Report on UN Food Systems Summit +2 Stocktaking Moment
Introduction
The event — entitled “UN Food Systems Summit +2 Stocktaking Moment” — was hosted by the Government of Italy, in collaboration with UN agencies, in particular the UN Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), the International Fund for Agricultural Development, the World Food Programme and the UN Food Systems Coordination Hub.
Trade for Agri-Food Systems Transformation
Addressing a session on trade for agri-food systems transformation via a virtual connection, Director-General (DG) Okonjo-Iweala emphasized the importance of open and predictable trade in ensuring affordable access to food. She highlighted that one in five calories consumed globally is traded across international borders. Trade rules and policies also play a crucial role in shaping production, investment, and consumption decisions at the heart of food systems transformation.
Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)
The DG emphasized that trade is a key factor in driving development and income gains for people in poor countries and supporting better access to nutritious food. She highlighted the worsening hunger and malnutrition situation due to the pandemic, conflicts like the war in Ukraine, and other factors. The latest data from the State of Food Security and Nutrition report revealed that 793 million people faced hunger in 2022, and 2.4 billion people did not have year-round access to nutritious, safe, and sufficient food.
WTO’s Efforts in Response to Food Security Crisis
The DG outlined the substantial work done by the WTO in the past two years to address the food security crisis and improve the functioning of food and agriculture markets. She highlighted the outcomes of the 12th Ministerial Conference (MC12) in June 2022, which included a declaration on the emergency response to food insecurity and a decision on humanitarian food aid. The DG also mentioned the positive impact of these outcomes on the World Food Programme’s (WFP) humanitarian work.
Curbing Harmful Fisheries Subsidies
The DG drew attention to the landmark deal on curbing harmful fisheries subsidies, which will bolster food security. She urged governments to expedite the acceptance of the agreement for early implementation.
Trade’s Role in Coping with Food Security Crises
The DG elaborated on how trade and the WTO have helped people and countries cope with recent food security crises. Efforts have included curbing export restrictions and improving access to fertilizer, a sector severely affected by the war in Ukraine.
Next Steps for the WTO
The immediate next steps for the WTO will be enhancing existing transparency tools and easing trade obstacles for environmentally friendly innovative technologies used in the agriculture sector.
WTO’s Contribution to Food Systems Transformation
DG Okonjo-Iweala stressed two areas of focus for the WTO’s work on contributing to food systems transformation. The first is delivering results in the long-standing negotiations on agriculture trade. The second is ensuring the WTO plays its part in helping food systems become sustainable, with better water, land, and input use.
Political Breakthroughs and Results on Agriculture
The DG highlighted the shared view among members that food security is key to unlock progress in the agriculture negotiations. She urged trade ministers to seize the opportunity of the upcoming senior officials’ meeting in October to make political breakthroughs and lay the groundwork for delivering results on agriculture at the 13th Ministerial Conference on 26-29 February 2024.
Reviewing Farm Subsidy Rules
The DG asked members to review the current farm subsidy rules, repurpose trade-distortive and environmentally harmful subsidies, and incentivize the uptake of green technologies and practices.
Conclusion
In conclusion, DG Okonjo-Iweala emphasized the importance of trade as a tool to solve food systems problems. She urged participants to urge their trade colleagues to deliver results in the ongoing WTO agriculture negotiations and make full use of the WTO as a tool to transform food systems and help meet the Sustainable Development Goals.
Summit puts trade high on the agenda
The “UN food systems summit (UNFSS) +2 stockholding moment” is the first stockholding event convened by the UN Secretary-General since the UNFSS was held in 2021. It marks a critical moment in reviewing progress on global efforts towards the transformation of food systems for the achievement of the SDGs. The summit aims to prepare for the SDGs Summit in September and the Climate Change Summit in November.
WTO’s Contributions to UNFSS
The WTO made important contributions to the UNFSS in 2021 by organizing a virtual dialogue on the relationship between trade and food systems. Trade was high on the agenda of this year’s UN summit, and the WTO participated in various activities during the event.
Short-Term Priorities for Food Security
Deputy Director-General Jean-Marie Paugam highlighted three short-term priorities for food security on the road to MC13: controlling export restrictions, completing fisheries negotiations, and taking a meaningful step towards structural reform of agricultural trade distortions.
For more information on WTO action on food security, visit the WTO | Food security page.
