 Good morning, everyone, excellencies, distinguished delegates, ladies and gentlemen, hello and welcome to day four, the final day of the 36th Asia Pacific Regional Conference. And once again, my name is Sridhar Dharmapuri and I'm the Conson Secretary for APRC. Once again, while you're aware of this, all that and we have repeated this many times, let me just recap some of the best practices for Zoom for delegates who are joining the meeting remotely. For optimal sound quality, both for speaking and listening, please wear a plugged in headset. Please use an Ethernet or LAN connection and preferably don't use Wi-Fi and please mute your microphone when you're not speaking. Please note the chat function has been disabled except when the conference secretariat is going to send you messages and when you're speaking, if possible, and if safety regulations permit, you may remove your mask and then replace it once you're finished speaking. In order to see the speaker in full screen, please remember to select speaker view instead of gallery view in the upper right corner of your Zoom screen. We have simultaneous interpretation available in Chinese, French and Russian and these are available from the interpretation button or the globe icon at the bottom of the Zoom screen and the secretariat and the chair will then determine the order in which these interventions will be made. During breaks in the meeting, if you step away, please remain connected, otherwise you'll be delayed in joining the meeting again through the waiting room. And please send questions or technical issues by email to aprc36 at feo.org, aprc36 at feo.org. By now, the conference report in the four languages, English, Chinese, French and Russian has been emailed to all members after the drafting committee meeting yesterday. For members who have not received a copy of the report, please email us so that we can send you the same report back to you in the email. And finally, the order of the day and information for aprc are available at the website. We have, as you can see, tried to make this conference as paperless and as digital as possible. So please use the website for all the information. For those delegates who are attending in person, I kindly ask you to please wear your mask even when you are speaking in the room and observe the seating and spacing arrangements provided for the conference. Thank you very much for all the cooperation that you have given us over the last three days. And before I hand it over to the chair to announcements, as we have said before, there will be a group photo with the Director General of FAO of all the heads of delegation at 1230 today, right here. And second, all those guests who plan to leave in the next couple of days, please do get your RTPCR test. It can be arranged to the concierge of the hotel, who's usually sitting very close to the entrance of the hotel. So that is just to avoid any inconvenience and please do get your tests done before you leave. With that, I now turn over to our Honorable Chair, Dr. Mohammad Abdul Razak, Minister of Agriculture, People's Republic of Bangladesh. Sir, over to you. Good morning to all of you. I hope you have a pleasant stay so far in beautiful city of Dhaka and good sleep. Excellent. Honorable Ministers, distinguished delegates, ladies and gentlemen, we are starting with agenda item 12, a ministerial round table on greener and better agri-food system after COVID-19. Yes, I believe an important issue for not only APRC or Bangladesh is at international level, for global as a whole. To begin the session, we have a short FAO video we would like to share with delegates. Please, please play the video. The COVID-19 pandemic caused profound impacts on our lives and gravely challenged the agri-food systems that ensure food reaches our plates. The pandemic negatively impacted trade, food supply chains and markets alongside lives and livelihoods. Food supply chains have historically been vulnerable to shocks with some that are difficult to anticipate. Increasing frequency and severity of shocks due to climate change and environmental degradation are adding to the challenge. Even though supply chains showed a surprising degree of resilience during the recent pandemic, many could not afford food. The need to transform agri-food systems towards greater efficiency, resilience, inclusiveness and sustainability is more urgent than ever. The risks of not doing so are enormous. Globally, we know that 3 billion people cannot afford a healthy diet and an additional 1 billion people, 95% of whom reside in middle-income countries, are at risk of not affording healthy diets if a shock were to reduce their incomes by one-third. These people are vulnerable to some of the same challenges faced by the general populations in low-income countries in ensuring access to food. Low-income countries are those with significant segments of their population unable to afford a healthy diet even in normal times. They also face the greatest challenges to shocks, struggling to ensure the functioning of food supply chains and grappling with more trade restrictions. Luckily, there are strategies aimed at decreasing these risks and building stronger agri-food systems. A new FAO report proposes new actions that can be taken by people all over the world in order to build more resilient and inclusive agri-food systems. The proposed actions help actors in agri-food systems better manage risks and build resilience capacities to face existing and future shocks and stresses. New resilience indicators measure the robustness of primary production and the capacity of agri-food systems to absorb shocks and ensure food is available and accessible. These indicators can also guide the policy capacity of governments to respond to the shock of reduced incomes. Diversity of production, food supply chain actors and market outlets, along with a robust food transport network are all effective strategies for building resilience. Together, we can partner to build more efficient, resilient, inclusive and sustainable agri-food systems. Agri-food systems that will better safeguard our food supplies and protect the world's most vulnerable. Food is yours, Excellency. Thank you, Chair. Excellencies, ladies and gentlemen. After two years of the COVID-19 pandemic, it is still very much present in our lives, hindering progress in achieving the sustainability goals and editing to the many drivers of hunger, poverty, such as conflict, economic downturns and the climate crisis. 70% of the low and middle income countries are already affected by at least one of these drivers and the majority of the nourished people around the world live in the countries affected by the multiple drivers. The pandemic also had a negative impact on rural areas due to the income laws, increased food prices and lockdown measures with workers in former sectors heated the hardest, the majority in the agri-food sector. An additional 1 billion people are at risk of not affording a health disaster if another shock were to reduce their incomes by one-third. An increase in the sustainable recovery from COVID-19 requires investment in rural areas while 80% of the world poor live. Rebuilding from COVID-19 will require increased and targeted investments in rural development and for the transformation of agri-food systems to be more efficient, more inclusive, more resilient and more sustainable. Investment in social production coverage for the most vulnerable, particularly rural farmers, women and youth, is critical and must be part of the post-pandemic recovery policy. Effort-support members to adapting their social production policy to current needs, to include measures that are tailored to people whose livelihood depends on agriculture. We need to expand the registry, integrating them with registries of farmers, fishers and the paternalists so that these agriculture workers and their families are reached more effectively. We also need to move forward the green agri-food system in recovery plan. Green recovery provides an opportunity to reconsider pre-pandemic practices and approaches and transform our agri-food systems. By addressing the impact of the climate crisis, the biodiverse laws and the pollution growth and ensuring economic and health benefits. Green recovery from the pandemic must address the loss of natural resources and the degradation of our terrestrial and marine ecosystems. And beyond climate resilience through a combination of mitigation and adaptation actions, recovery from the pandemic also offers an opportunity to rethink and repurpose agri-food support measures, including subsidiary and other physical measures. Restoring degraded ecosystems is an essential pathway for green recovery. The UN Decade on the Ecosystem Restoration, co-led by FAO and the UAEB, provides an opportunity to transform food, fiber and feed production systems. I think here, especially in Bangladesh, we are hosting countries here to look at the food, the fiber and feed coherently, holistically timely, because you have several ministers address the same issues, same challenges. The economic benefits of such interventions far exceed the cost of investment, whereas the interaction is at least three times more costly. Recently, in the government panel, climate change report confirms that the climate change is increasingly affecting food security due to increase in temperature, change, precipitation, patterns, and the great frequency of the center extreme-wise event. FAO currently developing a new thematic strategy on climate change that will strengthen our capacity support to the countries in the climate action through an agri-food system lens. Dear colleagues, FAO is committed to continue working together with you, all of you in an efficient, effective, and coherent manner for transformation to the greener and better agri-food system for better production, better nutrition, a better environment, a better life, or leaving no one behind. I really expect a lot of good practice and the experience from your region and to share with other members in other regions. Thank you. Marks on the COVID-19 recovery, the importance of digitalization, and the linkage between climate residency, among other factors. Now I, let us give him a big hand. Now I invite Maximo Toririu, a few chief economics, to give a presentation and moderate the panel segment of the round table. Mr. Toririu, you have the floor, please. Thank you. Thank you very much, Mr. Chairman, and thank you, Director General, for the introductory remarks sitting the stage for this round table event. The theme of this round table, how to build a greener and better agri-food transformation in the aftermath of COVID-19 pandemic, and in line with climate resilience, has just gotten in a bigger stress because of the situation we're living today also. And we have a panel of distinguished speakers from four countries in the region, namely Samoa, the Philippines, Japan, and China. Before I invite the distinguished panelists to give their remarks, I would like to give a brief introduction on the global and regional agri-food situation as we transit from COVID-19. And also, following the United System Food System Summit. Let me start, distinguish delegates and ministers and ladies and gentlemen by sharing with you some key remarks on the topic at hand with this ministerial round table and the goal that we have to develop a greener and better agri-food systems after COVID-19. It's basically based, as the Director General says, to build a better future. And in this session, we will try to bring some new ideas and experiences from the country levels on how we can achieve this. The conference is taking place under exceptional circumstances in a time which is still we have not gone out of the COVID-19 pandemic and where we have just been affected by a new situation that put a stress on our agri-food systems. By now, the widespread and deep impacts of COVID-19 pandemic on the economy, on health, on the human capital because of education, and the agri-food systems have been documented. But every day, we are learning more and we are learning especially from new ways in which we can cope with this in the future. And this has been discussed in several forums in Asia Pacific Regional Conference in 2020 even. During the last two years, in the middle of the pandemic, the Asia region pushed for robust digital investments targeted in agri-food systems, including a strong of online marketing distribution and e-commerce. The pandemic has brought up what we call a new revolution of automation and digital technologies are the base of that and the region is leading in this respect. However, innovative solutions are required to ensure inclusive digital transformation that benefit the small-scale farmers, rural households, rural communities, and marginal groups. Social protection also has emerged as a crucial policy and are requiring greater attention, planning and policy design to expand coverage and strengthen resilience for future crises. And here is central to think carefully on the role and the importance of data and real-time data to better target these social protection programs to where the most needed. And we have learned in FAO that this was central during the COVID-19 because we were targeting traditionally beneficiaries and we were not looking at the areas of the new hotspots of food insecurity, especially because the high levels of informality our countries live on. A number of governments in the region have incorporated green or climate resilient strategies from clean energy to climate and smart agriculture. But much more can be done and learned from countries experiences so far. But don't forget our objective goal here. Our objective function is to keep feeding our people with a sustainable agri-food systems. And we have to bring greener technologies when it is effective and efficient for farmers to produce and to be efficient. But the goal is to increase productivity in a sustainable way. In that sense, the new FAO on the FAO strategic framework of better production, better nutrition, better environment, and better life is central because it has a food agri-food system approach. Not only that, we bring four accelerators in this strategic framework. Data, real-time data, which we believe is at the core of the decision-making process, innovation, technology, and complements. Complements are central because they are composed of human capital, governance, and institutions, which is what we'll assure that whatever we do in innovation, technology, and data is inclusive. And in the region we have to be inclusive because of the significant number of small volumes. Let me talk only on three topics, which we believe are of crucial importance. The first one is resilience. Resilience is being preventive, to be able to anticipate, to be able to absorb the chalk, and to be able to adapt and transform. Being preventive and anticipating means to have early warning systems that really have capacity to predict what is going to happen. It could have a mistake, but at least it will give you a distribution of the probabilities of what could happen. Absorption capacity is how the countries can cope when the chalks occur, and that is essential. We know that a chalk that reduces your income in one-third will increase substantially the number of people that doesn't have access to healthy diets. Today in the world, there are three billion people without access to healthy diets. A chalk of one-third of your income will increase in one billion more so that you have an idea of the proportion. And the third element, which is adaptation and transformation, is what we are trying to discuss in this conference today, is how we can create this transformation that we move a step forward, how we can look at the opportunities because of this chalk that can help us to build and transform our agri-food system to move further, to move better, to be more efficient, to be more productive. The second topic is the importance of food loss and waste. We believe the reduction of food loss and waste in this region will be central. This is an area where it's not public, only public sector, it's private sector that plays a crucial role. And that is what will bring three wins for us. It will allow us to have more production, especially high-value commodities, which are so central for access to healthy diets. It will help us also to use our natural resources in a more efficient way. And third, it will reduce emissions. We know that waste, for example, and the way we destroy food that goes to wastage increases enormously the methane emissions. So we need to take advantage of that triple win. Climate-smart agriculture can also help farmers to increase their productivity and income sustainability, adapt and build resilience to climate change, and reduce or remove greenhouse gas emissions from the atmosphere. And finally, international agricultural trade, which plays a crucial and an important role, not only in providing access to food, but also in redistributing the food across the people and the most needed. We need to understand that mobility of commodities is central today, and pushing and bringing transparency to the system is of huge importance. This has an important and positive effect on global food security as it ensures food availability in deficit areas and contributes to improve food access by reducing the risk of excessive food price volatility. So, dear colleagues, dear excellencies, now it's my honor to learn from all of you. So it's my honor to invite the panelists to give their prepared remarks. Each panelist has five-minute intervention and opportunity to address on one or two follow-up questions as time permits, taking from the guiding questions listed in the concept note of the round table. Among the questions and answers, this session theme will focus on what are the member's priorities for agri-food in targeting greener and better recovery after COVID-19? What are examples of successful initiatives by the government that contributed to strengthening resilient agri-food systems and inclusive rural transformation? How is digitalization contributing to rural transformation and more resilient agri-food systems? How is the government promoting a stronger social protection and social inclusion programs as part of the COVID-19 recovery, poverty reduction, and reducing equality? How can FAO support members to fulfill their commitments for transforming agri-food systems following the United Nations Food Systems Summit? And what are the emerging concerns, issues, and challenges in light of the situation that we're living today and in light of the follow-up of the COVID-19 program and what are member country priorities in responding to similar impacts on the global and regional agri-food markets, supply chains, trade, and price inflation? Now I will ask to ask Honorable Laulilia Meteleatoa Leurtea, Minister of Agriculture and Fisheries of Samoa, to address these issues in his remarks. Minister, you have five minutes, please. Hello, and greetings from Samoa, our distinguished guests, ladies and gentlemen. Thank you, moderator, for the invitation to speak on Samoa priorities for our food system transformation, to achieve the SDT during these challenging times due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Agriculture is our backbone in our economy and our lifehoods. It contributes directly or indirectly to the income and food security for about 90 percent of our household investment in our food system. And contribution to our GDP from our agriculture sector has