 The Four Seats Conference in 2024 will be a milestone for our joint implementing of the SDGs. EU and its member states fully support the preparatory process and at the conference itself. The EU was glad to engage in the three regional preparatory meetings in Mauritius, San Viz and the Grenadines, Tonga and the Inter-Regional Preparatory Meeting in Cabo Verde at the beginning of September. First and foremost, the Four Seats Conference will be a conference by the Seats for the Seats based on the priorities of the Seats. We expect the outcome document to reflect this and we look forward to the Seats assessment of the implementation of the Samoa pathway as well as on how its priorities will affect the implementation of the SDGs in Seats. The extreme vulnerability of many seats to the climate crisis is beyond any doubt. It will certainly figure as a top priority in the debate. The EU and its member states remain committed to our joint 1.5 degree Celsius target. We are the first to have enshrined the mid-century net zero target in law and we remain committed to the implementation of the Paris Agreement to supporting the most vulnerable countries in particular Seats and LDC and to increase collective climate financing. The EU recognizes the need for more financial resources on the path towards SDGs. We are strongly committed to be at the forefront of the collective effort to scale up resources mobilization with a focus on low-income and vulnerable countries and communities and we recognize the specific needs of the developing countries in particular of the Seats. The EU's Global Gateway Initiative is the EU contribution to address the investment gap. Global Gateway has become a major way in our support to our partners through sustainable infrastructure investment coupled with soft measures to improve the business climate and regularity environment. All of the priority areas are aligned with SDGs and will contribute to achieving SDGs worldwide. It also represents a joint effort by Team Europe bringing together the EU member states and European financial and development institutions such as EIB. In our experience, Seats often struggle to attract investments due to their small markets and perceived risks. Additionally, the criteria used by international financial institutions for determining eligibility may not adequately capture the unique needs and credibility of Seats. We must be financially creative and provide solutions to address the complexity of Seats' challenges. We recognize the need for action to tackle debt sustainability and we are following the ongoing discussion in Multilateral Forum on the reform of international financial architecture to increase liquidity and improve access to consensual financing. The current international financial architecture is not fit for purpose anymore. It needs a revamping to properly support our partners, especially those most affected by climate change and to achieve the 2030 agenda. It must provide adequate solutions to the debt crisis faced by partner countries and lead to an increased mobilization of private finance to fill the investment gap. Increased coordination between MDPs and with other international organizations such as the IMF and the UN system is also crucial without creating new structures or systems. We will continue to engage with all partners in all forums to ensure progress on this reform agenda. As emphasized in the party's summit for a new global financing pact in July, no country should ever have to choose between eradicating poverty, furthering its green transition and fighting climate change. The UN is committed to this goal. As Team Europe, we are the leading donors of official development assistance. Team Europe is also the biggest donor when it comes to climate finance. Our main contribution to the SDGs comes from the Global Gateway Strategy, which provides partner countries with a quality EU offer, leveraging joint interests and advancing common objective and bringing public and private financial flows to achieve a total investment of EU 30 billion before 2027. Regarding our relation with FAU, the European Green Deal principles and objectives with its emphasis on moving towards a carbon neutral and sustainable model in Europe and worldwide serves as the core driver for cooperation with FAU. The global food security effects of the war in Ukraine underline the importance of enhancing sustainable food systems, resilient value change and diversification. FAU and the EU must continue to work around common priorities on climate change, mitigation and adaptation, biodiversity and natural resources management, including sustainable forest management and halting deforestation, sustainable food system and food security, sustainable fisheries and agriculture, sustainable value change and resilience to food crisis. Cooperation will also continue on making agricultural investments sustainable and ensuring that global food systems are robust, resilient, sustainable and inclusive. Nutrition, food safety and gender-sensitive approaches should remain among the partnership's top priorities. The EU is ready to cooperate intensively with FAU and the UN family in the preparation of the fourth SIDS Conference to ensure that it will be a milestone for our joint implementing of the SDGs. Thank you very much. Thank you very much, Mr. Ibanez, and allow us to congratulate you for your appointment. This is, as we say in Spanish, an una buena. Thank you for reiterating EU's constant support and commitment to SIDS, including in the upcoming SIDS Conference, issues related to climate change and also in the areas of resource mobilization through, among others, the global gateway and other initiatives. You also highlighted into your intervention your important collaboration with FAU to ensure the transformation of agricultural food systems to render them more efficient, inclusive, sustainable and resilient. Thank you very much. And now I have the pleasure to pass the floor to Ms. Christelle Pratt, Assistant Secretary General, Environmental Climate Action Department at OACPS. And I would also like to take this opportunity to thank the OACPS for hosting this SIDS Solutions Dialogue here today. And now over to you, Christelle. Thank you very much. Silence, ladies and gentlemen. All protocols observed. A very good morning and good afternoon and welcome to this hybrid event which the OACPS is pleased to host here at OACPS headquarters in Brussels and to, of sorts, co-organize with the FAU your liaison officers in Brussels. Michelle, thank you very much in New York and Geneva. We have a long standing and valued relationship with the FAU and we appreciate this very much. This event seeks to highlight the embracing of a food systems approach as a solution to addressing malnutrition, reducing the growing burden of obesity and related non-communicable diseases, MCDs. Food and nutritional security is an important priority for 39 SIDS members of the OACPS. Our members and communities continue to grapple with the increasing levels of malnutrition in its many facets which have led to the rising incidence of obesity and the increasing burden of MCDs. It must be acknowledged and emphasized that the undesirable malnutrition levels and its consequences are primarily due to the unique vulnerabilities and specificities of SIDS. As many will be aware, local food production in many SIDS is constrained by their small size, lack of arable land, limited freshwater resources and high vulnerability to natural hazard risks, fragile natural environments and ecosystems and increasing exposure to the effects of climate change including saltwater intrusion and sea level rise. In