to do with agri-food, territorial systems, so that they are fairer” – Esteban Valenzuela, Minister of Agriculture
The activity also included the participation of Julio Berdegué, FAO Regional Representative for Latin America and the Caribbean, who valued the publication, after considering that Latin America and the Caribbean is facing a worrying food crisis, which he characterized as a “perfect storm”. . In addition, he warned that no country will be able to overcome this situation on its own, emphasizing the need for multilateral action. “The lesson is that it is essential to put a greater emphasis on the resilience of agri-food systems,” he pointed out.
The activity was held at the Extension Center of the Catholic University of Chile and was led by the dean of the Faculty of Agronomy and Forestry Engineering , Rodrigo Figueroa, who highlighted the importance of the document “because, from the academy, it allows us to think different scenarios to ensure food safety, which is the main issue that brings us together as a society”.
Discussion panel
In the second part of the launch, a panel was developed that was also part of Bernardo Manzano, Minister of Agriculture and Livestock, Ecuador; Salvador Fernández on behalf of the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development of Mexico; Dalila Cervantes, OECD Trade and Agriculture Directorate; and academic Gustavo Anríquez, from the UC Department of Agricultural Economics.
As part of the discussion, Professor Gustavo Anríquez highlighted the contributions of the data provided, since they “appeal to improve the resilience of food systems, emphasizing environmental care, the livelihoods of the inhabitants and nutrition. In this way, IFAD becomes an ally for Chile, for the comprehensive management of its food systems and rural territories”.
This document is prepared biannually and is considered a roadmap to have sustainable and crisis-resilient food systems, becoming a key element to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals and to guarantee human life on the planet.