been climbing in the last 20 years due to the numbers of factors, including increasing best and diseases, limited access to our overseas market, and the impact of climate change. There is also an increase in the dependence of our food, process of imported goods, and decline in consumption of our local produce foods as we are trying to reverse this. However, our effort has been slowed down due to the closing down of our borders and our state of emergency rules to limit the introductions and spread of the COVID-19 virus. These have been resulted in further reductions in our food and income securities due to the financial pressures of regulation disruptions in the food supply chain. Also, many of our younger farmers have been attached to work in overseas jobs and horticulture in New Zealand and Australia under the recognized seasonal employed scheme, which provide a better and fast source of income. As part of our COVID-19 response to cushion the negativity impact for our pandemic of our food system, we implemented a series of stimulus package and incentives in collaborations with FAO, SPC, World Bank, IFED, FFA, to name a few, which include the distribution of vegetable seeds and other planting materials, livestock animals and animal feeds, and base farming tools and fishing equipment to our small holder farmers and fishers. The temporary employment of those who have lost their jobs in the tourism industry to help our ministry and our nursery activities to bulk up the supply of cocoa and coconut planting material and in the process of providing them with basic farmer practice training so that they can take up farming as an option of their food and income security. Financial incentives to assist to other exporters of crops and fisheries commodities and financial loss for our export. Promotion for sustainable and climate smart horticulture to help building resilience horticulture and food system. Finally, the financial support from our farmers and fishery via a match grant program to elevate productivity status of our subsistence to semi-commercial. We have also recently launched our five year national development plan called the Pathway for the Development of Samoa and one of the key priority area in this sustainable and resilient horticulture which create employment to improve our food nutrition security and to reduce reliance on food imports. Further to our support from FAO and other UN agencies, we are now have a national food system pathway 2030 which paved the way to transform our food system for resilience and a healthy Samoa and also help us to achieve the 2030 agenda. hunger is not our issue in Samoa. The real problem is is to access to balances the nutrition diet which required a shift from eating in food foods to local bodies fresh products and to help to address raising burdens of NDC. Some of our pathway actions with change and better recovery as part of our food system transforming are as follows. Improve evidence and knowledge of understanding of our food system and their components. Promote the consumption and availability of our local traditional foods. Promote the use of traditional knowledge and boost the productions and sustainable farm practice strengthening our extension of services to improve knowledge and to work together with the farmers fishers and other key players for the food industry. Facilitate the effectiveness of engagement of the stakeholders including vulnerable groups to our food system. Promote the role of women and youth in farming activities and food value chain building climate resilience practice and resources for agriculture development and finally adopt social protection measure in response to the impact of the shock of the food supply consumptions. The challenges is transforming to our food system are huge and we cannot do it alone. The way forward required a collective commitment investment and significant resourcing strong leadership and the willingness to work together to adopt effectiveness of implementation of our pathway actions. Our next task is to estimate the total cost of our resources needed to achieve our pathway actions and need to be technical assistance from FAO to complete this mission. Thank you very much for my opportunity and good luck for you all. Thank you very much minister. Let me ask you a small follow-up question if I may please. So one of the huge importance of Samoa is tourism of course that has been affected substantially by the COVID-19 but also remittances. So the question is how you foresee we can use those resources in the future coming from tourism and remittances to compare those in the investment in the agri-food system transformation like agro tourism for example or other activities that will allow you to take advantage of that huge sector of tourism and remittances that you have in Samoa. Back to you minister. Yes tourism was one of our most dependent in our economically development somehow because of the pandemic everything is shut down and our new government is moving towards empowering and implementing our farmers and our people to move back to work on the land. It's the only solution that we see that we can get our food security and our economically development back. Somehow we are also depending now for exporting people through this RSE program which help and add on to our remittance from overseas. The normal remittance which were given by our people living overseas but our RSE program which helped add on to our economically development now. That's the situation at the moment. Thank you so much minister. Please join me in thanking the minister with an applause. Thank you so much. Now I would like to invite the Honorable William Dar, Secretary of Agriculture of the Philippines to give his remarks. Secretary Dar please. Thank you Mr. Chair for giving me the floor. I'd like to focus the intervention of the Philippines on what we think are the policy commitments that need to be embedded within agri-food systems to ensure greener and climate resilient initiatives given key challenges such as the pandemic, agricultural pests and diseases and climate change. But first allow me to share in brief some initiatives which have helped in reducing the country's increased vulnerability to food insecurity in view of COVID-19. The government has formed a food security task force to help ensure the availability of portability, accessibility and safety of food sources throughout the country giving guidance to the implementation of initiatives such as the Department of Agriculture's Expanded Program that provides alternative market channels and encourages local or short value chains. We call the Kadiwa Niania Tita loosely translated as one idea, one thought for bountiful harvest and incomes. It's a program that supports both smallholder farmers and poor consumers through a direct marketing system so that the farmers get the best prices for their goods while providing affordable, safe and nutritious food to consumers. We also implemented intensified programs to provide credit and know-how to stimulate viable food production systems. We note that the private sector also step up in e-commerce, online marketing and distribution and investing in food systems to cope with the country's food needs while we are in a pandemic. To address climate change, the Department of Agriculture invested in mainstreaming climate resiliency at the core of all its programs and activities. The fund allocated this year of about 480 million U.S. dollars is 23 percent above the budget for such activities last year. We have centered our climate change and resiliency agenda on strengthening agricultural research for development, including the establishment of biotechnology centers for crops, livestock and fisheries. The Philippine government is also working with various companies in strengthening the telecommunications infrastructure for providing climate information service and capacity building on productivity-enhancing technology. We are also steadfast in providing credit and insurance for climate adaptation, creating geospatial database, establishment of climate-proof facilities, as well as publication and distribution of agriculture and fishery maps to aid farmers and fishers in the fight against climate change. We aim to implement these plans through knowledge exchange, science uptake and public-private partnerships. We are also scaling up and sustaining our grassroots flagship climate program, dubbed as AMIA, or Adaptation and Mitigation Initiative in Agriculture. To date, 130 AMIA villages have been established nationwide. We must introduce adaptation and mitigation measures to communities, rather than to individual farmers and fishermen, where communities facing similar climatries are provided with tailor-fitted integrated support service. Much more has to be done, and we urge EPAO support in assisting us to build greener, better, and climate-resilient agri-put systems. We welcome the new EPAO climate change and science innovation strategies being developed. We thank EPAO in advance for inputting these areas, needing support into the new or two strategies and the respective action plans. In summary, we highlight eight points. Number one, integrate and promote adaptation and mitigation measures in all sectors within the agri-put system. This requires an understanding of the impact of climate change in the various sectors of the agri-put system and in various areas of the Philippines archipelago. Invest in R4D to generate data and information for decision-making, not only for policy makers, but for actors along the agri-put system and to develop the technologies for mitigation and adaptation. Number three, institutionalize climate information services as a regular function of the government that enables adoption of an early warning system for extreme weather events. Reduce unnecessary waste in palm inputs and reduce disaster and climate risk. Number four, invest in digitalization to facilitate information dissemination, technology improvement, and credit and banking. Number five, a more efficient mode of extension services is necessary to target wide-scale adoption of climate action. Number six, participate actively in global efforts to mitigate climate change. The Philippine contribution to the total global greenhouse gas emissions is only 0.3 percent and the agriculture sector has an immense carbon sink that absorbs double that of its emission. Number seven, formulation policies that embed greener and climate resilient initiatives within the various sectors of the agri-put system. Their implementation and periodic monitoring is crucial. And number eight, the youth and the marginalized sectors should be considered and included in all climate actions. We believe that our collective regional and global response to both the pandemic and climate change must be broad, scientific, equitable, and innovative. We must develop efficient and resilient food production and delivery systems, not only for today's increasing population, but also for succeeding generations. I hope these thoughts resonate well with many of you. Thank you for this opportunity to share the Philippines views on this crucial topic. Thank you, Mr. Chair. Thank you. Thank you very much. Noravo and William Dar, one question for you. In the last years, during the COVID-19 especially, one of the commodities which have seen significant improvement in terms of delivery of supplies has been raised. It's the commodity that today we don't see a challenge. So the question to you, because your country has gone also through a revolution in terms of rice production using technology and innovation. So we wanted to hear briefly from you, if possible, in two minutes. What will you say are the major issues that we need to focus to achieve what you are achieving in rice? Back to you, please. Can I have again the question? No, the question is about rice in Philippines, and what are the major lessons learned on how we can innovate to be able to create the transformation that we are seeing in the rice sector? Okay. You know, I was invited to join government two and a half years ago, and of course the first thing for us to have a good plan and design and interventions to really boost local rice production in the Philippines is to have a good design of the interventions. And one of the basic design is to enhance farm mechanization, delivery of inbred certified seeds, delivery of credit, and of course, capacitation of rice farmers. In addition, we also have added significantly the distribution of fertilizers to most of the rice farmers. So back in 2019, our basic level of price efficiency was only 87 percent. And in 2020, the Philippines have a record harvest of 90 percent from 87. So we up to 3 percent. And the same has to be done last year. And a new record rice harvest was recorded last year again in the volume of 19.96 million metric tons. So in spite of all, of course, we know how to take cognizance of how to make climate resiliency in regard to rice production. And it is necessary that in amid climate change, we need to really continue prop up the introduction of newer technologies. So today we now are about 92 percent self-sufficient in rice. Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Thank you. Thank you very much. Now I will ask to ask the Honorable Arai Yutaka, Vice Minister of International Affairs, Minister of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries of Japan to give her remarks. Minister, the floor is yours. Yes. Honorable Ministers, Excellencies, Distinguished Delegates, and Participants, First of all, I would like to take this opportunity to thank Mr. Chiu Junyu, Director-General of FAO, and Dr. John Jim Kim, Assistant Director-General, FAO, Regional Office for the Asia and the Pacific, and his staffs for preparing this regional conference. I would also like to thank the Government of Bangladesh, a host country of this APRC, for all its endeavors under the COVID-19 pandemic glasses. It is my great honor to address the APRC as a panelist today on behalf of the Government of Japan. The COVID-19 pandemic has revealed the vulnerability of the supply chain, causing more export control measures on food by some countries. As a result, food insecurity has been exacerbated worldwide. Also, according to IPPC, the impact of climate change will increase the existence risk on food systems in the Asia-Pacific region. It is essential to realize resilient and sustainable food systems in order to respond to this situation. To transform our food system into a more sustainable one, Japan will improve productivity and sustainability by promoting innovation. Second, maintain and strengthen free and fair trade and short approach in the right of differences in climate and culture of each country or region. We have disseminated the perspective as a United Nations Food System Summit. Today, I would like to introduce two points of our efforts in Japan. The first point is regarding domestic activities. In building a sustainable food system, we believe it is important to formulate strategy policy from a medium to long-term perspective. In the strange strategy for sustainable food system, you can see on slide, formulated last year, Japan aimed to achieve zero CO2 emission from the agriculture, forestry, and fisheries industry by 2050 and to achieve both productivity, improvement, and sustainability through innovation. We believe that innovation is a key to break through the strategic and transforming future. Regarding the strategies, we have just submitted a related bill to the diet in order to develop the legal system so that we can establish a food system that is in harmony with the environment. Based on this strategy, we are working specifically on application of alternative waiting and drawing to rice cultivation which surpasses the activity of the missile regime by increasing the oxygen concentration in the soil and it is effective in reducing methane. Developing of technology related to crop growth, diagnosis, and optimal fertilizer management using drone. Of the outcome of the strategy, we believe that the above mentioned technology can be shared with countries in the Asia and the Pacific region. The second point is regarding our cooperation with FAO. Japan is supporting the creation of action guidelines for building a more resilient and non-divided food supply chain through voluntary contribution. Also in Bangladesh, we are contributing to food production and nutrition improvement in order to deal with the COVID-19 pandemic. I would like to continue to cooperate with FAO and our activity in your future. I'm planning hold an event as a follow-up of Food Systems Summit on the day around the world food days in October this year in collaboration with FAO to share knowledge and experiences regarding efforts to transform the food system in the Asia and the Pacific region. Through the event, I would like to work with FAO to accelerate transformation of food system in the Asia and the Pacific region. I would like to invite distinguished delegates from the Asia and the Pacific region so I welcome you to join us. Last but not least, I will raise the issue about Ukraine. Although this issue is not directly related to the Azenzo, this is important as it is closely associated with the food supply chain. Japan strongly condemns the recent invasion of Ukraine by the Russian Federation as a serious violation of international law and grave breach of the United Nations Charter. This is a critical issue from the perspective of global food security and from this point of view, the G7 extraordinary agriculture ministers meeting will be held today on this issue. Thank you very much for your attention. Thank you. Thank you very much. One follow up question for you regarding the importance of reduction of fertilizer pesticides and all these inputs. And to be able to do that, we require more information on soil characteristics. So we want to bring precision farming to small holders in certain ways. So can you elaborate a little bit how Japan is working to achieve this goal? So I speak in Japanese and after I translate. As I indicated in our strategy for sustainable food systems, which is also indicated on the projected slide, Japan has a goal to reduce both the use of agricultural chemicals, pesticides, as well as fertilizer by 50% by 2050. And in order to realize that reduction, innovation will be the key. For example, we shall use drones in order to raise the efficiency of reducing the use of pesticides. We will also introduce IPM for the management of the pests. Also, we shall introduce appropriate fertilizer use and management by the use of soil characteristics diagnostics. Such comprehensive integrated measures shall be implemented. Thank you. Thank you very much. Honorable Vice Minister for this informative response. Thank you. Now I would like to invite the honorable Mr. Sen Yande, Chief Agronomist of the Agricultural Rural Affairs from China. Please, we welcome your remarks. Mr. Sen Yande. Thank you very much. The Chinese government is trying to solve the problem of food consumption in China as an investment ambassador in the country. After a lot of hard work, China's food production continues to grow. In 2021, China's food production is rising again. People's food supply is rising from 1070 square meters in 2020 to 183 square meters in 2021. The food supply is slowly rising and the world's food supply is rising. The long-term economic development has continued to increase, China's food consumption is rising, and the number of food supply is decreasing. The long-term supply of food has increased to 0.5% and the number of food supply has increased to 2.5%. The technology progress is almost 60%. 