the face of declining domestic food production and changing dietary preferences, reliance on imported food plays a larger role in the food and nutritional security for most SIDS. Oftentimes, these imported foods are highly processed and are a key driver of obesity and MCDs in SIDS populations. While SIDS have demonstrated remarkable resilience despite their limited resources and geographical constraints, there is no denying that SIDS face difficulties ahead if they are to build and maintain healthy and resilient communities in the face of ongoing crises from a multitude of exogenous shops. Improving health through increasing the production and consumption of local nutritious foods remain a policy objective of many SIDS governments. However, achieving this objective is not without major hurdles. Consider this. A typical fresh produce farmer in SIDS tends to be a small holder, tends to be underfunded and tends to have limited farmland. But he or she has to face stiff competition from relatively cheap and heavily subsidized processed imports to industrial agricultural systems from developed countries. Coupled with the frequent disasters from natural hazard risks and climate change and from economic downturns, it is critical to emphasize the urgent need for tailored support that is commensurate with the unique circumstances to support locally led sustainable solutions to produce healthy foods from local sources. The recent exogenous shots stemming from the Russian-Ukraine war has demonstrated the need for sustainable regional food value chains to ensure food security. Therefore, we need to redouble efforts to include small holder farmers and artisanal fishers in modern food value chains. This would secure rural incomes and food security in rural and urban areas. Small producers face many challenges that can undermine their attempts to harvest and market their goods effectively. Policies and mechanisms that support them in this regard will be indispensable to encourage their productivity and market participation. The food systems approach is an attractive proposition for SIDS. It would provide viable, locally informed and adaptable pathways for increasing locally produced nutritious food. It would ensure food and nutritional security and build resilient communities. In this regard, the OACPS supports and promotes transformative food production approaches that positively impact the environment to ensure productive resilience and is based on the best available scientific information and traditional knowledge. Ongoing intra-ACP 11th EDF programs, such as the Fishery OACP program, is leading in supporting fisheries value chains development in 12 OACPS countries, including two SIDS members. To underline our commitment to this effort, the OACPS is exploring feasibility of establishing a food systems transformation mechanism to promote coordinated actions at all levels to end hunger and malnutrition in all its forms and to transform food systems to meet our health needs while embracing the principles of sustainable management, use and conservation of our continents, our islands and our oceans. The four SIDS conference in Antigua and Barbuda is an opportunity to put all hands on deck, including our long-standing partners, such as FAO, to support in shaping sustainable development of both our green and blue food systems, to end hunger, food insecurity and malnutrition in all its forms and build resilient communities against the climate emergency that is afflicting our SIDS countries and communities. Thank you for your attention. Thank you very much ASG Pratt for sharing your thoughts and for highlighting the dependence of food imports often through very processed foods. Some of the hurdles faced by small-holder farmers, along with the general vulnerabilities of SIDS to external trucks. The importance of including small-holder farmers and the support that's given from OACPS and FAO through initiatives such as Fish for ACP and for calling on all of us to bring to bear our best at the SIDS conference in 2024. It is now my pleasure to pass the floor to Her Excellency Nella Hepatavitelevi, Chair of the Alliance of Small Island Developing States and Ambassador of the Independent State of Samoa to the Government of Switzerland. Excellency, you have the floor. Thank you, Madam Facilitator. Good afternoon, colleagues, Excellencies, ladies and gentlemen. I'm Tala Falava and good afternoon. Good morning to others from the other side of the world, including my country, Samoa. For Samoa, we have been blessed to have the surrounding ocean providing us with food sustenance. We have wonderful tropical weather. There are no disasters. And we've been also blessed with fertile volcanic soil for crops. And if you have been to Samoa or have the opportunity to visit our shores, you would notice beginning from the right from the airport, small holder plots and family gardens of food and vegetables, both in the rural and urban areas. Food availability should not be an issue for us. However, as we've heard from past speakers, that the rising incidents of NCDs, especially diabetes and obesity, it is apparent that access to nutritious and good quality food is the main concern. NCDs have become an urgent concern as Samoa and many other small island developing states who share unique characteristics now have a high premature mortality rate. For the Pacific, the rising burden of NCDs represent the single largest cause of premature mortality. Food security for seeds is at a critical stage external shocks including conflicts have wreaked havoc across global supply chains. The COVID-19 pandemic exacerbated the vulnerability of seeds to which we are still recovering from its social economic impacts and the adverse effects of climate change is worsening. Higher temperatures, altered rainfall patterns, seed of a rise, salinization and freshwater shortages build unpredictability for crop productions and fish stocks. As a result, there has been an increasing reliance on imported processed foods as we've heard, which are accessible, cheap, but low in nutrition and often high in calories. The ocean is central to the way of life for small island developing states or ocean states. It provides a wide range of ecosystem services, food and nutrition and decent jobs and livelihoods. However, the ocean and its resources are under considerable stress from human actions, marine litter and plastic pollution, hazardous toxic waste and greenhouse gas emissions. EOSIS leaders have recognized the strong connection between the ocean and climate change and the need to further strengthen ocean climate action under the Paris Agreement. To address these challenges, SIDS require quality data to formulate evidence-based policies that could guide action-oriented implementation that is tailored to the specific needs and contexts of SIDS. There's a need for targeted measures to enable self-reliance in terms of food production and responsible consumption. Notwithstanding there's an opportunity to strengthen and transform food systems, food system pathways and rejuvenate traditional agri-food systems to correct the nutritional deficiencies and counteract the prevalence of MCDs. Strength and partnership is imperative in this regard, especially at the upcoming Fourth International Conference on SIDS, which will be held next year in Antigua and Barbuda. Our challenges require new innovative and bold approaches. Building resilience in SIDS is paramount to the survival of our land and people in the era of human-induced climate change. Simplified access to financing, sustainable investments and removal of barriers to technology transfers are a few solutions that