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The world is facing a food crisis. The links between food security and climate change are undeniable. Hunger and lack of food are both the cause and consequence of many conflicts! So says Viorel Gutu, Deputy Director General and Regional Representative of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) for Europe and Central Asia.

The expert’s report, presented at the international conference “Promoting Peace: Implementing Strategies to Strengthen Trust Between Countries” (Ashgabat, 04/11/2024), said that “according to the report on the state of food security and nutrition in the world for 2023, about 735 million people currently facing hunger, representing more than 9% of the world's population."

The statistics are, of course, depressing. Indeed, with the accelerating climate crisis and increasing conflict, more than 330 million people will suffer from severe food insecurity in 2023 alone. In 2021, more than 3 billion people in the world (or 42%) could not afford healthy food, Viorel Gutu continues.

Climate change, environmental degradation and biodiversity loss are also exacerbating conflicts, contributing to global food shortages and threatening international peace and security. The populations most vulnerable to the effects of climate change are those directly linked to and dependent on agricultural sectors.

Strengthening regional international cooperation is critical to facilitating the exchange of knowledge about agri-food systems. A system that embodies almost all factors of our existence - from the natural resources used to produce food, and further along the entire production chain to ensuring healthy nutrition and public health.

The world is under pressure to act now – to end hunger and malnutrition, enable agriculture to adapt to climate change, and ensure food and environmental security for everyone.

How to do it?

– The idea behind FAO's Strategic Program Framework 2022-2031 is to transform food and agriculture systems into more efficient, inclusive, resilient and sustainable systems through the “four best drivers”. This means better production, better nutrition, a better environment and a better life, without leaving anyone behind,” Viorel Gutu says.

The Four Best Factors are the principles through which the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations contributes directly to achieving the Sustainable Development Goals.

The partnership between Turkmenistan and FAO has been steadily growing and developing since the country joined the UN Food and Agriculture Organization in 1995, Viorel Gutu says. Indeed, over the years, FAO's technical and policy support has covered a wide range of cooperation in areas related to food security, agricultural and livestock development, with a strong emphasis on national capacity development and environmental protection.

“At the moment, work is underway to sign a strategic agreement between the government of Turkmenistan and the Food and Agriculture Organization on the opening of a representative office of this UN structure in the country and the provision of technical assistance,” Viorel Gutu, Deputy Director-General and FAO Regional Representative for Europe and Central Asia, emphasized.

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