云阳健康持续改善,过去30年,中国云阳不良发生率,降至2.5%,居民食品消费结构不断升级,果树肉增长一倍以上,罗民生活持续向好,心情标准下9890万,农村平衡人口全部脱贫。 提前10年实行灵活国,2030年可持续发展一层紧密目标。 中国的国军决定了,中国政府始终把确保重要农场品,特别是粮食供给作为首要任务。 以时均持实施,长来一地,长来一地占领。 实际最严格的根地报复制度,开展高标的农田精神,稳定暴动民进,不断提升农业科技和装备水平,提高农业防灾紧展能力。 70%保障,粮食等重要农场品供应令,产业令,供应令,畅通稳定。 而是均持不协推动农业理事发展,经历根地修个能做制度,加上虚情养殖,废棄物,自由化利用。 加上农业命运无染之力,长代化要抓好长江石灵金域,发展积蓄农业和汉重农业, 促进农业紧牌和绿水高战的发展。 30% 均持不断提升农业对外开放活动水平,履行入市承诺,打造公平,稳定,透明的云沙环境。 大幅提升贸易投资,并力化水平。 及其开展南南和三方活动,向其他发展中国家提供理所能及的帮助。 国家同事,今次亚太区域跟绿水跟美好的农业粮食体系,使亚太成员国的共同义务、共同责任,需要国防的共同参与共同努力。 再次,我愿意提出以下十点进一,以此聚焦优先事项提升包容性和人性,针对区域优先事项关注小众和催弱群体的发展需要。 加大农厅基础实施政策和基础投入,提高农业应对气候并化,抵离能力和人性。 共同提升区域粮食安全水平,二次增强发展共识,加强区域活动。 发挥粮容组织的基石平台优势,在群球发展,倡议框架下,围绕紧平和粮食安全重点领域。 加强区域信息经营交流,生物化防灾颈灾,生物多样性保护,遗病防控,粮食精神等发明的活动。 各屋间区域发展共同体。 算是加大科技公关,推动体制增效,加强农业科技交流与合作, 特别是素质农业,生物与种,摇杆等情形技术的联合重新, 出现新鲜使用技术的推广应用,缩小技术鸿溝,加快各国国农业新的话步伐。 实施今次开放公益,畅通节目未来,继续支持多别模仿体制,充分发挥 RCEP优势, 维护亚太去龙产品市场稳定,保障农业采令,公益领畅通。 今天是梁隆主持提出的全球重要文化遗产,创意20周年。 中国将积极响应梁隆主持举办庆祝活动的号召, 企划与其举办全球重要文化遗产大会,打进国防交流农业文化遗产保护的平台。 我们暂时邀请国防积极参与,谢谢大家。 同时,我在补充一领,中国政府对刚才日本代表团有关窝户冲突的发言表示反对。 这是我们农业部长会设计的经济问题,专题应有农业发展问题, 提出窝户冲突问题不合时宜,中方军队反对,谢谢。 Thank you very much, Vice Minister. And I have one follow up question. And first, let me thank you and applaud for your presentation. The follow up question is about the success you had in terms of the results that we are observing of reduction of poverty, increase of production and productivity. And one of the core elements that you mentioned in your recommendations is science and technology and information. So how much and for how long is the needed investment in research and development and in science and technology as a percentage of the GDP to be able to achieve what you are achieving right now? Can you give us an idea of what is the investment that this required? Thank you. In the Middle East, we have achieved a high degree of poverty in the last few years. We are currently continuing to promote the development of poverty in the area of poverty. We are trying to ensure that our poverty technology is more stable and more sustainable. At the same time, we are also focusing on the application of technology in the field of agriculture, including the application of new technologies. Currently, the new technology is being applied in the entire Chinese agriculture industry. From the process of production to dynamic production, including disaster production, we are also focusing on the application of new technologies, including the application of new technologies. The investment in the Chinese government is a fundamental factor. But more and more work is the basis of our society, including the development of agriculture and production. Including the innovation of our industry and other technologies. We need some government's technology power. More and more of our society's power. Especially the investment in the industry and the innovation of agriculture and production. Thank you very much, Honorable Vice Minister, for this insightful response. So at the close of this segment of the program, I would like to thank all four panelists for their excellent interventions and insightful discussions. And I, before turning into the chair to the chair, I would like to please join me in an applause to all the panelists. Thank you very much. I now turn the floor back to the chair to moderate views from the members. Thank you chair back to you. I thank the panelists and moderator for a very interesting and thoughtful, lively discussion. We got many information on how they have technical adverse impact of COVID-19 pandemic. It's an opportunity to learn from them, know from their experiences. I now invite members of the further intervention on this topic. Distinguished participants, the floor is open for your response for query or questions. I can see a card from Bangladesh, Honorable Minister, some Rajaul Kori, Minister for Fisheries and Livestock. Thank you chair, Dr. Muhammad Abdul Razzaq, chair of this session, as well as the Agriculture Minister of the Government of the People's Republic of Bangladesh, and respected Director-General of FAO, Chudung Eu, Excellencies Honorable Ministers, Head of the Delegations from Member Countries, Ladies and Gentlemen, Assalamu Alaikum. No doubt this is a very important and time-defeating issue. Recent technological innovation drastically changes the style of Bangladesh's agriculture. Mechanization and specialized chemical had initially pushed the government to enact policies that held foster production. However, this growth was accompanied with a negative effect on the environment, such as soil depletion, water contamination, neglecting interest of farm slavers and biodiversity laws. In line with SDS, the target of agriculture productivity increased with little or no harm to the environment. In Bangladesh, now we have focused on nutrition, sensitive food systems, and underlined the need for developing micronutrients, enriched crop varieties, and expanding nutritious fisheries, livestock products with standard quality. Adaption of biofartilizer and bio pesticide balancing the use of fertilizer, lowering the use of pesticides, along with the IPM and ICM, practice resulted in healthy food production. We have also initiated good agriculture practice and organic farming system. In 2015, the FAO recognized a farming system in Bangladesh as a globally important agricultural heritage site, called on the Floating Gardens, in areas where floodwater lays for prolonged period, farmers grow plant on floating organic beds and else on the other plant side. By utilizing wetlands, the country's farmers provide numerous ecological and economic benefits to locals. Excellence as regard to our successful initiative to face COVID-19, I would say Bangladesh agriculture, fisheries and livestock sector has respondent favorably as compared to other development sectors for ensuring adequate food production and maintain supply with stimulus, package and generous support from government. At the initial stage of pandemic, supply chain of agriculture products experienced temporarily disruption due to limited transportation movement. Government functionaries played a constructive role in reviving innovative market strategies across the country. Soft loan incentive for purchasing farm machineries, transportation facilities for farm produce, creating online platform market, etc. were taken to overcome the COVID-19 challenges. Fish meat milk eggs were delivered to the door stops of the people through mobile cell center and online markets through government initiative. Our government provided cash incentive of TACA than 8000 million for more than 600,000 fishermen, dairy, faulty farmers affected in COVID-19. Therefore, the rural economy as well as the entire farming sector was not affected seriously. Now it's important to invest more resource in developing greener technologies including advanced genetic innovation and climate resilient varieties. These initiatives involves system transformation approach and establish modalities of digital marketing system and to take measures to facilitate shock of farmers at the time of their needs. We would call upon APRC members state to enhance collaboration and FAO to support countries for a greener and better agri-food systems as follows. First, initiating a green procurement policy for agricultural inputs. Second, developing technological innovations to be used balanced fertilizer used to bio fertilizer and bio pesticide for sustainable production. Third, assisting implementation of good agricultural practice. Fourth, technological innovations for reducing the use fossil fuel. Fifth, development of green agricultural friendly technologies and their disseminations. Sixth, reducing biodiversity laws. Seven, developing of aerobic and low water requiring price. Lastly, to extend cooperation and aid for the climate change affected countries. Thank you. Thank you, Honourable Minister. For speaking on behalf of Bangladesh delegation, you have nicely elaborated various actions were taken or responses from Bangladesh Government to tackle the pandemic, COVID-19 pandemic. Well, we know now. Is there any other hand, Papua New Guinea, please. Thank you, Chair. Excellencies. Thank you for giving me this opportunity on behalf of Papua New Guinea. I have the pleasure to say my government's view in this round table on actions that is required at the national and regional levels to drive transformation towards sustainable development and climate resilient acrylic food system. Climate change continues to remain a serious threat to the human, humanity, especially the small island developing stages like Papua New Guinea and the Pacific are the most vulnerable and presale to the impacts of climate change. Therefore, taking climate resilient and sustainable approach in the across the sector, including all other aspects of our livelihood is seen as very critical. Under Papua New Guinea's national determined contribution, 2020 to the parish agreement, we have increased the scope and the level of ambition of the omission targets, including adding specific targets for the culture, forestry and land use sector. To support this commitment, we recently launched the AFOLU sector roadmap last year that provides the enabling pathways, which are focused on key elements of PNG's climate governance framework, required to effectively coordinate actions. To support omissions and many finances linked to mitigation actions required by AFOLU sector. For the across the sector, we have identified the following as main pathways to support climate change is to extend cash crops, strengthen agriculture and planning framework, to strengthen access to and security of extension system and strengthen the framework for sustainable and culture cash crops like oil farm, cocoa, coconut, coffee and other developments. To implement this roadmap and other existing policies, a national climate policy for agriculture and the HACRE system is needed to tap into the traditional farming practice and use for our technologies for climate change, climate smart agriculture. Specific intervention strategies and application to contribute more climate friendly practice are also needed to tap into alternate energy sources, management of farm waste and other utilization and management of the greenhouse gases derived from agricultural systems needs. I also would like to wish to wish to inform this roundtable that they are investment opportunities in the climate resilient agri-port system through the following areas. Upland crops area, improvement technologies of water control, soil and land improvement programs. The development of a robust national seed policy to cover all indigenous plants, crop and animal species and gem plants required to reproduce, store and supply seeds, where and when required for breeding and improving planting materials for all growers and planters. And for us in the Pacific in Papua New Guinea, we have started a coconut gene bank for the Pacific. And we have started that in one of our provinces called Halatau. That is to put all the coconut and build our gene bank so that we keep it as a seed bank in Papua New Guinea for us and all our other smaller Pacific countries. We'd like to do that for other crops as well. Being Papua New Guinea being one of the biggest Pacific, biggest country in the Pacific, but not biggest in the world. China is biggest in the world. We're establishing a farm, forestry and fisheries credit and insurance schemes to enable farmers, planters and fisher folks to recover and recuperate in the shortest time possible in terms of climate change, impact disaster relief and restorations. Let me also use this occasion to welcome the new FAO strategy on climate change on behalf of my government. I endorse the four regional priorities as proposed by the 36 APRC and the use of use for the four accelerators, the technology, innovation, data and compliments, the governance, human capital institutions. I am confident that some of the issues I have highlighted will be pursued under the strategy and also compliment the ongoing support of FAO. I also ask our development partners to drive climate resilient agri food systems in the region. I've had a call for the government's development partners, multilateral financial institutions and governments to support this strategy and form partnership which will support our national efforts to implement key accents to incorporate climate resilient and sustainable agri food system. To conclude once again, let me thank the organizers and the government of Bangladesh for hosting this round, this event and the round table, and I'll show you Papua New Guinea's commitment towards this agenda. I thank you all. Thank you delegation from Papua New Guinea for your nice comment. I had requested to play video comment of Indonesia. Please play the video comment on the agenda. We appreciate the FAO and the promotion and development of the strategy and the program to build a sustainable and inclusive ecosystem in Asia-Pacific. This is mainly due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The theme of this session is very relevant to one of the issues that we face in the presidency of G20 to work on agriculture, which is to promote sustainable and sustainable farming systems. We will continue to accelerate the goal of the development of sustainable and inclusive farming systems. The first is the speed of digital technology development in the field of plant production. The second is the strength of local sources as an important aspect in strengthening the agricultural system at a national, regional and global level. During the COVID-19 pandemic, we have been able to ensure access to the field through digital technology development and multi-faceted strategic cooperation to create a digital ecosystem in the field of plant production. Many things that we have done to protect the land and the land, including the local and regional areas of the city, are among the first to promote access to agricultural credit. This is very exciting. The second is to promote digital literacy and to adopt technology for farmers. The third is to ensure free-risk farming through agricultural insurance. The fourth is to encourage farmers' efforts and millenials to create jobs that are more suitable for the agricultural sector. At the moment, we are prioritizing the adaptation of agricultural systems such as low-emission gas, low-emission house, low-emission production, and the production of crops through the approach of climate smart agriculture. In this case, the technological development, innovation, and the support of farmers is an important aspect to ensure emissions-free farming that was expected in 2050. The efforts that we have made have a significant impact over the past few years. We have also been able to protect the land and the land of the people with the value stability as well as the reduction of agricultural experience in the presence of agricultural inflation. As citizens, we support the continuation of the F.A.O. In terms of access, we will not continue to support the P.B.B.B. system. As well as the speed of the transformation of the system and farmers, it is up to the government and the national capacity. Happy meeting. I hope we can achieve something that is beneficial for the nation, the country, and the world. Thank you. Thank you, delegation of Indonesia. Now we will have a comment from Russia, Thailand, and the Republic of Korea. It's virtually in person. I would request the delegation to limit their comment to three minutes. We don't have much time left, so I would start with Russia. I invite Russian delegation to give their comment virtually. The Russian Federation would like to thank all the panelists for their performance and to celebrate the performance of the dear representative of Japan. In this regard, we would like to call upon not to politicize the work of this session and to discuss the issues related to direct and fun safety at the conference. I would like to thank all of you for your attention. That's all you have to say. Thank you. Okay, thank you. Take note of your comment or reaction on the comment of Japan delegation. Anyway, thank you. Now we move to Thailand. I invite delegation of Thailand to offer the remarks on the agenda. Thailand, you have the floor. Thank you very much, Mr. Chairpersons. I have an honor to speak on behalf of His Excellencies Chalem Chai-Shi on ministers of agriculture and cooperative of Thailand and also to chair my government bill at the FAO regional conference. First of all, we would like to thank all the distinguished panelists for the excellent presentation and also experienced chairings with the members in this meeting. Thailand is committed to become the green kitchen of the world. And under the leadership of the prime ministers, General Prajuchan Ocha, we have adopted the green, the bio circular green economy model or BCG to transform our agri-food system to achieve inclusive and sustainable growth for our people, nation, and our planet. And bring us back to track to achieve the SDG. During the pandemic, urban agriculture grew in significance. The initiative sustainable urban agriculture development projects was launched to expand urban green areas and to raise productivity in all sub-districts and districts nationwide with the objective to enhance resilience and sales sufficiency in both urban and rural area. Another initiative launched during the pandemic to support food and nutrition securities as well as job securities for people in the village is the One Village, One Farming Group projects aimed to upscale the implementations of sufficiency economy philosophy and new agriculture and to enhance farm resilience and recovery. Under this project, each community is entrusted to serve as alternative source of food productions and to share knowledge and local wisdom with other communities through a network approach. Mr. Chairpersons, we believe that digitalization is a key tool for rural transformations toward more sustainable agri-food system. We have developed two important applications to support informed decision-making based real-time geospatial data combined with several layers of detailed agricultural and economic data. For example, the Agri-Map online. It is an application designed to support farmers in informed decision-making for the soil qualities in each village on best farming options to help farmers to make decisions, how to use the fertilizers, how to maximize the soil qualities in their area. And also the others, the crop calendar is an application designed to support decision-makers in informed decision-making for food securities and nutrition management and also demand and supply of those agricultural products at the provincial level. Finally, we request FAO support the technical corporations and also the policy guidance in area of digital agriculture, one health and also biodiversity, in streaming across agri-food system to fulfill our commitment to transform agri-food system toward sustainability. And also we know that we need to rethink and rebalance the way that we produce and use our natural resources by our diversity, soy, waters and marine resources to ensure sustainability of our agri-food system. Thank you very much, Mr. Chairperson. Thank you delegation of Thailand for your very good intervention. Now we move to Republic of Korea to offer their comment virtually. From the last intervention, I request delegation of Korea to give their comment. Thank you, Chair. The COVID-19 pandemic has disrupted the