have been adamantly called for by SIDS. Access to a balanced and nutritional diet and the return to locally produced food and fresh and locally produced and fresh food can be supported by financial assistance for advocacy for a change of behavioural mindset and lifestyle and capacity building for our health and education professionals. The SIDS Summit and SIDS Solutions Forum can further foster cooperation, collaboration and innovation, especially in agri-food systems which can help diversify island economies and implement the SAMO pathway and achieve the 2030 SDGs. Lastly, production and productivity related to food should not be achieved at the expense of the environment. The protection of the environment and its biodiversity, ocean conservation and climate resilience are integral to the sustainability of SIDS food systems and can harness our full capacity as ocean-based and eco-control economies. Thank you very much for the opportunity. Thank you very much, Excellency, for stressing the rising burden of NCDs in the Pacific and sharing with us how SIDS are still recovering from the impacts of COVID-19 and constantly confront the threat of climate change with its impacts on food security and nutrition. Ambassador, you also mentioned the issue of quality data, the role of the transformation of agri-food systems, strengthening of partnerships, more financing and capacity building as we move towards in the new decade of action for SIDS and towards achieving the SDGs. I now have the pleasure to introduce Miss Nancy Aburto, the Deputy Director of the Food and Nutrition Division and FAO headquarters in Rome, even though she's not actually in Rome today. Nancy, you have the floor. Thank you very much, Angelica. Excellencies, distinguished participants, ladies and gentlemen, today I have a privilege of discussing this matter of profound global significance that the introductions have brought to the table, and that is the intersection of nutrition, climate change and diet-related non-communical diseases in the SIDS. Now, the convergence of these issues is not only compelling, but it's deeply concerning given the unique vulnerabilities and challenges faced by SIDS, particularly in relation to access to and demand for healthy diets for all. Now, starting with the biggest of pictures, the indisputable evidence of the negative impacts of climate change on the planet, on nations, communities, households, and people's lives, combined with the persistent challenges of malnutrition affecting every country in the world and one of three individuals globally, makes it fair to say that climate change and malnutrition are two of the world's greatest barriers to sustainable development. And as our introductory speakers have already said, SIDS are in a particular situation when it comes to the threat of climate change and the challenges of malnutrition. As Mr. Ibanez said, that the challenge of climate change in SIDS is real today, and there is a strong commitment to tackle the multiple challenges that could indeed have devastating consequences for all SIDS nations. Well, Ms. Pratt mentioned the complex prevalence of multiple forms of malnutrition in SIDS, the triple burden of undernutrition, micronutrient deficiency, and obesity. Well, at the same time, her excellency, Tavita Levy, mentioned that common burden of high levels of NCDs in the SIDS. And perhaps one thing that we haven't mentioned that also deserves a call out is that many SIDS countries have an economic context at both the national and the household level that confers unique challenges. So in summary, the SIDS are facing complex, unique, and intertwined challenges in reaching the sustainable development goals. And why do I put so much emphasis on that word intertwined? Well, it comes back to the evidence, and we've already touched on this as well, the need for data and evidence for approaching these problems. And that's the plethora of evidence of the relationship among climate, nutrition, and NCDs. Now, just last week at FAO, we launched a paper entitled Climate Action and Nutrition, Pathways to Impact, where we documented the evidence of specific impacts of climate change and its consequences on the systems that underpin good nutrition. And as we learn more about these interlinkages, we're elucidating the potential response options through integrated actions that can address climate change challenges and nutrition-relevant outcomes simultaneously and thus reduce the risk of NCDs. Now, those systems that I refer to, of course, are agri-food, water, social protection, and health systems. These are the underpinning systems for good nutrition. And the examples, some examples of the impacts of climate change on these systems include things like higher sea levels and warmer oceans and ocean acidification, negatively impacting aquatic species biodiversity and altering the distribution of wild fish stocks, particularly important in the context of SIDS. And changes in precipitation contributing to approximately half of the world's population experiencing severe water scarcity. And perhaps, ironically, the SIDS are particularly vulnerable to this water insecurity challenge. There's also an example of shocks, climate-induced shocks, that are impeding communities and households' ability to invest in long-term livelihood opportunities. And as we all know, the SIDS are particularly vulnerable to those climate-induced weather events. And finally, a last example, increased outbreaks of novel illnesses such as the COVID-19 that are straining our health systems and limiting their ability to deliver appropriate services and care, including those services needed for addressing non-communical diseases, just to name a few. Now, these challenges, as well as many other not listed here but found in that paper, are negatively impacting nutrition-relevant outcomes, things like access to healthy diets. There's a reduced availability of nutritious food, but also, because of these challenges to livelihoods, a reduced economic accessibility. There's also altered water intake and physiological water balance caused by water scarcity and by extreme heat events. There's an increased implementation of maladaptation or negative coping strategies. Everything from community actions such as overfishing for short-term gain to household or personal actions such as changing our quality of diet or even things like removing children from school. And finally, there's increased food safety risk. This can often occur in the context of floods or droughts that increase water contamination. And these nutrition impacts, combined with other direct impacts of climate change not going through that nutrition pathway, increase the risk of multiple types of non-communical diseases. And now focusing in on that overlay of climate nutrition and NCD, in this regard, it is not all bad news because the evidence reveals a range of areas where addressing climate change and mild nutrition simultaneously can have mutually reinforcing positive impacts on both. Our review of the evidence was encouraging in finding there are multiple entry points across those four systems for potential positive impact on nutrition and climate outcomes. And recognizing that strong relationship between diet, nutrition, and non-communical disease makes these integrated actions highly relevant for identifying triple-win opportunities. So let me just walk you through one example of integrated action from each of the systems. And I want you to note that on these slides, there are references all over the slides that make the visual a little bit busy, but I really want to reinforce that everything I'm saying here is backed by