168th Session of the FAO Council [fr]
From 29 November to 4 December 2021, the 168th session of the FAO Council was held in a hybrid format, with the following items on the negotiation agenda: the FAO’s response to Covid-19, the FAO’s strategy for combating the effects of climate change and the science and innovation strategy. As a member of the Council since June 2021 for a two-year term, France took full part in these debates.
FAO response to Covid-19
The Member States discussed the role of the FAO in preventing the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic on food systems and the actions to be taken to anticipate the appearance of new pandemics. In support of the EU declaration, France stressed the importance of the "One Health" approach and the PREZODE initiative to effectively prevent the risks of zoonotic emergence and pandemics.
Ambassador Céline Jurgensen recalled the importance of strengthening the resilience of food systems, mentioning the Coalition for Agroecology launched at the UN Summit on Food Systems, of which France is a member.
Follow-up to the UN Food Systems Summit and coordination in Rome
On 23 and 24 September 2021, the UN Food Systems Summit was held with the aim of mobilizing Member States to transform food systems in order to fight hunger and malnutrition, climate change and biodiversity loss. At this Council session, Member States agreed with the proposal of the Summit Secretariat that Roman agencies, in partnership with other UN agencies, which would ensure the follow-up of the Summit. The FAO will host a focal point for this purpose.
On this occasion, France recalled its commitment to two major coalitions of the Summit: the coalition for school feeding and the coalition for agroecology. It called for close collaboration between the FAO coordination unit and the Committee on World Food Security (CFS) and its Panel of Experts (HLPE), the only structures able of providing a scientific, political and inclusive interface in the follow-up to the Summit.
Climate change strategy: including food systems in the fight against climate change
Alongside its European partners, France has called for an ambitious climate change strategy, aligned with the Paris Agreement and taking into account the results of COP26, to reduce the impact of agricultural and food systems on greenhouse gas emissions. While agriculture is responsible for a large proportion of greenhouse gas emissions, it also offers solutions for actively combating climate change. France has therefore supported a rebalancing of the FAO’s programme and budget in order to make the transition to more resilient and sustainable food systems.
Science and innovation strategy: supporting a balanced approach to innovation
The FAO presented its draft strategy on science and innovation, which aims to strengthen the place of scientific data and technological innovations in the daily work of the FAO. France argued for a balanced approach to innovations, mentioning for example agroecological approaches and nature-based innovations, but also social or organisational innovations. France also stressed the importance of developing ethical and responsible science, at the service of all, to help FAO achieve the Sustainable Development Goals, while strengthening the transparency and accountability of its activities.