global food systems and continue to push people into famine. It has revealed the importance of transforming existing food systems to be more sustainable and inclusive, supporting vulnerable communities. Last year Korea prepared the national food plan as a national pathway to sustainable food systems. We have set three policy priorities, food security, environmental sustainability and healthy diet accessibility and started from areas that were ready for implementation. First, food security. Korea will strengthen infrastructure as well as capabilities in response to disasters to ensure a stable supply of major crops. We will also provide support for local food to be consumed by local people. Second, environmental sustainability. It is important to promote the production and consumption of agriculture and fishery products in a way that eases our environmental impact. Korea plans to expand environmentally friendly and low-input precision agriculture while reducing food waste from farm to table. Third, healthy diet accessibility. Korea will enhance targeted support for the vulnerable people and children while putting more effort into ensuring food safety. On the global front, Korea will reveal our ODA strategy in the agri-food sector with a view to contributing to global food systems transformation. We are reviewing the school meals initiative proposed at the UN Food Systems Summit. By joining the global efforts, Korea will contribute to achieving the SDGs too, aiming to end hunger in all forms of malnutrition as well as food assistance. In order to transform agri-food systems to be more resilient and responsive to COVID-19, Korea is also working toward digitalization across the agri-food sector. For this, Korea is promoting smart farming by expanding the support for young farmers to start their businesses with smart farm facilities for lease and startup incubation centers. In the meanwhile, we plan to enhance productivity of agriculture by utilizing big data and artificial intelligence. We will also continue sharing with the member states, Korea's knowledge and experience of digitized agriculture to help the regional residents, including the vulnerable farmers, make decisions based on science and enhance productivity through sustainable agriculture. As a follow-up to the UN Food Systems Summit last year, FAO will act as a coordination hub to provide support for countries in their efforts to transform their food systems. We look forward to FAO's role in advancing global food systems transformation through active communication with the member states. Thank you all. Thank you, Chair. Thank you very much, Korean Republic. Thank you for your commitment to attain to achieve the SDG-2 end hunger and malnutrition in all forms. And I thank you for your willingness to share with the member countries to achieve SDG-1 and 2. Thank you. Thank you very, very much. I know Korea is already developed country and I believe you have some obligation from the global community. Now I think that's all. There we end this session. Thank you very much to the countries for basing their commitments and means of implementation of the core pathways for rebuilding greener, resilient, inclusive and better degree food system. I now call on Ms. Beth Begdahl, Deputy Director General, DDG of FAO to give the closing remarks. Thank you very much, Chair, and also thank you to our panelists and members, to my colleague Maximo Torero and also the Director General for his opening comments. Good morning, Excellencies, distinguished delegates, ladies and gentlemen from Rome. It is my pleasure to be with you virtually to conclude this ministerial roundtable. These are forward-looking and ambitious plans for transformative actions for greener and better agri-food systems that recommit all of us to this priority and hopefully get us back on track to achieve the sustainable development goals. The two years of the global pandemic have been an exceptional time for us all. And as we know, COVID-19 caused highly disrupting impacts that required bold, ambitious and transformative responses, highlighting again the urgent need to regain the lost ground on the path to meeting the goals of the 2030 agenda. This ministerial roundtable has provided, though, the unique chance for us to share experiences and challenges specific to the Asia-Pacific region. And we've also heard perspectives and lessons learned on tackling the COVID-19 pandemic and the mitigation measures that have been taken to contain its health and socioeconomic impacts. We've listened to how governments in the Asia-Pacific region, including Samoa, Philippines, Japan, China and others, responded rapidly to the pandemic with interventions, new programs and important investment initiatives. Our panelists described the interventions they've made to support agricultural production, as well as measures taken to shore up food supply chains and ensure access to food. There's also been an accelerated push in digital investments targeting agri-food supply chains and a private sector-led boost in online marketing, distribution and e-commerce for agri-food systems. This renewed focus helps bridge the rural-urban digital divide by extending digital services to villages, rural communities and small towns, giving renewed vigor to agri-food systems across the region. It's clear, though, that there is no one-size-fits-all solution. And this has been echoed here at this very roundtable and also visible from the diversity of commitments to agri-food systems transformation coming from the different countries across the Asia-Pacific region. There has been a clear call from members for deeper collaboration between and among countries and for international development partners like FAO to continue providing technical support as the lead global specialized agency on food and agriculture. I can say on behalf of the organization that we continue to be committed to supporting members in their own transforming of agri-food systems to more resilient and greener approaches as we move beyond COVID. It is clear from today's discussion that this can come through policies, national pathways, technical programs and other innovative initiatives will focus on the following. Strengthening and prioritizing social protection for the vulnerable, especially through the use of enhanced data. Leveraging inclusive digitalization for rural transformation that supports all marginalized households. Rebuilding agri-food system transformations that are centered on smart and cross-cutting technologies. This included diverse agricultural technologies but also innovations in telecommunications and other data systems. Investing in more green technologies and decarbonized agri-food systems. We must strengthen local food production systems including reminding ourselves of the importance of traditional systems and practices and especially where food supplies are most vulnerable to shocks. We must rebuild more robust agri-food systems in a way that is more resilient to risks, disasters and other shocks. Early warning systems will be key to this and we must make sure that we prioritize the marginalized populations including women and youth. This work has to be done together with meaningful investments and also new ways of working, new models of delivering knowledge, new partnerships and a new sense of urgency. FAO stands ready to engage in these areas with you. This is inherent in the climate change strategy and the science and innovation strategy both currently under development and also through important initiatives including hand-in-hand, 1,000 digital villages and one country one priority product among others. And all of these efforts are also embedded in our strategic framework for 2022 to 2031. As the DG said in his opening FAO stands ready to support the 2030 agenda through the transformation to more efficient, inclusive, resilient and sustainable agri-food systems for better production, better nutrition, a better environment and a better life leaving no one behind. We look forward to working together with all of you to fulfill these very important aspirations. Thank you very much chair for hosting this important discussion and back over to you. Thank you very, very much. Ms. Begdwell, you have made a very good summary on deliberation and you gave a very good closing remarks. I thank you very, very much. Conclude the first session of the ministerial meeting today. At this time I ask the conference secretary to make any necessary announcement if he has. Thank you. Mr. Conference Secretary, you have the floor please. Thank you. Excellencies, Director General, distinguished delegates, ladies and gentlemen, only two announcements. We now have the photo of all heads of delegation with the director general so heads of delegation only along with the director general please come to the front colleagues please get the photo arrangement in place. And after the photo we will break for we'll have a break until two o'clock darker time to so see you again at two o'clock darker time. If you are on zoom please don't disconnect stay on the line. Thank you very much and see you at 2pm. Good afternoon, Excellencies, distinguished delegates, ladies and gentlemen, thank you all for coming back on time, and thank you to all the participants for who have stayed connected on zoom during the break. I need to commence the final session of the 36th session of the Asia Pacific regional conference, and I hand it over to the chair to start off proceedings over to you chair. Welcome back to the final segment of the 36th session of the regional conference for Asia and Pacific. Thank you all. We are in the last stage last part of the conference. The meeting shall now take up the agenda item 13 on the ministry around table on climate action for resilience and sustainability. To begin the session we have a short FAO video we would like to share with delegates please play the video to begin the session we have a short FAO video. We have already saw it. Thank you for the interesting video by FAO. Now let us begin a substantive part of the of this session. It is an honor to invite FAO Director General Joe Dungu to provide a welcoming remark. Sir, Mr. Q, you have the floor. Thank you. You see, after many hours, many times practicing on the honorable chair, he can province my family very well. My excellent. Excellent. Thanks for facing difficult challenges. We needed to address them quickly and the collecting the recent government panel on climate change report on impact adaptation and availability. are once again that the climate crisis is the strength to human, animal, plant, well-being, and the health of the planet. Over 800 million people in the world face hunger in 2020, and nearly 3 billion could not afford health deaths. Today, 3.6 billion people living in vulnerable climate hotspots. Agriculture systems are both contributing to and also affected by the climate crisis, ecosystem degradation, and the biodiversity laws. The COVID-19 pandemic has further intensified the existing inequities. There is however hope and there is solutions. Green and climate resilient agriculture that enhance adaptation and resilience, reverse biodiversity laws and reduce the greenhouse destination is essential to address the climate crisis poverty and hunger. The first study of our work, 192-231, get our support to the members to transform our ecosystem to become more efficient, more inclusive, more resilient, and more sustainable. The better production, better nutrition, better environment, better life for living on behind. We must promote innovative solutions that enable agricultural systems to adapt to hard or lower the greenhouse gas emissions and other environmental impacts. The role of the small holders, indigenous peoples, local communities, women and youth in driving this solution is key. And we must harness solutions that create synergies and co-benefits. For instance, in restoring the house and the productivity of a decorated landscape and sea scale can improve the global food security, improve the local livelihood, open new market and create jobs. And enhance the ecosystem of services that support the climate adaptation and mitigation. These messages were also equal by the UN Food Service Summit and the UN Climate Conference of COP26 and the UN Biodiversity Conference of COP15 held last year. The commitments and the positive outcome of those global events are timely as FAO developed two new semantics strategies, one on climate change, one on science and innovation. These new strategies will strengthen the FAO capacity to support members in climate action for increased resilience and sustainability. Dear colleagues, we have a clear solution and a feasibility option to reduce climate risk for people and the natural. FAO is uniquely placed to support the countries in the climate pledging strategies and plans to implement their nationally determined contribution, NDCs. FAO can support the learning and exchange across countries in the region and globally on innovations, technologies, capacity development, digitalization, data and information sharing and the partnerships. FAO can help scale up adults of these measures by facilitating access to the climate finance and providing guidance to pro-sciences such as coronavirus, joint work on agricultural. We must continue to work together in an efficient, effective and coherent manner and urgently to prevent even more severe consequences due to the climate crisis, especially for the most vulnerable groups, rural communities, women, youth and future generations. I wish you a fruitful discussion and the concrete outcomes. Thank you, Chair. Thank you, Director General Dungu, for your inspiring remarks and affirmation of the scope of the work before us on the impacts of climate change. I now invite Mr. Hedal Munsur, Director of the Office of the Climate Change, Biodiversity and Environment at FAO, make a presentation on FAO's new strategy on climate change. Following the presentation, Mr. Munsur will moderate the panel discussion on climate resilience and sustainability. I now pass the floor to Mr. Munsur. Please, you have the floor. Thank you very much, Mr. Chairman. My name is Eduardo Munsur and I'm greeting you from the FAO headquarters here in Rome. Your Excellencies, Ladies and Gentlemen, my colleagues gave me the opportunity to speak to this honorable audience to present the progress in developing the new FAO strategy on climate change. I would like to ask the colleagues to put the PowerPoint on the screen or else I can share it from this end. Thank you very much. As mentioned to you, I want to update you on the development of the new strategy on climate change that our Director General referred to you. That's being developed in tandem with the new FAO strategy on science and innovation. Next, please. Ladies and gentlemen, the Intergovernmental Plan on Climate Change released a new report on 28th February. The Working Group 2 report, part of the assessment report 6. The previous one was released in August last year. They confirmed the sense of urgency and the need for immediate action because if we go above the 1.5 degrees expectation on the measures to address climate change mitigation, some of the natural solutions may no longer work. The report provides information that confirmed the inequivocal influence of humans, the anthropic influence on climate change. It also reveals that 4 out of 10 people in the world are highly vulnerable to climate change and the inequalities are growing, especially in certain regions including South Asia and small island development states which are part of this particular region we are discussing here. The report also explained the interconnectivity of climate change ecosystems including biodiversity and the human society. If the action is not going to be integrated to address the risks that climate change causes to humankind and nature the solutions are not going to address the problems which are most evident heat stress, water scarcity food insecurity heavy rainfalls and flood risks fire and ocean acidification. I'm sure your excellencies, ladies and gentlemen that you can identify the impact of climate change in agri-food systems. That's why FAO engaged in the development of a new strategy. Next slide please. If you can put the next slide, yes. The FAO new strategy on climate change is a contribution to the implementation of our strategic framework 2022-2031 which is based on the sustainable development goals address those targets that FAO has comparative advantage to contribute to it. It's built on the latest scientific evidence including the IPCC reports I just mentioned to you on the outcomes of the different conferences of the part of climate change and the latest one, COP26 in Glasgow and on the United Nations Food Systems Summit that was held last year with a press summit here in our headquarters in Rome and the summit in New York. Next please. The content of the strategy has been discussed with FAO members and on an annotated outline and is presented here in this slide. We have a document that is very long. Now at this moment it contains 19 pages. It has five sections an introductory session an explanation why climate change is a global threat to food security based on latest scientific evidence how agri-food systems can be part of the climate crisis and how harnessing good practice and innovation can help accelerate our actions. Next please. What is new in this strategy? As you know, FAO already developed one strategy that was late in 2017 but we did an evaluation of our contribution to climate change and climate change. I will explain the other sessions in terms of the pillars of action and how we propose to implement it. We did an evaluation of our contribution to the SDG 13 on climate action and realize that more is to be done, not only by FAO but by all entities to make sure that the climate crisis responds to the size of the problem. So, enhanced ambition towards the targets of SDG 13 when related to agri-food systems and aligning better with 2030 is one of the novelties in the world. The interlinked challenge that I mentioned to you regarding climate change, loss of biodiversity, desertification, environmental degradation, change on the water cycle, access to renewable energy and others, scaling up financing and investment while the $100 billion per year commitment to address climate change at the global level has not yet been reached. So, in the last few months, there have been a lot of investments on climate financing has been growing. Unfortunately, studies from FAO like this one I have here on my hand that is the climate financing agricultural and land use sector demonstrates that the trend for the agri-food sectors or agricultural and land sectors have been decreasing. The amount, nominally, increasing financing investment in the climate action related to agri-food systems is a need. Contributing to the latest international plans and initiatives, you may have seen that certain plans address issues related to agri-food systems like the methane pledge that has been launched at COP26 in Glasgow late last year. Our sectors represent up to 40% of the emissions. So, coming from fermentation of ruminants, coming from wet rice, which is important, very important production system in your region, coming from manure management and from land fields, the sectors under agri-food systems contribute to 40% of methane emissions. So, these are new issues that we can address in the strategy mitigating this impact. Addressing holistically all the activities within agri-food