evidence in the literature. Now from the agri-food system, an example of integrated action is managing soil sustainably, which is extremely relevant for SIDS, and I believe it will indeed be touched on by a following speaker. Managing soil sustainably can reduce soil degradation and strengthen ecosystems resilience. But at the same time, it can also simultaneously improve production and enhance nutrient levels in crops and in food supply chains. However, I also need to highlight that we recognize that the results are not guaranteed. And though I don't have time today to jump into all the specifics, I do want to note that in the paper, we talk about some of those key enablers that are supportive of these integrated actions having the successful outcomes that we desire. In the case of water systems, an example of integrated action is enabling gender responsive water sanitation and hygiene or wash. This can strengthen climate change preparedness and resilience while also ensuring water and sanitation for all, while also reducing discrimination and violence against women and girls. For social protection systems, another example is also gender focused. Employing a gender transformative approach that focuses on justice and equity and recognizes the social context that prevent women and girls from reaching their full potential while also recognizing their nutritional vulnerability can reduce the use of negative coping strategies and maladaptation practices, while also reducing the vulnerability of women and girls to malnutrition and improving household care and health. And finally for health systems, an example of integrated action is increasing the availability, timeliness and utilization of data on health risk from climate change and on geographical and individual vulnerabilities. This includes data on things like health status, water availability and water quality and weather data. And this can lead to improved identification of potential vulnerabilities to climate change impacts and more effective adaptation measures, while also leading to a reorganized health system that enables essential functions, including those essential functions for addressing non-communical disease such as appropriate preventative care and family and patient counseling. So overall, there is indeed clear potential for each of these systems to be nutrition sensitive and climate smart for healthy diets, safe food, clean water, enhanced coping and less illness from systems that significantly reduce overall greenhouse gas emissions, protect biodiversity, preserve natural resources and increase resilience. Resulting in a virtuous cycle of healthier people in stronger communities with reduced vulnerability that can drive sustainable development. So in summary, SIDs face complex, unique and intertwined challenges to reach the SDGs. And our research has shown that these intertwined challenges provide a great opportunity. The inner linkages between climate, nutrition and NCDs across agri-food, water, social protection and health systems provide multiple entry points for integrated action that can positively impact climate, nutrition and NCDs. And evidence response options are available and we will hear from today's panel about some that are underway in SIDs today and we can work together to expand these actions and take them to a larger scale. But in order to do that, we need to catalyze, mobilize, connect and advocate for these integrated climate and nutrition actions. And this is the aim of the initiative on climate action and nutrition, a multi-stakeholder, multi-sectorial global flagship program launched by the government of Egypt as the COP 27 president. Ladies and gentlemen, business as usual will not be sufficient to reach the ambitious goals of Agenda 2030. And as Her Excellency Tavita Levy already said, we must embrace innovative, bolder approaches. We need to embrace new partnerships, alliances and innovative action and policy to find those efficient solutions to address multiple, national and global priorities simultaneously. And as the research I just presented has shown, there are multiple options to take a systems approach to do just that. To address climate change, malnutrition and NCDs simultaneously. And thus catalyze our progress towards sustainable development. And with that, I thank you for your time and attention and invite you to download our paper to learn more. Back over to you, Angelica. For highlighting the complex, unique and intertwined challenges sits face in here by showing a clear example of the intersection between climate change, nutrition and NCDs. Sharing with us something that was mentioned by the previous speakers, I mean the importance of data and evidence and here pointing to the launch of the Climate Action and Nutrition Pathways to impact. Then further sharing how climate impact systems impact nutrition and then also contributes to the risk of NCDs. However, you also gave us a positive note showing an opportunity that can be had by one intervention in one area, having positive outcomes on the other areas. You also shared with us some key enablers which are further elaborated in the paper that was mentioned and provided some examples. And lastly, you mentioned the ICANN initiative. It is now my pleasure to introduce our next speaker, Miss Maud Verré-Picot, Regional Lead for Africa and the Near East from the Office of Climate Change and Biodiversity, who will bring us about Cabal Verges, Climate Resilient Food and Nutrition Solutions for Land, Degradation, Neutrality, Golds. Maud, over to you. Good afternoon everyone and thank you Angelica and distinguished colleagues for setting the scene to this event. I'm grateful for the opportunity to speak about climate and environment funding and healthy and nutritious diets on the FAO Jeff experience in Cabal Verges. So, the global environment facility or the Jeff was created now over three decades ago to support developing countries deliver their environment and their climate commitments under a number of multilateral environmental agreements including the Rio Conventions. Since then the Jeff has provided more than 23 billion dollars worth of grants to over 5,000 different projects including in very many sites across the world that address biodiversity loss, climate change, adaptation and mitigation challenges, pollution and also land and ocean health. And with the years and a growing integrated nature and complexity of development challenges the Jeff's agenda became more holistic, more transformational and more people centered. Indeed, and this was illustrated nicely in the previous presentation by Ms Nancy to effectively address the climate crisis and the interlinked crisis of rising food and nutrition insecurity youth unemployment biodiversity loss ecosystem degradation we need integrated solutions and we have integrated solutions. Furthermore with its healthy planet healthy people framework the Jeff is putting human health and well-being at the center of its strategy. FAO is a key partner of the Jeff and as a Jeff agency FAO has helped over 140 developing countries including sits in Africa in the Pacific in the Caribbean to mobilize close to 2 billion US dollars in Jeff grants. This FAO Jeff portfolio has been championing integrated approaches to tackle the complex challenges at the nexus between agri-food systems and the environment. Indeed the way we produce and consume food has a great impact on the environment and dieting patterns are influenced by agri-food systems but they also shape supply systems with different environmental footprints. In this regard FAO recognizes the role of healthy diets as levers for transformative