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SDGs, Targets, and Indicators in the Article
1. Which SDGs are addressed or connected to the issues highlighted in the article?
- SDG 2: Zero Hunger
- SDG 8: Decent Work and Economic Growth
- SDG 12: Responsible Consumption and Production
- SDG 13: Climate Action
- SDG 14: Life Below Water
- SDG 15: Life on Land
The article discusses the issues of hunger, food security, trade, and sustainable agriculture, which are directly connected to SDG 2 (Zero Hunger). It also mentions the importance of trade for economic growth and access to affordable food, which relates to SDG 8 (Decent Work and Economic Growth). Additionally, the article highlights the need for responsible consumption and production practices, as well as the impact of fisheries subsidies on food security and sustainability, aligning with SDG 12 (Responsible Consumption and Production), SDG 13 (Climate Action), SDG 14 (Life Below Water), and SDG 15 (Life on Land).
2. What specific targets under those SDGs can be identified based on the article’s content?
- Target 2.1: By 2030, end hunger and ensure access by all people, in particular the poor and people in vulnerable situations, including infants, to safe, nutritious, and sufficient food all year round.
- Target 8.3: Promote development-oriented policies that support productive activities, decent job creation, entrepreneurship, creativity, and innovation.
- Target 12.3: By 2030, halve per capita global food waste at the retail and consumer levels and reduce food losses along production and supply chains, including post-harvest losses.
- Target 13.1: Strengthen resilience and adaptive capacity to climate-related hazards and natural disasters in all countries.
- Target 14.6: By 2020, prohibit certain forms of fisheries subsidies that contribute to overcapacity and overfishing, eliminate subsidies that contribute to illegal, unreported, and unregulated fishing, and refrain from introducing new such subsidies.
- Target 15.2: By 2020, promote the implementation of sustainable management of all types of forests, halt deforestation, restore degraded forests, and substantially increase afforestation and reforestation globally.
Based on the article’s content, the targets mentioned above are relevant to the issues discussed. These targets focus on ending hunger, promoting economic growth, reducing food waste, addressing climate-related hazards, curbing harmful fisheries subsidies, and promoting sustainable land and forest management.
3. Are there any indicators mentioned or implied in the article that can be used to measure progress towards the identified targets?
- Indicator 2.1.1: Prevalence of undernourishment
- Indicator 8.3.1: Proportion of informal employment in non-agriculture employment, by sex
- Indicator 12.3.1: Food loss index
- Indicator 13.1.1: Number of deaths, missing persons, and directly affected persons attributed to disasters per 100,000 population
- Indicator 14.6.1: Progress by countries in the degree of implementation of international instruments aiming to combat illegal, unreported, and unregulated fishing
- Indicator 15.2.1: Progress towards sustainable forest management
The article does not explicitly mention these indicators, but they can be used to measure progress towards the identified targets. These indicators provide specific metrics to assess the prevalence of undernourishment, informal employment, food loss, climate-related hazards, fisheries management, and sustainable forest management.
Table: SDGs, Targets, and Indicators
| SDGs | Targets | Indicators |
|---|---|---|
| SDG 2: Zero Hunger | Target 2.1: By 2030, end hunger and ensure access by all people, in particular the poor and people in vulnerable situations, including infants, to safe, nutritious, and sufficient food all year round. | Indicator 2.1.1: Prevalence of undernourishment |
| SDG 8: Decent Work and Economic Growth | Target 8.3: Promote development-oriented policies that support productive activities, decent job creation, entrepreneurship, creativity, and innovation. | Indicator 8.3.1: Proportion of informal employment in non-agriculture employment, by sex |
| SDG 12: Responsible Consumption and Production | Target 12.3: By 2030, halve per capita global food waste at the retail and consumer levels and reduce food losses along production and supply chains, including post-harvest losses. | Indicator 12.3.1: Food loss index |
| SDG 13: Climate Action | Target 13.1: Strengthen resilience and adaptive capacity to climate-related hazards and natural disasters in all countries. | Indicator 13.1.1: Number of deaths, missing persons, and directly affected persons attributed to disasters per 100,000 population |
| SDG 14: Life Below Water | Target 14.6: By 2020, prohibit certain forms of fisheries subsidies that contribute to overcapacity and overfishing, eliminate subsidies that contribute to illegal, unreported, and unregulated fishing, and refrain from introducing new such subsidies. | Indicator 14.6.1: Progress by countries in the degree of implementation of international instruments aiming to combat illegal, unreported, and unregulated fishing |
| SDG 15: Life on Land | Target 15.2: By 2020, promote the implementation of sustainable management of all types of forests, halt deforestation, restore degraded forests, and substantially increase afforestation and reforestation globally. | Indicator 15.2.1: Progress towards sustainable forest management |