systems crops, livestock, forest fisheries, aquaculture, their value chains, their livelihoods and the ecosystems they influence. Building on potential to combine adaptation and mitigation. You know, our sectors in agri-food systems provide one of the best opportunities to combine actions of adaptation and mitigation in a very cost-effective way more cost-effective than other sectors. So, we should build from this opportunity. Rooting on science innovation promoting bioeconomy, promoting the circularity principle and showing that multi-stakeholder partnerships can be of help to all. Next slide, please. The strategy is based on 10 guiding principles, as you can see here taking an agri-food systems approach having people in the center especially farmers, fishers, foresters, partners the most vulnerable ones leaving no one behind embracing the good practice and innovation built on science innovation being country-driven promoting what countries decide as their climate action to achieve sustainability promoting partnerships, gender mainstreaming youth engagement social inclusiveness including multi-stakeholders approach, scaling up support and adopt what is called a no one size fits all meaning that we have to tailor actions according to the needs and specificities of the countries. Next, please. This slide just for you to see the principle used on the theory of change from the underlying causes of poverty inequality and the unsustainable use of natural resources the problems that it brought to the sector what FAO can do to support the outcomes that are divided, six outcomes identified under this strategy divided in three pillars action at global and regional levels action at country level and action at local level in direct contact with farmers, fisher folks livestock holders and other actors of our sectors. We intend to transform agri-food systems towards sustainability for an impact on climate mitigation and reducing the climate crisis. You see that this contribution goes throughout the SDGs with a special focus of course in SDG 2 and SDG 13. Next slide please. When we talk about actions each pillar that I mentioned to you, global, country level or local level identify main areas of actions. Based on these areas of actions we are going to develop an action plan and probably hopefully with the help of our colleagues in the regions developing regional action plans once the strategy is approved we hope that the strategy will be approved in the next council session here in Rome in June. At global and regional levels those are around advocacy and promotion of the role of agri-food systems as part of the solution to the climate crisis promoting innovation and enabling the use of data information and digitalization. FAO is known for the reliability of the information provided of the data provided we should build from this comparative advantage. At country level providing capacity development support including own institutional capacity building leading agri-food and the climate agenda under the guidance of the governments, the members enhancing the partnerships and the access to financing including of course with the private sector when we talk about financing we know the portfolios that FAO already participate especially to the green climate funds and through the global environmental facility for instance the global environmental facility the GEF starts now its eighth cycle the GEF 8 they foresee a portfolio of $700 million for Asia-Pacific in the the GCF which is still on the GCF 1 cycle the GCF 2 will start in October the discussions for it we have already a successful portfolio with you implementing projects in some countries and we have particular activities in your region in the readiness programs we have 12 ongoing projects two funding proposals approved and we are also executing one of the projects of the UNDP so the presence of FAO through the climate financing action is already there but we have to explore new opportunities including the private sector public partnerships to facilitate what would be the role of carbon markets into the agri-food systems for a better understanding and from tapping from the opportunities that climate financing brings to us promoting adoption of good practices, innovations mainstreaming equality and inclusiveness and providing policy and legal support for the development of the strategies of the actions that the countries would like to consider in the agri-food sectors linking with climate change at the local level we intend to support the empowerment of local actors that includes farmers associations that includes local institutions according to the needs and plans of the country and promotion the adoption of good practices and innovations next slide please the roadmap is just for you to have an idea where we are we are now on consultations through we had the pleasure to present to the senior officers at this week on Tuesday at the PRC the strategy and obtain some concrete elements we are honored to bring this special session at the ministerial level with the presence of your excellencies and our director general to obtain further guidance and comments that will help us complete the draft of the strategy which will go to the program committee and the council in the next few months in May and June and hopefully be approved at the council for us to engage in the development of the action plan with this information Mr. Chairman I would like just to recall next slide please our expectation our humble expectation at this ministerial round table which I have the honor to moderate for your excellency ministers you may wish to provide us guidance on what are the key technological financial institutional innovations needed to promote climate resilient and sustainable agri-food systems in your countries that is very important for us to understand your perspective and make sure that a global document builds from local issues how can fall through our new strategy on climate change best support members countries to drive a transformation towards green and climate resilient agri-food systems in Asia Pacific region with these two questions Mr. Chairman I am honored to conclude the presentation and return the back to you the Thank you very much your excellency according to the script following the presentation Mr. Munsu will moderate a panel discussion on climate resilience and sustainability I now pass the floor to Mr. Munsu again Mr. Munsu you have the floor to moderate the Thank you very much Mr. Chairman it's an honor to contribute to the debate as the questions were put I would like now to ask his excellency team the secretary of state minister of environment of Cambodia to address the conference on these points Thank you Mr. Director and good day distinguished delegates first I would like to insist on the need for innovation to take into account the particular social and cultural context of the countries we are seeing the proliferation of technical or technological solutions that look very exciting and may work in specific context but completely fail in other situation if they are not socially or culturally adequate we are seeing for example the calibration collaborating technology based crop or disaster insurance schemes require in-depth engagement of concerned communities to understand and support insurance mechanism and how they are triggered this social engagement component tend to be weaker when organizations focus too much on the technological side and can be a source of failure we have seen this also when technically valid solutions and reduce it without taking into account labor or migration dynamics for example a shortage of labor forced in rural areas to implement labor intensive solutions so my first point is what vocate for this social analysis and engagement of the local actor to be considered more carefully when developing innovations second point it's clearly that there is a lot of potential solutions in this area for example improve soil management techniques can contribute both to climate education and adaptation so location specific research is important but we also see in Cambodia that it is not only about technological innovations if solutions based on agroecology as to succeed we need to put in place supportive local business ecosystems which include local input providers such as seeds providers of financing and provider of technical advice with the COP26 and the finalization of negotiations on the new framework for carbon finance is an opportunity to use carbon finance to support innovation in sustainable agroecology system which we know can contribute to global mitigation but also support the resilience of vulnerable communities however local actors and in particular small holders farmers or co-operatives live in a completely different world from the world of carbon finance so we need innovative models of cooperation to develop promote and finance sustainable agroecology projects for the poorest and most vulnerable we need to bridge the gap between models of carbon financing which can be really complex and those who need the most as for the role of FAO FAO I have three aspects to share with you in driving the transformation towards sustainable and climate resilient agri-food systems first FAO is an important source of technical advisory support in the agri-food sector as the landscape of development financing is expanding it is important for FAO to expand the partnerships as well so that its technical expertise can be leveraged to unlock other forms of support provided by other players including loans guarantees and other forms of innovative financing instruments for example carbon finance, green bonds and so on given the scale and urgency of the challenge we need to move from technical assistance projects to much more integrated approaches at a bigger scale defining the role of FAO in this new partnership should be a key priority for the coming years secondly as our countries are developing and fiscal space is expanding it is important to move from project approaches to policy support that can leverage national fiscal or budgetary policies FAO could consider partnering with other organizations who have experience working with public financial management reforms who inform fiscal and budgetary policies that will support sustainable agri-food systems and my final point FAO should return a major role in capacity development working with local providers of advisory or training services and deliver high quality knowledge services on climate change adaptation and mitigation approaches for actors at all level from local farmers to various actors in value change community organization local and national official innovative climate resilience and low carbon solutions are not yet well known and there is a major need for capacity development across the board but also for efficient system to capture best practices and lesson learned and make them available to practitioners and policy makers in appropriate format thank you thank you very much our excellency we took very good note of your points and thank you for the diligent response to the questions raised on the need for scaling up integration and moving from a project approach to a more programmatic and policy level approach very dear to us we hope that you share your statement with the secretariat of the Asia Pacific regional conference as we will take it very dear in your comments and it's now my honor to invite his excellency the honorable minister of agriculture and force of Bhutan to address the conference on the points that we raised your most welcome sir to take the floor ladies and gentlemen climate change is one of the pressing issues facing the region and the world climate change is a threat to food security it poses an existential threat to the survival of the planet and the lives living in it in particular billions of human beings who depend on agriculture face an immediate risk of the impacts of climate change while climate change impact is felt across the globe the Asia and Pacific region stands to be particularly acutely vulnerable going to a large share of small holding farmers fragile mountain ecosystems and landlocked societies in the Hindukush Himalayan range in particular suffer from loss of its water towers frequent glacial lake outburst floods landslides caused by windstorms cyclones extra millions living downstream and those dependent on marine resources for their livelihood and sustenance face continued shocks of climate induced disasters and calamities countries like Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Myanmar and Nepal often suffer devastating impacts of cyclones in Bay of Bengal in Bhutan where there were and there are cases when the climate induced washes away agriculture fields, livestock and infrastructure assets even loss of precious human lives extreme monsoon patterns trigger floods in perennial streams and landslides washing away agro fields human settlements, irrigation road electricity and communication infrastructures frequent erratic rainfall drought large scale infestations due to outbreak of pests and diseases hail storms extra impose unbearable socio-economic sanctions the drive to enhance food and nutrition security boosting domestic production through agricultural intensification and commercialization further risk exposing every food sector to the impacts of climate change as such adapting to and mitigating the impacts of climate change is of paramount importance for Bhutan in living up to the global call on climate change Bhutan's pledge to remain carbon neutral as detailed in the nationally determined contributions remains to be our guiding principle for sustainable development strategies for low emission development in the surface human settlement and agriculture among others are being prioritized for instance the low emission development strategy for the agro food sector sector has several short term by 2025 medium term by 2030 and long term by 2050 action oriented operational plans some of the measures including switching from synthetic to organic fertilizers mechanization and digitalization of agriculture practices increased biomass through increased perennial crop production domestic biogas production reduction in continuous rice flooding and intensifying less hits more productive cattle farming climate change is demanding prioritization of technologies relating to early warning system agro-metrological systems green transportation and construction of production enhancement besides innovation in hydraulic energy to replace non renewable fuel operation of machines and equipment green energies from solar, wind and water should receive priority as for the food sector there is a need to promote climate resilient crop and livestock diversity to enhance sustainable healthy and resilient food systems there are several bilateral and multilateral climate funding opportunities in the world such funds must be made more accessible particularly for smaller and vulnerable countries in addition as the fight against climate change requires collective effort it would be important that bigger economies should provide more resources and facilitate technological exchanges to enhance adaptive and mitigation capacity of vulnerable communities and countries besides strengthening the current climate funding mechanisms such as Jeff, GCF, NAMA Facilities, IKEAXTA a similar kind of funding mechanisms could also be developed at the regional level carbon trading is another mechanism that can be activated while the uptake of such mechanisms to enhancing carbon tradeoffs thus far has been slow and there is a need to expedite the implementation of such mechanisms the fight against climate change is multi prompt and needs multi sector collaboration FAO as an agency responsible for security food security and nutrition could leverage the opportunities brought about by its new strategy to address the issue of climate change in the food sector as a global agency having a track record of having liberate billions of populations from the course of climate change and food security the strategy document should be positioned to steer member countries to fast adopt climate smart food system in living up to its vision to transform the agri-food sector to be climate smart and contribute to low carbon economy the strategy should also cater to strengthening global cooperation and align with global commitments as well as climate priorities of other technical agencies to enhance synergy effect in addition there are opportunities to harness the potential of streamlining climate policies and governance synchronized sharing of information and climate resilient innovative solutions Your Excellency Director General Chu Dong-joo Bhutan is looking forward to an accelerated and elevated support from FAO in agri-food transformation under your leadership while you are there at the helm of the FAO Thank you Thank you very much Your Excellency we took very good note of your powerful words regarding the importance for Bhutan to address climate change the issues of vulnerability in the fragile ecosystems of mountain countries that is part of the region and they are the water towers of our planet we are very happy to see that your words are in line with what we mentioned in the scope of the strategy that we are developing including on the need to develop sustainable food systems including on the need to enhance the financial mechanisms and we are very pleased with your words Your Excellency ladies and gentlemen we heard from Minister of Bhutan and State Secretary of Cambodia we are now it's my pleasure to invite Honorable Hussain Rashid Hassam the Minister of Fisheries Marine Resources and Agriculture of Maldives to address the conference at this point that we raised on climate change Your Excellency you have the floor Thank you moderator when I came here I thought this is really going to be a real round table of ministers talking about real issues apparently with the situation that we are in we do not have the luxury of having a real round table so I wish that time not too far in future that we will have that opportunity to have a real round table to discuss this issue what we are really talking today about is a very important issue for Maldives climate change is really climate crisis actually it is a climate emergency in the Maldives we really talking about the very existence of Maldives there is very few countries that they can claim to be coral at all nations in the world Maldives is one of them and the difference here is we are a byproduct of coral growth if it is not for the zoo that grows on the coral surface the Maldives would not be here in the surface of the globe so the coral is eaten by the peritrish and that produce the white sand that you see the nice beaches today in the Maldives so if it is not for the biological entities the zoo's entirely the coral will not grow and we would not have the nice beaches and that is the the basis of our tourism today so we are a byproduct of a biological process so we seen increasing a change in climate the sea is actually slowly becoming warmer and warmer that is really cooking the coral from the 80s we have seen the corals coral bleaching in the world our coral reefs are dying we have annual coral bleaching events much of our coral reefs the beautiful reefs are dead we are living through that crisis now we are not talking about it is going to happen it is happening for us climate change is an existential threat we are very determined not to leave our beautiful archipelago and become you know migrants climate refugees in distant