actions and this across food systems to improve on one hand human health and on the other hand planetary health jointly. So allow me to share the experience from Capo Verde to illustrate what this means in concrete terms. Land degradation is widespread and increasing in Capo Verde and it significantly impacts rural livelihoods but also food security and nutrition and the islands fragile for environmental together. Management responses mainly constituting of soil erosion control measures that have been inadequate and insufficient. So since early 2022 FAO has been working closely with the Ministry of Agriculture and Environment of Capo Verde to develop and launch a Jeff Co-finance project to reverse this downward trend. The FAO Jeff project contributes to the achievement of Capo Verde's land degradation neutrality targets. Now land degradation neutrality provides an integrated framework to sustainably manage land resources and their ecosystem services in a given landscape. The LDN framework land degradation neutrality framework thanks to its holistic and integrated nature is therefore also seen as a potential accelerator for the achievement of several SDGs and development priorities such as food security and nutrition. The land degradation neutrality project in Capo Verde therefore actively promotes the widespread adoption of nature based solutions at the farm and the landscape levels to deliver land productivity, soil erosion, soil carbon and land cover benefits all essential to in order to produce more and better. Examples of such nature based solutions include the introduction of living barriers along contour lines and this to stabilize soils to recharge groundwater increase vegetation cover just to name a few. Other examples include the organic matter management such as mulching and composting or another example is agroforestry with food trees. The LDN framework delivers societal benefits alongside this environmental soil health and land degradation control benefits including improved climate resilience improved sorry climate resilient food production and nutrition. Healthy and nutritious diets are thus an essential co-benefit of the environment action that is undertaken by the project but the opposite is equally true too the project uses a gender and nutrition sensitive approach to value chain development and therefore explicitly recognizing the transformational nature of healthy diets to deliver LDN benefits at scale so coming back to our nature based solutions and the agroforestry with fruit trees example the project is committed to developing the mango value chain for instance improvements at the production the transformation the commercialization and of the food value chain will benefit the rural women that are engaged in this food value chain as they earn a better living but these improvements will also benefit the school going children that will find healthy, local and season fresh alternatives to imported foods sometimes highly processed as was mentioned before in their school canteens I left you with a little bit more information and details on the project as these presentations will be with you or will be shared with you afterwards and equipped with the example of Capo Verde and many more experiences from the FAO Jeff projects and programs FAO took stock of successes tools and approaches that enhance nutrition sensitivity in Jeff programming the recently launched publication that you find here features concrete recommendations to Jeff partner agencies and Jeff project proponents wishing to accelerate the delivery of climate and environment benefits also at the same time enhancing access to healthy diets and durable and resilient livelihoods which are truly nurtured by healthy and productive ecosystems thank you and I wish you a fruitful discussion ahead reiterating that integrated or intertwined challenges require integrated solutions and here you've also shared with us a bit about the FAO Jeff portfolio highlighting the specific example of Cabo Verde and the use of nacer based solutions with nutrition and gender sensitive to reverse land degradation and how it impacts different issues including food security, nutrition it also allows for the empowerment of rural women and benefit young children of school age it is now my pleasure to move to the next speaker Mr. Bob program manager, agriculture and agro industrial development from the CARICOM secretariat who will brief us about CARICOM's agri-good system strategy 25 by 2025 aiming to reduce the region's US $5 billion food import bill by 25% by 2025 Mr. Bob the floor is yours I have someone who has their microphone on please mute your microphone thank you good afternoon thank you for having me it's a pleasure certainly to be at this forum certainly I've learned a lot just listening from the previous presenters I have the honor of giving some information on our vision 25 by 25 which is a food and nutrition security prioritization initiative that the CARICOM region has to reduce as I said before our growing food import bill which is around $5 billion annually let me start by giving a background as to what CARICOM is CARICOM is made up of 20 countries and 5 associate members CARICOM came about in 1979 under the Treaty of Sagoramos our existence is built on four main areas one economic integration two foreign policy coordination three human and social development and four security specifically dealing with agriculture it's in our treaty which is the Treaty of Sagoramos it's from October and the agricultural areas which are focused on deals with the implementation of the community agricultural policy natural resource management marketing of agricultural products fisheries management and development forestry management and development I think it's important to talk about some of the facts food and nutrition security facts which face us here in the CARICOM region firstly over 40% of the seeds in the world are in the Caribbean let me say that again over 40% of the seeds that are in the world are in the Caribbean as I said before our regional annual food import bill is just around $5 billion except for two countries most of our countries rely heavily on importing food only two countries are net food importers and other member states import in excess of 80% of the food that are consumed our region has the highest costs for a healthy diet and also have high incidence of NCDs we are highly dependent on import for very basic food wheat, dairy, meat, animal and a range of processed food a recent survey that we conducted in collaboration with the world food program indicates that 3.7 million out of the 7.1 persons in the English beat in Caribbean are food insecure we are also faced with rising food prices increasing inflation which continues to negatively affect the food security position of the region is open up creating havoc in our region climate change is also severely affecting food production and food productivity within the agricultural sector now as a region we have recognized this and we decided that we have to do something to manage and stem these negative incidents that are happening as relates to food security climate change and the challenges that it brings to our population now heads of government decided to put in place what is called a vision 25 by 25 this is a reduction in the region's food import bill what it is it's a long term social and economic partnership between our member states regional private sector regional organization producer group civil society and our development partner it outlines the actions and critical areas of intervention to reduce our food import bill 1 to improve inter regional trade to create