Micronesia
Mr. Chairman,
Agriculture is an important contributor to economic sustainability and rural development in
Small Island Developing States (SIDS) such as Micronesia. Especially subsistence
agriculture plays a vital role on our islands.
As we all know, climate change puts a great threat on the agricultural sector in developing
countries. This is especially true for SIDS, which feature small agricultural areas and include
many remote outer islands with a tiny population not qualifying for large-scale agricultural
production.
Analysis shows that global agricultural production will decline by 16% by 2020 due to
climate change, with more severe effects facing developing countries. Changes in rainfall and
more intense climate and weather conditions are responsible.1 Land degradation, sea-level
rise, salinization of arable land and the destruction of coral reefs will only be the most
prominent threats to my country and subsistence farming may no longer guarantee food
security.
Mr. Chairman,
It is important to act now! Waiting any longer would increase the pressure not only on
Micronesia, but on all the states most vulnerable to climate change. Potential climate-change
risks have to be incorporated into the agricultural strategies to make agriculture sustainable
for the future.
1 Stern, Nicholas, Stern Review: Economics of Climate Change, London, UK Treasury, 2006.
The Stern Report notes that climate change adaptation and mitigation policies need to be
implemented timely and efficiently in order to generate co-benefits, for example the
reduction of greenhouse gases and other pollution, enhanced energy efficiency, as well as
environmental protection. It is also important to institute effective land and coastal
conservation strategies, in our case outlined in the Micronesia Challenge, to assist sustainable
agricultural practices, as well as sustainable aquaculture.
Mr. Chairman,
With the current rise of food prices, strategies to promote local products have to be
established to stabilize food security and decrease the strong dependency on high world
market prices. Therefore, public awareness for the value of locally produced food needs to be
increased.
Finally, the international community also has to do its part in assisting SIDS to enhance
efficient and sustainable agricultural production, especially in regards to diversification of
agriculture, alternative uses of crops and irrigation and water management.
Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
Agriculture is an important contributor to economic sustainability and rural development in
Small Island Developing States (SIDS) such as Micronesia. Especially subsistence
agriculture plays a vital role on our islands.
As we all know, climate change puts a great threat on the agricultural sector in developing
countries. This is especially true for SIDS, which feature small agricultural areas and include
many remote outer islands with a tiny population not qualifying for large-scale agricultural
production.
Analysis shows that global agricultural production will decline by 16% by 2020 due to
climate change, with more severe effects facing developing countries. Changes in rainfall and
more intense climate and weather conditions are responsible.1 Land degradation, sea-level
rise, salinization of arable land and the destruction of coral reefs will only be the most
prominent threats to my country and subsistence farming may no longer guarantee food
security.
Mr. Chairman,
It is important to act now! Waiting any longer would increase the pressure not only on
Micronesia, but on all the states most vulnerable to climate change. Potential climate-change
risks have to be incorporated into the agricultural strategies to make agriculture sustainable
for the future.
1 Stern, Nicholas, Stern Review: Economics of Climate Change, London, UK Treasury, 2006.
The Stern Report notes that climate change adaptation and mitigation policies need to be
implemented timely and efficiently in order to generate co-benefits, for example the
reduction of greenhouse gases and other pollution, enhanced energy efficiency, as well as
environmental protection. It is also important to institute effective land and coastal
conservation strategies, in our case outlined in the Micronesia Challenge, to assist sustainable
agricultural practices, as well as sustainable aquaculture.
Mr. Chairman,
With the current rise of food prices, strategies to promote local products have to be
established to stabilize food security and decrease the strong dependency on high world
market prices. Therefore, public awareness for the value of locally produced food needs to be
increased.
Finally, the international community also has to do its part in assisting SIDS to enhance
efficient and sustainable agricultural production, especially in regards to diversification of
agriculture, alternative uses of crops and irrigation and water management.
Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
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