FAO Highlights Impacts of Climate Change on Food Security
TEHRAN (Tasnim) – Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) representative to Iran Serge Nakouzi underscored the need to adopt integrated and innovative approach to ensure food security across the globe amid environmental impacts arising from climate change.
“The world’s poorest - many of whom are farmers, fishers and pastoralists - are being hit hardest by higher temperatures and an increasing frequency in weather-related disasters,” Nakouzi said during a meeting in Tehran on Sunday.
The FAO envoy elaborated that currently the climate change, manifested in higher temperatures, changing rainfall patterns and increased incidence of extreme weather events such as droughts and floods, has endangered agricultural production in the Near East and North Africa (NENA) region, with effects being particularly noteworthy in Iran.
“Agriculture must therefore transform itself if it is to feed a growing global population and provide the basis for economic growth and poverty reduction” he noted.
Each year, FAO celebrates World Food Day on October 16 to commemorate the founding of the organization in 1945. Events are organized in over 150 countries across the world, including the Islamic Republic of Iran, making it one of the most celebrated days of the UN calendar.
These events promote worldwide awareness and action for those who suffer from hunger and for the need to ensure food security and nutritious diets for all.
World Food Day is also an important opportunity to send a strong message to the public: we can end hunger in this lifetime and become the Zero Hunger Generation, but everyone needs to work together to achieve this goal which has been enshrined in the Second Sustainable Development Goals endorsed last year by the global community to end hunger in the world by 2030.