wealth and economic opportunity for every member every citizen within every member state this is led by what is called a special ministerial task force on food production and food security and we call it MTF for short the MTF is made up of ministers of agriculture from the entire region the duty of the MTF is one to guide the transformation of our agri-food system into one that is resilient provides attractive and sustainable wealth creation opportunities for potential investors and guarantees food and nutrition security for member states the priority errors as listed here has to do with the removal of buyers to access markets by the sector securing private sector investment and the priority action treating with that is policy development and policy implementation that fosters and promotes greater food security and food production to provision of alternative financing and insurance for the sector and the priority action listed here is the risk of the agriculture sector and the risk in here is not the traditional financial context but it's looking at ensuring how do we treat the effects of climate change planning having different early warning systems how do we get agricultural insurance which is how to get in the region how do we get new sources of financing that isn't as onious as the traditional sources to treating with three the challenge that we have with transportation logistics and we seek to improve transportation logistics through the region for dealing with issues dealing with cross water investment because as a small region some member states have more land and more available resources than others and it is our goal under this 25x25 to have cross water investment that creates food baskets in some member states that produce foods that can be consumed in other member states we're looking at the implementation of an e-agricultural strategy and that deals with digitalization the sector and digitalization to deal with markets digitalization to deal with the impacts of climate change digitalization to be able to properly plan and use new tools that assist us to treat with all the challenges that we have and fine looking at our trade systems and I think some of the speakers before spoke about the challenges that they have treating with trade and the different preferential treatment that some larger countries have that put us as sids in a very uncomfortable position and on competitive position so we're also looking at that under the 25x25 here's a little bit more detail as to what it is agricultural insurance we're looking at regional agriculture insurance products that we want to implement we want to establish a regional sustainable financing facility we want to promote an attraction of cross-border investment on policy implementation we're looking at promotion of food and nutrition security we're looking at implementation of operation of an operation of various SPS related policy we're looking at policy improvement to enhance regional transportation logistics and how it has spoken about and on the trade and agriculture certainly elimination and removal of trade barriers that has caused us to be challenged and food insecure we want to look at increased R&D capacity building and enhancement and also technical exchange and resource mobilization for technical support now I want to link what we're doing under the 25x25 with the topic here which is healthy diets and climate resilience and the question that we're trying to answer here how does this 25x25 link into a healthy diet and climate and climate resilience and I'll move into that now on a healthy diet the successful implementation of the various actions and policy direction that we have under division 25x25 one we'll increase production of traditional foods which are now normally more nutritious more beneficial and help with the attacking and reducing some of the NCDs that we have we're looking at the food school feeding program and to introduce locally produced food to reduce the amount of highly processed food so we want to target the children from early to get a taste to get a feel as to what it is to eat healthy and we want 25x25 to produce healthy foods to be consumed we're looking at using this to reduce a reduction on the cost of a healthy meal or healthy lunch or healthy dinner because given the dependence that we have on imported foods it makes it challenging in terms of reducing cost for meals and so on so we're off the view that if we're able to produce 25x25 initiative to produce some of these things locally it should drive down the price also we're looking at in terms of changing the public procurement policy a lot of procurement that takes place in the public sector treats with imported foods treats with highly processed foods we want to make a system in place that allows us within the region to change our public procurement system that allows now for us to be purchasing highly nutritious foods to be purchasing foods that are produced locally and we're off the view that 25x25 can do this we want to push on the healthy diets to look at greater public awareness programs because the slogan that's used throughout the region is eat what you grow or what you eat so we want to have a public awareness program that highlights 25x25 and benefits certainly from the food and nutrition point of view we want to look at how it is that we can use this 25x25 to reduce the consumption of highly processed foods and that is how we're looking at the nexus between with our 25x25 and healthy diet now climate resilience climate change and effects of climate change is a real issue for us in the Caribbean and Caricom I mean we live it we live it this is a reality for us and on our 25x25 we're looking at how it is that we can use this program to one increase adaptation of climate smart agricultural practices one to build capacity and awareness off throughout the region within the farming sector and by extension the society at the home improvement and upscaling in R&D because we now need to have to move and have greater value added in R&D that we have appropriate research and appropriate tools and technologies that we can use to treat with climate change we're looking at using the 25x25 to have livelihood preservation and this is real for us because as now we're going through an extended heat spell and we're seeing the cost of food going up we're seeing production going down and livelihoods are affected by that now governments seem to have to be spending more as it relates to protecting the vulnerable we want to use the 25x25 to introduce technologies tools and systems that cause livelihood protection to take place environmental management environmental and natural resource management that's something that's big under 25x25 because you would understand the biodiversity which exists within the region most of our seeds we have finite land and we're competing with urbanization, we're competing with housing, we compete with industrialization under the 25x25 environmental management and natural resource preservation is something that's heavily, heavily targeted and finally climate change and the next 25x25 is conservation and sustainable use of the region's biological resources and this has to do with certainly how we use certainly our fisheries sector how we develop our blue economy and this is a big thing under the 25x25 that is sustainable that ensures that persons who come after us have the food that we're trying to promote and have the resources in place now there has been some positives so far since we really started to push on 2022 to now we've seen last year 11.9 growth in to 11.9 to a 17% growth in agricultural sectors two countries