land so we are determined that we are going to stay here so for us it is the adaptation that is going to save the Maldives people and the Maldives so the questions that you posed today are very relevant but it is also relevant for different reasons for us because we are not really talking about food systems only we are talking about the very existence of Maldives on the surface of earth so we need the finance now we need the finance 10 years ago but it is not materialized as you rightly said in the UNCCC framework developed countries have promised to deliver 100 billion US dollars a year for the developing especially the small island developing countries but less than 10% of that pledge was realized now we know how difficult it is going to be a small country like us to cope with the situation we are the one of the largest climate victims on the earth it is not happening because of anything the Maldives people have done or not done it is happening because some countries very irresponsibly sending noxious gasses into the atmosphere and slowly killing the biodiversity killing the coral the temperature and sea level is rising as well so we have to find money to protect our islands from the waves we have to invest not the people who are actually doing this for us and we have to go and ask for money and they say you have to have a bankable project this is very critical you should know this they say you have to have a bankable project where you have to establish the causality means the climate changes this is happening in our islands because of climate change we have to have the causality established using the science the data you see being small island nations we do not have that data that goes to a few decades back so unless we can establish this causality we will not be eligible for the money so what is there for us I think science is very clear the scientists the best scientists say if we failed as global citizens to rectify the problems really soon if the global average temperature increase beyond 1.5 degrees as much as for instance 17-90% of the coral reefs in the tropical oceans including the Indian ocean will die and you know what that impact is going to be so I am here today not necessarily talking about agriculture and food systems but our very existence of it so talking about this is very difficult but you should know this is the threat which is that we are facing so with this a huge biodiversity will be lost forever the people that come into the Maldives not because they want to see people like us look like the normal Asians they come in to see our beautiful beaches to see the beautiful fishes that swim in the ocean they are coming there to experience the beauty natural beauty of our islands and experience the wind, the ocean, the current the surf and all that but when you know this is all gone because of inaction of the human race Maldives will be just a story as it is okay so I know this is not what you really want me to talk about but this is the Maldives story so you ask what are the key technological innovations that can help people like us we thought I would say as other colleagues have said somehow we had to identify crops and crops that is actually adaptable to or adapted to the climate condition that we are living in that can be adapted to heat or salt tolerant or disease tolerant varieties because like in the ocean the trees are also dying because of the changes in the climate condition we find the taro cannot grow in the Maldives anymore and they develop new diseases we find in the coconuts can't grow anymore we have to find new varieties too and it's all because of changes in climate condition you also ask what will be the financial innovations that's going to help us I would like to note that access to finance is the key here if we can't get the finance that we need to adapt to the new situation then any project or any agreement that's written on paper is not worth even the paper itself access to finance is the key but the lenders are saying we had to submit scientific evidence establishing causality to say that these changes are occurring because of climate change we do not have that data that means that we are not going to have access to finance that will be reset so we need to change the rule book once and for all we need this finance now so that our nations our islands and our way of life and our culture can be sent and I think the banks and our agencies need to change and understand the true reality of situation on the ground unless we can do that unless we can campaign for it we can achieve it a small island like Maldives will not be able to achieve this but if we work together as a group collective we can change the rule book and get the necessary finance that we want all the nations here all the nations that listen to us actually work together to achieve this goal unless we can do it unless we can do this we will not get the finance we need okay I already spoke about the UN CCC and the 100 billion and less than 10% was realized and then you ask about the institutional innovations I think you can play a role here global collaboration on research and adaptation these things are very necessary part of that is on your proposal and I haven't had the opportunity to really go through that but I promise that I will do that and we will actually send comments on that okay do you want me to go on to the next question which is how can the UN COO through the new strategy on climate change best support members to derive the transformation towards the sustainable and climate resilient agro food systems yes sustainability is here what is sustainable what I consider sustainable is not really sustainable to you I will give you a small example I do not think plastic bottles are really sustainable and we are we are banning this in our country but there is no other solutions to some of you and this is still considered sustainable for some countries and similarly sustainability is a concept and it really depends on the value systems that you have for us ecological sustainability is very important at the same time we must grow our food we must catch our fish but while we are speaking the yellow fin stock in the Indian Ocean is doing the link because some countries are catching it using large nets while we are catching tuna one by one by hand using polar line and handline technology but we are becoming the victims here as too personning a ton to catch one ton of fish is much cheaper whereas and and they only employed hundred and fifty people for probably three personers whereas we have seventeen thousand people directly employed in fisheries in 750 vessels and our cost of operation is too high and every time when there is a fuel price hike we suffer we will not be able to export the fish to the market because our cost of production is too high we need sustainability urgently in this as well so I think yes FAO can play a role here and looking at sustainability but there is no solution that will fit to every country on the globe I think I will stop it here Thank you Your Excellency thank you very much for your powerful words I would not be shy to say that you spoke on behalf of all small island development states particularly Maldives is facing as you mentioned an existential threat that goes touching all sectors you characterize very well the loss of the dying coral reefs because the oceans are the most important ecosystem absorbing the global heat the global warming and affecting transforming the ecosystems transforming the lives of course touching our sector as well not only the other sector but the food from oceans is particularly impacted because of this change very good note of your words and we share some of the frustration that you have regarding the demands for the bankable projects as you mentioned that we have to provide the scientific evidence and access to finance I recall in COP26 the Prime Minister of Barbados made very similar pledges you are making on the difficulties of having the access to the financing that is not there and should be for yesterday because it's already late for action so your words are very dear to us including on the technical aspects they need to deal with this sea water intrusion and the development of salt-tolerant crops and innovative ways of doing food production agriculture in small island states I thank you very much for your statement I thank you very much and I think Mr. Chairman will take note of the difficulties of the ambition of a round table and that we are in this hybrid format I myself am speaking to you from Rome taking advantage of the technology but we recognize the difficulties of this transition period hopefully means the end of the pandemic thank you very much again your excellency the Minister of Maldives and our last panelist that I have the honor to invite is Honorable Syed Fakir Iman the Minister of National Food Security and Research of Pakistan to address the conference on the points we raised Honorable Minister from Pakistan you have the floor, thank you thank you very much thank you very much this excellency Dr. Chu don't give the Dr. General of the FAO Dr. Mohammad Abdulazad Honorable Minister for Agriculture Government of Bangladesh Honorable Ministers from the Asia Pacific Excellencies, ladies and gentlemen Assalamu alaikum good afternoon and greetings from Pakistan I am grateful to the FAO and Government of Bangladesh for this invitation I feel privileged honored to participate in this ministerial ground table of the 36th regional conference of the FAO as regards the subject which is under discussion today as far as Pakistan is concerned our contribution to greenhouse gas emissions is very low is less than 1% however with regard to vulnerability Pakistan has been ranked amongst the top 10 most affected countries primarily due to our geographical location and especially in the last 20 years Pakistan has suffered times grievously as we did in 2010 when the Indus River with its huge floods 16 million acre feet of water 20% of Pakistan's population was displaced 20% you can see the devastation that it caused the socioeconomic impact it had and the great suffering that people of Pakistan suffered for several years after that in trying to rehabilitate them and bring them up to the lowest income levels similarly in 2014 there was another river again for over 100 years it never had that kind of flood it was in the heart of the Punjab and the kind of dislocation the displacement that took place of the communities has left a very major scar in the socioeconomic way of life Pakistan has suffered in the last two decades over 150 such weather events the two that I have highlighted were amongst the largest and this is a kind of wide-ranging impact of climate change reduces at times our agro-economic productivity and brings about variability of our water availability which is critical to the agro-economy of Pakistan we've had some coastal erosion and as was mentioned by Maldives actually I was very taken up with the honorable minister of Maldives for what he said about the not just the vulnerabilities but ultimately that the whole area could come under water over a period of time very touching extremely moving narration that he just gave to his colleagues and we've had extreme frequency of weather affectations in Pakistan over the last decade which has impacted our socioeconomic conditions agriculture in Pakistan has always been one of the major pillars of our economy our way of life and we are nearly now 220 million people agriculture contributes about 19.3% of the GDP it employs about 38.5% of the total labour force and it provides over 50% of the raw material to our industry and nearly 65 to 75% to our export products for Pakistan so it's central pivot of economy at large and hence climate change which has affected us from time to time it's become more and more frequent which has great implications over the overall agro economic situation for the people of Pakistan it is important to note that 90% of the fresh water which flows through our major rivers is taken up by the agriculture sector over a period of time the quantity and quality of availability of fresh water in Pakistan seems to have declined very unfortunately in the early 1950s when Pakistan's population was closer to 35 million we've grown nearly 7 times as much since then the availability of water per capita was 5,000 Qs per capita now it's gone down to 800 so we are becoming a water scarce country a water distressed country and this is one of our very major challenges of how to cost effectively use our water this is one of the major challenges facing not just the decision makers policy planners but most of all the citizens of Pakistan and more importantly growers and farmers of Pakistan at the ground level situation so we have to overall examine and make up policy frameworks to meet these extreme challenges and to restore some of the degraded ecosystems and the forest covers that we have lost over a period of time we are one of the least of forested countries in the world just about 5% the Honourable Prime Minister of Pakistan Mr. Muran Khan launched which is now a flagship project of 10 billion tree plantation over a decade and perhaps it's one of our most efforts to try and regain some of the impact that deforestation has done and this is one of our projects which is acknowledged globally such type of mitigation measures need to be further strengthened so that we can reduce some of the negative effects which have affected our agro economy ministry and all those elements wildlife and others that have been affected by such negativity excellent scenes ladies and gentlemen in addition there are a number of initiatives which are under implementation by the ministry of national food security and research and the ministry of climate change along with our provincial governments we are a federation and the citizenry generally of Pakistan the United Nations agencies are supporting us with some of these programs FAO in particular is supporting us with climate resilient project called transforming the industry with climate resilient agriculture and water management this is a very important effort being pursued because this project hopefully will bring about climate resilient agricultural practices and the growers and farmers adapt these practices in the field in which they work similarly the government of Pakistan with technical assistance from the US United Nations agencies is working for the ecological restoration of the Indus basin by the name of living river initiative this the prime minister's initiative is of high significance as it will address the ecological restoration issues in the upper catchment areas of Pakistan in the north and improve hopefully the water quality water quality is very essential downstream with positive impact on agriculture fisheries forestry and related subjects likewise Pakistan with technical assistance of the UNDP is working on what is called the scaling up of glacial lake outburst flood risk reduction in northern Pakistan and we have some of the highest peaks in the world to mitigate and manage these floods further Pakistan is going to initiate the recharge Pakistan program with the objective to increase groundwater and surface water availability for agriculture and other uses of water honorable ladies and gentlemen during the recently concluded dialogue for the food system summit Pakistan identified important areas of work on building resilience to vulnerabilities shocks and stresses which subsidize natural disaster insurance schemes through the already established national disaster risk management fund the honorable minister Maldives again talked about access to finance in addition putting high focus on climate resilient technologies and conservative use of natural resources have been highlighted by us in Pakistan these are some of the examples which I have just shared with you to highlight the importance that the government of Pakistan gives to effects climate change and how we can mitigate it and uplift and preserve agriculture and in particular food security I understand that the FAO being a technical agency has very great responsibility and obligation to share successful experiences through worldwide operations to help and help and assist highly vulnerable economies from climate change to ensure food supplies and play its role in bringing and building peace and stability and arrest hopefully climate change through inducing mitigation honorable ladies and gentlemen in the end I would like to congratulate the FAO and the government of Bangladesh for organizing a very successful conference in Dhaka thank you very much indeed thank you very much your excellency honorable minister of national food security research of Pakistan it's an honor to have you in the panel and we were impressed with the vision that you haven't and the fact of mention that water distress because you have the floods and the droughts and the scarcity that makes a clear evidence that climate change not coming climate change has arrived it's here it's already affecting our lives as has been very clear in this panel thank you for giving the examples the beautiful examples of the 10 billion trees or the recharge Pakistan program for the water scarcity I am very proud to work with your government in the implementation of the GCF project related to water scarcity and agriculture which is as you know a grant from the GCF of 35 million dollars that started implementation quite recently your excellencies I am very very pleased with the information you provide to FAO with the answers we get from your questions we made from the experiences and the impactful examples that you shared it's for us very very helpful in the development of the strategy and above all on the implementation of the strategy I would like to think all the panelists we heard from Bhutan, from Cambodia from Aldiv, from Pakistan it is a big honor for us from the food and agriculture organization of the United Nations to have your inputs and I would like to conclude the panel returning thank you again and returning the floor to our honorable chairperson for the moderation of continued moderation of the session from Rome I thank you very much I will continue here if we can be of help in the session regarding whatever is related to the climate change, biodiversity and environment I am also attending this session with my colleagues here from Rome thank you very much our excellency Mr. Chairperson, I will turn the floor to you with a great thankful Thank you Mr. Mansur for nicely moderating this important session it's concern of everybody concern of the humidity it's not regional issue it's the global issue that's nicely spoken by the minister it's not climate change it's a climate crisis for the world we move, we don't have much time left we have to finish this session conclude this very quick the floor I would like to open for members comment, questions specifically on the process and contents of FAO strategy on climate change please raise your hand and you will be called upon in order of request and please keep your comments as short as possible the floor is open I can see the guard of Bangladesh Honourable Minister for food Shadhan Chandramanandar I invite you to offer your remarks floor is yours Honourable Minister of Agriculture Ministry of Bangladesh Director General FAO Excellencies ladies and gentlemen good afternoon to all of you you know that father of the nation declared our independence in this month I would like to remember the father of the nation Shadhan Chandramanandar whose