Regional parliamentary summit on agri-food, Jehle: Sustainable agriculture helps tackle crises 

TIRANA, Oct 22 /ATA/ The regional parliamentary summit entitled “The Path to Inclusive and resilient Agri-Food Systems in the Region” kicked on Tuesday in Tirana, with the participation of representatives from 22 countries in the region, demonstrating the importance and commitment to sustainable agricultural development. 

In his address to the summit, Raimund Jehle, representative of the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), stated that “agri-food systems are connected to every aspect of human existence and are closely linked to the health of people and livestock, land, water, climate, biodiversity, and the economy.” 

According to him, the overlapping crises hitting the region of Europe and Central Asia, as well as global challenges such as climate change, loss of biodiversity, and environmental pollution, significantly impact the transformation of agri-food systems. 

In this context, he emphasized that the assessment of the situation regarding agri-food systems in the region shows that they are failing on multiple levels. 

“”Achieving food security, nutrition, and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) by 2030 requires a series of coordinated actions on multiple fronts: coherent policies and programs, increased funding and investments in line with national priorities, and greater collaboration across various sectors and with diverse stakeholders,” Jehle stated. 

He emphasized the role of the executive bodies of governments in facilitating implementation through their institutions and networks. 

“Members of parliaments have a pivotal role to make the sustainable transformation of the agri-food system a priority in national political agendas. This includes supporting the adoption of policies, establishing appropriate legal and regulatory frameworks, raising awareness, and encouraging dialogue among relevant stakeholders. Parliaments and parliamentarians are called upon to contribute more effectively to the management of food systems, including enhancing food and environmental security, and relevant processes along the food supply chain,” Jehle said. 

/j.p/sm/