being highlighted here Jamaica and Diana we've seen increase in infrastructural investment in our member states who are listed there certainly every member state have started to increase the budgetary allocation to agriculture we've seen to improve the introduction of climate smart technology we're seeing the introduction of research facilities that deals with labs and treating the climate change we've seen increased collaboration between our member states that never used to be at the level that we wanted it we've seen it increasing certainly we've seen livestock investment across countries we've seen private sector participation private sector involvement at increased levels just recently we had two major investment forum deal with agriculture and sustainable agriculture investment treating with research nutrition as one of the headlines and also treating with climate climate change and how it is that we have private sector investment to treat with that and we've had two successful seminars in this month alone where private sector has been participating private sector has been accounting for its role in climate change and responding and developing the sector and I'll stop there given the time I know I only have one question and answer for thank you thank you very much Mr. Bowen thank you for being congressman of the time constraints that we have you provided a very rich overview of the situation of food security nutrition of the Caribbean you explained how most of the SIDS are net food importers with the exception of two countries and how seven member countries of CARECOM have excuse me import 80% of their food you also show us how through the vision 25% by 2025 led by a ministerial task force CARECOM is really taking the bull by the horns to try to address these challenges and how it's linked to positive outcomes in nutrition and healthy diets and in climate change so we thank you very much for that we are running a little short on time so I will just look to see if there's any burning question if not we'll have to move towards our closing segment I'm going to look here on the floor to see if I see any hands with a burning question and online it does not seem that there is any questions I will now proceed to the part of the closing session we have the pleasure to introduce His Excellency Walter Alfonso Webster permanent representative of Antigua Embark Buddha an ambassador to the United Nations in New York who has prepared a pre-recorded remark which we will play now please Ambassador Webster Excellencies invited guests friends colleagues it is an honor for me to address you during this dialogue regarding agro food system approaches and the possibility that it holds in helping to achieve healthy diets reduce NCDs and improve climate resilience in small island developing states the last few years my friends have been devastating for seeds as we endured multiple overlapping crisis the climate crisis and the COVID-19 pandemic the global economic downturn global instability due to wars and threats of wars a fuel that continues to ignite unhealthy lifestyles within these small island developing states the impact on the health of citizens of seeds is further strained by the increase in poverty inequality unemployment lack of opportunities lack of investment and the deterioration of our lands water resources the mental health the health of our citizens my friends are at risk so too is the increase in non-communicable diseases Excellencies this might not be such a good thing in the long run for me to say but seeds have a history of teaching and working with the outside world to challenge solutions and influence the world's agenda to advance sustainable development and resilience we have done it with climate as an example the fourth seeds conference that will be hosted in Antigua and Barbuda in May of 2024 under the theme of charting the course towards resilience, prosperity offers an opportunity yet again for seeds and the international community to work together on a a range of issues including agro food system approaches in advancing our needs friends my sustainable agro food system and I am deliberate in stating sustainable before agro food system because the sustainability of agro food systems is a critical component in addressing climate driven social and ecological disasters as global leaders it is how it is how we refine the interaction of humanity and our environment that's most important in relationship to small island developing states we must focus on the quality of our food system the sufficiency of our food system the distribution of our food system to move our agro food systems into healthy lifestyles that support healthy communities in these small island developing states at the fourth seed conference we will identify the issues and the drivers of unhealthy lifestyles that are unique within seeds we urge international community to get ready for actionable outcome including mobilizing resources and collaborating with non-traditional partners as a global community excellencies there should be no more delays in critically examining how we comprehensively discuss the increase of non-communicable diseases within small island developing states colleagues I believe that agro food systems approach have the potential and opportunity to positively impact and improve the health and well-being of the environment within the lands of the small island developing states and impact the lives of the citizens of these states let's stand ready for action let's do it together let's do it thank you very much Ambassador Webson I would note that Antigua Barbuda will be the host of this conference and we thank Ambassador Webson for all his efforts to successful conference and how he shared with us about the overlocking crisis and the impacts on the economies societies and environment of states and also the importance of agro food systems transformation as a means to achieve the global goals before I turn the floor to his excellency Joseph Lomenon-Chicard Vario Ambassador Cabo Vergi to the European Union and Chair of the OACPS Forum I wish to look here with our colleagues and see if anybody would like to provide some short remarks before I pass the floor to the Ambassador I don't see anybody last chance thank you very much everybody I will now turn to Ambassador Joseph Lomenon to the European Union and Chair of the OACPS Forum Thank you very much I see everybody shy today Excellencies distinguished ladies and gentlemen all protocols observed I am honored to speak today on behalf of the OACPS Seeds Forum as the incumbent chair during the Seeds Solutions dialogue as one of the closing interventions I trust you will join me in commending the previous speakers who have highlighted innovative food systems strategies to improve food and nutritional security in and by Seeds and as a consequence promoting healthy and resilient communities for small island developing states Permit me also to commend the FAO for organizing this dialogue and for so ably demonstrating collaboration with the OACPS and with others it allows us all to exchange views share knowledge and deepen our understanding of the complex interplay between food security and nutrition health and well-being and climate change and importantly for highlighting the very unique challenges faced by the 39 member states of the OACPS who are Seeds Seeds plays a premium on achieving food and nutrition security our unique challenges and specificities plays an enormous and often overwhelming burden on us to ensure that food and nutrition security is more than just ensuring an adequate supply of food for it needs to be safe, nutritious and culturally