vision has been guiding our countries development and progress Bangondu had a firm trust in humanity and cooperation Excellencies the need for a transformation to a sustainable and the resilient agri-food systems is now a global priority issues which is being discussed in the international forum it may also be noted that we have given response to the agenda item 16 on climate resilience and I seek your attention on few more points on climate sections over the last few decades it has been observed that climate change has become a major issue affecting the agricultural sector for Bangladesh where lives and livelihoods heavily depend on agriculture is becoming a great threat for national food security as a result of land uses for incentives agricultural activities the cropping incentive intensity reached as high as 192% in Bangladesh therefore it necessitates urgent attention for judicious and balanced natural resource management Excellencies with the international agreement in place coupled with international interests at the top Bangladesh made a well balanced regulatory environment for food and agricultural sector this include the National Agricultural Policy 2018 Bangladesh Food and Nutrition Security Policy 2020 Bangladesh Global Agricultural Practice Policy 2020 and Delta Plan 21 this to be delegates our Honorable Prime Minister Shekhasina made a call the even food system summit for investment in research and sharing of advanced technology for agriculture development and dispersing the committed fund to adapt to the climate lead extreme events to achieve sustainable food security. Excellencies despite our many achievement in agriculture including achieving self-sufficiency in serial production meat and fish production and surplus product production the sector is faced with multiple challenges like improving agro processing and value addition in instability of production due to climate extremes so far my field challenges we are facing in Bangladesh are common in many other countries in this region I would request FAO to take up program of support with its global science and knowledge based approaches and support countries in assessing global climate trying to address the emerging challenges that we are facing locally and regionally thank you very much for giving me your attention Jai Bangladesh live forever thank you honorable minister for your nice remarks on the issue strategy of FAO on climate change now I will click I don't see much I don't see any from the floor well we have Australia they would speak virtually in person I would request Australian delegation to give their comment Australian delegate floor is yours please thank you chair honorable ministers and your excellencies and thank you very much to the Bangladesh government for hosting this FAO conference in the Asia Pacific region before Australia commences our remarks chair I would like to take this opportunity to support the comments made by Japan earlier today Australia condemns in the strongest possible terms brushes unprovoked and unjustified attack on Ukraine the invasion is a gross violation of international law and the UN Charter and we call on Russia to withdraw its forces from Ukraine territory immediately chair we appreciate the important role the FAO will take in response to the evolving crisis in accordance with its technical responsibilities within the UN humanitarian peace framework we welcome the information circulated to date on global food markets and we look forward to the FAO FAO more prominently positioning itself as the leader in addressing global food security issues at this critical time chair Australia is committed to an economically socially and environmentally sustainable future for all its sustainability requires global cooperation on both the challenges we face and their solutions it also requires us all to remember that there is no one size fits all approach as mentioned just previously by a colleague from the FAO and we must recognize countries specific environments and circumstances when addressing sustainability and climate change challenges we welcome the development of the FAO's new strategy climate change and we express our appreciation for the inclusive and transparent consultation process that has occurred to date Australia looks forward to continuing our engagement in discussions to inform the new strategy a strategy that we firmly believe must consider the diverse contexts priorities and capacities at global regional national and local levels and a strategy that must acknowledge the unique challenges facing Asia and the Pacific as well as incorporate solutions that will allow countries to address their issues in ways that are appropriate for them chair Australia is committed to doing its part to meet the UNFCCC's climate finance goals we are extending our commitment to build climate change resilience education and adaptation with a $2 billion commitment over the years 2020 to 2025 to be implemented through Australia's development program this new commitment increases the proportion that will be delivered in the Pacific from $500 million to $700 million to be spent on climate adoption and resilience disaster preparedness and new renewable projects Australia will also step up its work with the private sector to achieve impact at scale in the Indo-Pacific region and to support the goals of the Paris Agreement in concluding chair Australia remains a steadfast partner in building climate change and disaster resilience in the Pacific and we are committed to continuing to work closely with the FAO partners so we all can achieve our goals, targets and aspirations. Thank you for the floor chair. Thank you. Thank you Australian delegation for your very good intervention. Now I'd like to request Thailand they have short interest to speak virtually floor is open for Thailand please Thailand delegation. Thank you. Thank you very much Mr. chair persons it is a privilege to chair some view of the government of Thailand on climate actions to address the issues on resilience and responsibilities sustainability. We think that there are some key innovations to promote climate resilience and sustainable agriculture system first innovation in actors we need someone to help us to bring the innovation into action and we need to strengthen the resilience of the most vulnerable groups people build capacities for our small scale farmers producers and enable them to become actors of sustainability second innovation in approach we think that we need to identify an upscale context specific solutions tailored on the need of the most vulnerable groups people small scale farmers producers and leverage innovations and digital technologies that suit their need at the local level third innovation in economic model Thailand adopted the bio circular green economy model as an integration of bio economies circular economies and green economy by which we aim to achieve inclusive and sustainable growth for our people nation and planet fourth innovation in focus of investment as honorable ministers of Maldives mentioned earlier we need investment we need financial services and we need to fill the gap in research and development on true cause of climate resilience agricultural practice low carbon farming food loss food waste and early warning system because of innovation and technologies come at high cost and that's why we need FAO to provide us support to identify affordable practical innovation that our small scale farmers can adapt and implement at the ground fifth innovation in communication and access to science a well of knowledge and technical solution already exists and are potentially available to everyone but end users and small scale farmers and producers face the big challenges in access to science innovation and technologies and in selecting the applicable solutions that best suit for them in Thailand we launched several initiatives such as soy doctor program young farmers young smart farmers program and one village one farming program targeting small scale farmers youth and vehement to improve their sustainability capabilities by providing them with knowledge trainings technologies social network connections market access as well as access to finance especially financial services has been provided to small scale farmers through the bank of agriculture and agricultural cooperative in Thailand and also others are financial scheme finally with the support of FAO we believe that multi sectoral partnerships in particular between private sectors can foster and expand it to ensure long term investment and concrete implementation on the ground for example through hand in hand initiative south south and triangle operation and also through the ASEAN mechanisms whereby we can work together and help each others among the regions thank you very much Mr. Chair thank you Thailand delegation for providing excellent comment being chairman I understand you have been participating in all sessions and you are giving very diligent comment I thank you thank you very much now we have with us Russia I understand they will offer their comment virtually I do invite Russian delegation to offer their comment for Russia we have taken note of it I don't know how to do about it anyway we have now we have a video from Indonesia we will listen to that I would request to play the video of Indonesia on the strategy we have a video from Indonesia on the strategy of climate change especially in Asia Pacific we support the new strategy of climate change and appreciate the contribution of climate change in supporting the goal of development of the next especially the goal number 13 and the further progress of climate change in the GDPP three actions in the strategy of climate change especially in Indonesia in addressing the multidimension of climate change in this case the level of climate change and the capacity of each country is different we are aware that there is no solution just for all climate change and the decision should be part of that solution there are three points especially what we have achieved in this opportunity the first is that Indonesia in 2050 to achieve the net zero emission in 2050 through the road to the sector and to the region and to support the growth of the green economy that we are planning the second is that the sector is focused on improving resilience and adaptation so that the greenhouse gas or GRK of the sector can be mitigated along with the recommendation of FAU we hope that the climate or climate smart agriculture is supported by the development of the rural and low-emission agricultural and water technology in the climate protection including organic farming that is part of it we also need to increase the capacity of the farmers to provide information to the farmers the climate is based on including the climate information of the most polluted land that is based on the digital that we developed as well as other technologies such as AOT and smart farming for that we use technology and data as an sector accelerator that is very important in building the climate land and increase the productivity we encourage FAU to continue the first is to provide education, education and support we encourage FAU to promote the environment including the government, the government, the LSM and other and the third is to promote sustainability and investment together with the challenges that we have in the future we hope that FAU continue to do extraordinary to promote the climate and get the opportunity especially for our farmers in this context we encourage FAU and other countries in the Asia-Pacific region as well as other development to connect with the multi-fac including in the sector working with the farmers and other farmers but what I can tell you happy to do all the thoughts about the land and the world Thank you Good morning Peace be upon you Peace be upon you Thank you Indonesian delegation for your intervention I don't see any and so I like to thank all the contributors who contributed in this session and offered very good comment on a very important very strategic issue that's climate change I now ask FAU deputy director general Ms. Maria Helena Samedo to take the floor and give a summary and closing remarks please Ms. Samedo you have the floor Thank you very much Mr. Chairperson Minister Muhammad Abdul-Hazak Honorable minister distinguished participants ladies and gentlemen greetings from Rome where I am connected but I have been followed with much interest in your discussion and I would like again to thank you for sharing your perspectives on the importance of climate action resilience and sustainability in the region and providing important inputs and feedback from your region Asia Pacific on FAU's new strategy on climate change as we have heard today climate change is one of the most important ongoing and future challenge to enhancing food security and nutrition in the region but also globally as the minister from Maldives said climate change is an existential threat and minister your words to touch my heart I am from a small island development state and I could see what you are talking about the Asia and the Pacific region is the most exposed and vulnerable region to the negative impacts of continued global warming as referred by my colleague the most recent assessment by the IPCC makes clear that the impact of climate change on communities in the region and the agri-food system have been and will be much greater than previously thought and it was clear that is happening is not something we are thinking on in the future we are facing it for this we have heard during this session that there is no doubt that urgent action to tackle climate change risk and driver is vital for future food security and nutrition in the region but as it has been said and I think the representative from Australia is very strong there is no one size fits all approach for building climate resilient agri-food system we have welcomed the opportunity to hear from member countries the specific policies and measure that you are adopting to manage climate induced disaster adapt to climate variability and change and mitigate future climate change let me some take away from your discussion first I will say the need to move at scale and in an integrated and programmatic approach second the importance of adaptation and innovation to face extreme challenge you mentioned the question of water scarcity energy the need to expand the partnership the need of knowledge exchange it was mentioned the south-south cooperation the importance of using innovation to increase climate resilience and early warning system at the local level to support the small scale producers to better adapt to climate change and to access science innovation technologies the need to develop innovative models of finance and investment and also the need to move at scale and I am very proud to say that FAO is supporting these efforts at multiple levels with policy guidance technical analysis data advocacy and facilitate the access to finance at scale as I rightly mentioned the new FAO strategy on climate change is a major undertaking and a crucial way to ensure that FAO continues to meet the needs of our member countries to tackle this issue and it is for this reason that we have work to make the process to develop the strategy as it has already been mentioned as inclusive consultative as possible and we took serious note of your comments today your advice and for sure it will be included in the global strategy but more important in our action action plan how we move from the global strategy to action in the ground and I think it has been rightly said this is what we need and what is important to respond to the challenge you are facing in the region Excellencies ministers before closing I would also like to acknowledge the kind support of the director general the chairman minister Mohammed and the director of our office of climate biodiversity and environment Eduardo Mansour in facilitating this home table event and for ensuring we are up to date on the development of the strategy and way forward I wish you a successful deliberation for this important regional conference and I look forward to have the outcomes of your debates of a strategy which will be able to respond to your expectations and again thank you for being here with us today and again wish you a good day over to you minister thank you miss Samadu for your final inspiring message and inspiring word the reminder that there is no one size fits all approach for building climate resilient agri-food system we'll need multi-pronged action program that's important we'll have strategy we'll have program we'll need fund for implementation of the range and innovation and multi-pronged action program at the ground level that's my feeling it's important issue we have to have address it it's a question of survival it's a threat to existence of human being thank you to all who contributed and participated in this very important round table discussion we have approaching to conclusion end of the conference being chairman, being minister of agriculture of Bangladesh we are so proud of hosting this conference of FAO now we're going to take up the agenda for the adoption of the report of the conference the relevant document is a draft report as the distinguished delegates have already had the opportunity to consider this report I would like to ask the report here to make a big presentation on the agenda item Dr. Dar thank you honorable chair excellencies distinguished delegates I'm pleased to present the draft report 36th session of the Asia Pacific regional conference convened from 8 to 11 March 2022 in a hybrid format this report has been prepared in two stages the report of the senior officers meeting was adopted by the conference on the 9th March 2022 the report of the regional conference was prepared on the 10th March based on members interventions and deliberations and the submitted statements of the ministerial session the adapted report of the senior officers meeting was incorporated into this the full conference report before you was reviewed and revised by the session of the drafting committee convened on the 10th March from 7 to 840 in the evening the drafting committee comprised of 14 representatives of 9 member nations the drafting committee reviewed the text draft conference report paragraph by paragraph excluding the adapted text of the SOM each paragraph was agreed by consensus of the drafting committee and at the end of the review the chair inquired if any member of the drafting committee wished to revisit the text of the adapted SOM and no requests were made the draft report 36 session of the Asia-Pacific regional conference presented before you today for adoption is the outcome of this thorough process I'd like to thank all the members of the drafting committee who have contributed to the preparation of this draft regional conference report for their hard work and their support to me as the chair of the drafting committee thank you again honorable chair and distinguished delegates to this ministerial meeting Thank you Dr. Dhar for this clear summary of the report and the intensive and collaboration drafting process that collected and properly incorporated comments to the removed report as you are aware the FAO secretary circulated a near complete draft conference report and obtained your comments a week ago we then had very detailed and substantial discussion on the two days of the senior official meeting and the results of whose discussion were incorporated into the by the draft committee by a