FAO thanks panellists for their statements on the use of space technologies and the experiences of the Millennium Project In response FAO would like to confirm that it works closely with UNEP, UNDP, CG system, IFAD, IIASA and other partners in developing information systems and tools and building capacity for long term solutions which are a prerequisite for sustainable agriculture and rural development (SARD).
FAO commends the Millennium Project which provides an important contribution to food security in the villages it targets through its focus on fertilizers and improved seeds. However, FAO stresses that attainment of MDGs 1 and 7 requires integrated and long term approaches for realisation of sustainable, productive and viable agricultural systems, and requires targeting the diverse drylands, mountain regions and humid ecosystems and diverse farmer/herder and fisherfolk contexts.
World?s agriculture must guarantee food security for the global population, and as we have heard in other plenary sessions, must also support the maintenance of a range of other supporting and regulating ecosystem services, in particular nutrient cycling, the hydrological regime and carbon sequestration. Preserving and regenerating soil health will contribute to all these services and also help to control floods and mitigate the effects of drought- a serious consequence of climate change. Improved water use efficiency is also a great opportunity for improving yields in rainfed and irrigated systems, but especially in rainfed systems where adapted land and water management techniques can readily double yields.
FAO supports fully the statement made by the NGOs and recognises the importance of Food Rights and empowerment and targeting of small farmers, agropastoralists and pastoralists, especially recognising their important contribution to the maintenance of continuously evolving stock of genetic resources. In this regard, we also highlight the importance of Farmers Rights as laid out in the IT-PGRFA and herders rights in the recent Plan of action on animal genetic resources (Interlaken Conference).
Capacity building of communities is an indispensable for SARD but also prioritising and planning use of natural resources at national and sub-national levels. In this regard FAO notes the need to do more in supporting integrated planning and management of resources at district/provincial levels, for making available user friendly tools for decision support and enhancing wise investment and meeting todays? complex challenges (in regard to food security, sustainable agriculture and use of natural resources and climate change)
Finally, madam chair FAO invites government delegates and participants to read the information that has been synthesised and provided in FAOs brochure and fact sheets provided in the folder prepared for CSD16 .