appropriate it is also about how we do this in the current context of the global crisis of food fuel and fertilizer insecurity and the triple planetary crisis of climate change biodiversity loss and pollution in fact the current climate crisis for Seeds it is an emergency that we find ourselves at the front line of its impact and escalating threats these make it much harder to ensure the health well-being and resilience of our citizens is maintained as we reflect on the insights gained from this dialogue I want to emphasize a few key takeaway messages to achieve resilient and inclusive food systems for Seeds as already mentioned climate change poses immediate and escalating threats to Seeds food and nutritional security the food systems transformation approach is a critical pathway that goes beyond a siloed approach to address multiple policy objectives such as healthy diet climate action and sustainable use and conversation of our biodiversity these must entail investing in a climate resilient agriculture and sustainable fisheries and fostering innovation and technology transferred to improve productivity and provide quality food for ourselves as well as for others we need to implement policy interventions and investments in collaboration with the private sector and civil society to promote food self-sufficiency increase sustainable food production and reduce imports as well as ensure we optimize sustainable economic returners we see that partnerships and collaboration are key we can build resilient food systems by working together and collaborating with international partners to leverage the strengths of multiple stakeholders and ensure that Seeds wealth of traditional knowledge and innovation are important ingredients above all financing is critical for implementing the enabling policies for sustainable and inclusive food systems we believe financing for Seeds should largely draw from public financial resources including bilateral and multilateral development assistance as well as private finance sources in this regard you may ask what the OACPS is doing I can say with confidence that OACPS singular ambition is to support its six regions 79 countries and 1.3 billion people to achieve sustainability and build resilience Excellencies we will recall that OACPS its foreign efforts to develop an OACPS multi-dimensional vulnerability index in support of UN high-level panel for the MVI as an objective complementary alternative to GNI per capita which we know is the only instrument used to determine access to concessional finance we know that it has effectively locked out many of our vulnerable Seeds members who are facing considerable impact on climate change and other exogenous shocks from being able to access concessional finance besides our support for the Bridgestown initiative 2.0 is an equivocal to reform the international financial architecture and overhaul the multilateral development bands to make them relevant and fit for today's circumstances and importantly provide needed respite to vulnerable countries including seeds to the climate emergency as mandated by our council of ministers the OACPS is also organizing the seeds-led resource mobilization conference which aims to secure financial resources to implement MDCs this is planned to be held in 2024 prior to the fourth international seeds conference to be held 27 to 20 May in Antigua and Barbuda we welcome partners to join us in achieving its objectives the OACPS is also establishing a food system transformation mechanism as our policy governance arrangements was established it will provide a space for policy dialogue cooperation and collaboration with technical organizations involved in food system transformation this will facilitate knowledge sharing co-learning and provide advice and technical expertise across and between our regions and the many stakeholders Excellencies these are just examples of demonstrating our commitment to seeds in supporting them to realize their food systems transformation agenda the road and ceilings ahead may be bumpy and choppy but so is our determination to make a difference and as chair of the OACPS since forum I extend an invitation to the FAO all our partners to join us in our endeavors for seeds to ensure we build healthy and resilient societies I thank you I thank you for your attention thank you Thank you Excellency for highlighting the opportunity of efforts such as these to address the unique challenges faced by seeds particularly in light of current global circumstances Your Excellency underscored how climate is an existential threat for seeds and the importance of climate resilience agriculture and other efforts to support seeds there was also stress the need to bring other actors into the mix and to increase food production in a sustainable manner the importance of partnerships were reiterated to build resilient agri-food systems and also a lot of the point of these solutions dialogue is precisely what you mentioned about bringing to bear local solutions from seeds and last but not least you shared OACPS efforts in investment and resource mobilization and you alluded to the conference the resource mobilization conference in 2024 you have said the road ahead is bumpy and I think all of us in the room and online are willing to go to this bumpy road together because that way we can all move forward in support of seeds as we reach the end of this dialogue is my pleasure to hand the floor to Mr. Charles the African Seeds Coordinator at FAO to share with us an initiative, an upcoming initiative Mr. Rodico, you have the floor Juaniva Excellencies colleagues, ladies gentlemen, greetings please forgive my attire right now I'm deep in the field in southern Madagascar for the planting season but today I want to talk to you about the FAO African Seeds Program of which I have been given the privilege to be the manager and the team has done quite some work in each country we have revived the inter-regional technical network with members from academia from the civil society from private organizations but also from the public sector we have also undertaken a mapping of all the initiatives that are ongoing inside each country including the actors in agri-food systems now we know what's going on and we have also organized a national workshop in each country to find out what is it the FAO can focus on and we have these priorities now the time has come to build a program and we want to do this together this is why we are organizing a high-level event on African seeds it will take place on 7 and 8 November that is next week in Mauritius relevant ministers from each African seeds have confirmed their participation during this high-level event there will be a ministers conclave there will be exchanges between ministers and partners now we need to come together all of us to agree on the direction to take we need to build a program for all our African seeds what are your ideas do you have any suggestions what can we do better what can we do more we need to hear from this is why I count on your participation in this event online or in person remember 7 and 8 November in Mauritius next week see you there in the room we'll ensure that all of you are welcome to participate in this all the things this event is coming to an end I wish to quickly thank our host thank our speakers thank our audience and also all the teams that have been working behind the scenes to make this event a success with that I bid you a good day a good evening to all of you who are in the world I wish you all good luck and let's go together on this bumpy road to make a lot of change for small island welcoming dates thank you very much