process of consensus and the report was circulated we adapted the SOM report on March 10 the adapted the adapted the SOM report is a substantial part of the conference report yesterday was included by the draft committee and the full report was circulate last evening delegation along with all the language translation today therefore this full conference report is the result of a considerable period consultation and contribution and the members to reach consensus this process has been followed to ensure the participation from all delegation as this region covers several time zones considering that this report is a result of extensive consultation as well as the deliberation of the conference I would like to ask that the members adapt the draft draft conference report in block editorial changes and language correction if any will be made by the secretariat before this is posted on the website if there are many comments at this report the floor is now open are there any comments from the floor please floor is open you have comment thank you Mr. Chair if you allow I have a word on the report and thanks to the report here also the drafting committee for drafting a very outstanding report for the conference but I have a submission on behalf of the head of delegation of Bangladesh on paragraph number 6 if you recall that our honourable prime minister in the inaugural speech has uttered a word in fact called upon the FAO and the PRC for creating a special fund I think the word was creating a special fund for increased investment for agriculture development in the region so may I request on behalf of the head of delegation of Bangladesh to add this at the bottom of the paragraph if I read out this way if we read the last but the before the field of agriculture research sharing of cutting edge technologies and creating a special fund for increased investment so that's three words creating a special fund for thank you Mr. Chia thank you for your solution for incorporating our prime minister's views point I would request a report here can we incorporate it all member countries who are participating in person also virtually if they have any comment or any objection on incorporating what Bangladesh proposed let's see director general and authority of FAO I would request if we can consider to incorporate Bangladesh suggestions incorporate the word for creating special fund special fund if you want established you should follow the members in this region if you follow the process how many members initiate and how much original contribution who is leading initiate so that's that's your business that isn't any objection from the floor it seems the proposal is being accepted anonymously it's a consensus okay thank you very much for any other comment on the report there are I see consensus on the report and it is I don't see any comment from the floor so I see consensus on the report I adopted in block I thank I thank FAO who are closely working for organizing this conference and we try to provide logistic and support also I thank I congratulate all who are closely associated and contributed for preparing final report and it has been as adopted I concluded follow I think that the deliberation on this agenda item adoption of the report is now finalized and we move to final session we have now reached the point of agenda to close the PRC may now request his Excellency Mr. Chu Nongyu Director General of FAO to give his concluding remarks. Excellencies dear chair all the colleagues ladies and gentlemen congratulations on a successful regional conference for the second time Asia and the Pacific regional conference have made a history in 2020 hosted by Buddha you are pioneering the convening of a fully virtual regional conference in FAO history this time here in Bangladesh you have successfully conveyed 36 sessions of regional conference in a hybrid mode this region is so far so dynamic so complex with many challenges yet also many opportunities your discussion during the regional conference have clearly outlined all of this and showing a way forward your leadership at the political wing to build back better is evident over the past two days you have shared your successful and good practice in innovation and agro-food transformation for the benefit of the region agro-food system should and must play a decisive role in the future of Asia Pacific region transform agro-food system will be important for you to maintain a sustainable environment increase the biodiversity while they provide opportunity for decent jobs this is the value added of modern intensive farming well the many countries in the region are dynamic with very high or middle high incomes by GDP the rural areas in the region are not as dynamic and the GDP not what we would expect to see I'm a son of a farmer I always look at the inequality between the city and the rural areas between the man woman, between the rich and poor these are the three real types of inequality well we say a better life for all even no one behind we need to work the talk who is the Vandemburg group which is left behind people from countryside people from remote areas people from the seeds people from the distant countries people from landlocked countries we have to address these issues politically together with all relevant partners not only with the Ministry of Agriculture, Food, Rural Affairs this depends on the different countries have a different political assignment but also we focus from Ministry of Welfare women children environment, science, education health, use, trade financial and investment we needed to work all work together as a one big team collectively and in an efficient in fact coherent manner we have to have the farmers in responsible investment, science and innovation information technology this time I made a PNG there's three minutes to come one is communication and ICT one is for social welfare and use and religion culture so it's really big teamwork we need to talk about the digital technology and the big data the water is involving and also we in this agriculture sector we must not simply follow we must lead agriculture, food and nutrition are at core of the humanity need and the specific region for leadership dear friends I'm pleased to see you consensus going forward you are the key ministers working with FL or you are the window ministry to work with FL livestock for farmer fishers and the pastoralist at the grass root country level agriculture through your ownership, your political commitment and your action plans if you do not take the leadership and initiative with crowd no other key partners will move forward to the front line this is your critical role the Asia Pacific region conference has been successfully concluded but the dialogue must continue consensus should be built upon and ownership partnership and more important the action should be more boldly, timely agently I have seen a great progress since I took office as FL director general yet our mission is not yet accomplished let us continue to work hand in hand to address the challenges facing our most vulnerable populations that support all the members of the region that need our assistant most FL is intergovernment professional agency under the UN big family FL we follow all the mandate under the FL basic task 27 2017 you the minister conference approved that so all the members all the my colleagues and all the partners we get that consensus to follow and to respect the FL basic tasks so once again I really appreciate all of you to support FL support me and support your farmers lastly I invite all of you to give the big applause to the host country the People's Republic of Bangladesh and also minister of agriculture minister of fishing almost food and others especially appreciation to the honorable prime minister for her strong leadership make this regional conference so successful and also I thank you for your cooperation in vitro and in person thank you thank you all let's do it take the action on behalf of the conference I extend thanks to the director general for his informative and inspiring thoughtful concluding remarks with the actions outlined in this meeting we may all take hope that we'll drive agriculture and roll sustainable development to achieve the SDG I thank you Mr. Chu he has been given direction for it for all on all agenda strategy for climate change strategy for scaling up digitization in this region strategy for one health and strategy for sustainable greener agricultural production system and he has been always an inspiration for this conference I sincerely thank DG and his team for successfully organizing this conference I invite you all to show their appreciation using clapping hands a chairperson I have few words to say I have few words to say allow me to take the opportunity to make a closing statement I believe the 36th session of the original conference for Asia and the has been very meaningful with excellent exchange of diverse knowledge information and we have broaden our understanding on a good system for the region this is an extraordinary moment in the history of the region and also for Bangladesh being able to successfully organize this conference we did expected that it will be participate in person by most of the country of the APRC but we know that COVID-19 is hunting still us so we could not get all the participants in person but most of the member country participated virtually or by video that impressed us and we are happy seeing the participation so wide participation from across the region I like to say few words on Bangladesh being host country Bangladesh has been historically chronic food deficit country we have faced many semi-feminine condition in 1967 1969 when British colonial ruler took Bangladesh it was taken by a corporate house East India Company and it enslaved the subcontinent of 200 million people during that time East India Company had one office in London city with two windows and one door in 100 years they became the largest corporate house of the world their revenue earning was equal to the revenue of the British king and for that main source was Bengal, Bangladesh Greater Bengal, West Bengal and Bangladesh Bangladesh textile Bangladesh handicrafts and jute and other agro products so Bangladesh was rich but later on for exploitation by the colonial ruler Jaminder and landlords it became poorest country well Bangladesh is also is very vulnerable to disaster like flood cyclone and storm drought and so on regularly we have flood it inundated three major mighty rivers first through Bangladesh and it has about 400 rivulets river and country we have very fertile soil you will be happy to note that it has excellent aquifer in 15 to 20 feet you can get fresh water without much problem still we could not harness this natural resources to be self sufficient all successive government since colonial ruler they have ambition or they have planned to be self sufficient input all are elusive however after we became independent country after liberation of 1971 all successive government took number of initiatives and they made concerted effort to make Bangladesh self sufficient we see that Bangladesh now almost self sufficient in 1971 we used to produce 10 million ton of food grain that's our staple food rice and wheat at the moment we grow 45 million tons of rice, wheat and maize together we are self sufficient in 42 we are self sufficient in vegetables and we have increased the production of all crops we have introduced some new crops like oils, oil seeds like pulses, vegetables and fruits we have introduced new crop like dragon fruits coffee and cashew nut so our agriculture is growing we have become self sufficient in the mid production unfortunately per capita income is extremely low people cannot afford to buy those high value crops in 2000 present government under the dynamic leadership of shekhasina they assume the responsibility to govern this country in 2009 she put agriculture on top of the agenda she attest highest importance in our development program we place through our election manifesto and our vision document 2021 we want to become self sufficient by 2015 and we want to achieve all mdg goal by late age 2017 we want to bring down our poverty to half I am happy to note that before this august gathering that Bangladesh became self sufficient input drain in 2015 and we achieve all that mdg goal by 2015 and we brought down our poverty to half it was supposed to be 28% now it stands 20% and we have placed to the nation that we will be achieving all the dg goal we bring the SDG to SDG goal number one and number two number one poverty to almost zero and also zero hunger we are going ahead we have a very comprehensive program and I think we are on very much track recently you know and Columbia University jointly awarded our honorable prime minister for being on SDG track and Jeffrey Sachs rebel economics while he was transferring the award to our honorable prime minister in Columbia University campus he commented that Sheikh Hasina is a jewel in a crown she is a diamond in a crown so that's our proud for her and for her leadership we are very proud to be host of this international or regional conference we talk to many important issues we are trying to address those we are trying our heart to digitalize Bangladesh and integrate information and technology in our agri food system we have suggested and it has been integrated in the report that if you will look into if we can or we can form a half digital half in Bangkok in the headquarter or for this region so we can exchange ideas and technologies are being evolved in the ICT sector agricultural production system and agri food system well that's about Bangladesh and our recommendations I think if you seriously will look into all the recommendations we have evolved in this forum and it will add in in the future agenda we look forward always to work very closely with FAO since we have been member of FAO since 1973 we got all our support from FAO in terms of technology and also mobilizing resources to undertake different research and development project and we gracefully and graciously thank them for providing us support I took little bit longer time but again I thank FAO for selecting Bangladesh as venue and it has upgraded our status at the global level I think we are able to organize international or regional conference we face with the adverse impact of current COVID-19 pandemic on across the region we see its impact on public health food production and economic development including food security agriculture and fisheries forestry and nutrition simultaneously the region is having other crisis such as desert locust it came last year until India was part of the India African swim fever fall army war we are already victim of army a fall army war our mesh field is being infected and there is some sign that other crops will be infected too droughts, floods all are our challenges no sub region has been spared multiple and severe challenges one way or other we share all those problem our discussion have had an urgency and a particular focus which has been very cogent and useful I believe these four days of deliberation in the senior officers and ministers meeting has been very productive these were helpful in broadening our knowledge and enhancing the understanding of sustainable agriculture and role development especially in the light of disaster response and resiliency we discuss FAO's substantive paper on results and priorities for FAO in the region on the work of the FAO SPC joint ministers of agriculture and forestry presentation by CFS civil society and the private sector we attended events on sustainable agriculture system and on climate change we are fully committed to FAO's mission we remain hopeful that we will achieve sustainable development goal two of ending hunger by 2030 and of ending SDG1 on poverty with our collective wisdom commitment and action I am grateful to all members for your active participation and contribution to make this regional conference a success I wish to express my appreciation to the delegates for your valuable inputs to the report as well as for flexibility in arriving at the consensus I would also like to recognize all ministers present for kindly serving as vice chairman and helping me to nicely conduct the conference I am also sincerely grateful to the reporters a minister from Philippine for his invaluable work of capturing and synthesizing proceedings this was a critically important job and he did it admirably I extend my appreciation to the tiredness work of the interpretation team of the excellent simultaneous interpretation that has been essential to our communication during the conference and across this many time tunes I sincerely thank the many people behind the scene in the PRC national committee in Bangladesh for their tireless work of preparation for this meeting I can tell you that Bangladesh team worked very hard and they are very sincere and they are very concerned that that should not be slightest error or loophole in organizing this conference I sincerely thank them for their hard work and effort for making this conference successful it is because they spend long hours organizing the conference and it ran as smoothly as we planned thank you, thank you all of you and now I used to express my appreciation to Mr. Kim director general and regional representative at FAO secretariat we have been in touch with him for last two years the day Bangladesh was selected as a venue we have been in touch very closely hard to heart these days and now I used to express my appreciation to his excellency Mr. Chu Dungu the director general for his valuable advice and the FAO staff for their contribution and dedication he was the main source of inspiration and always he encouraged the day I talked when he started his campaign he visited Bangladesh I had opportunity to meet him and onward after his election we had a chance to talk and he said that I am looking forward to visit Bangladesh as soon as possible time I will go there he was eagerly waiting but because of corona he was very thankful this conference has created opportunity to come to Bangladesh I don't know in future he will have time to stay so longer time as he is doing in connection with the conference so that's our pleasure and my people in Bangladesh to come to close to SAS and personnel high standing very closely we got on behalf of the peoples of Republic I would like to thank my colleagues for their excellent person in this conference although it could not be all together we still managed to come together I now my turn to declare the session of FAO regional conference for Asia and Pacific closed me and my colleague and everybody we look forward to see each other in the next conference I don't know they have not finalized yet did you have you finalized or it has been it has been decided that it will be in Sri Lanka I look forward I don't know I am a public leader I will not have chance if I remain I will but I go to throw an election and then become minister then my chance will come but government officers they have every opportunity to attend in Sri Lanka conference thank you ladies and gentlemen also I say thank you for hotel staff and volunteers and also FAO staff all they support the ordinary operation so thank you it's not you there for the conference bubble so far safe smooth efficient effective so thank you a secretary of the conference Dr. Sridhar he was excellent person and he was helping me to conduct this conference I sincerely thank secretary of the conference