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Remarks by SPC DDG, Dr Paula Vivili at the Pacific Climate Smart Agriculture Regional Food Systems Dialogue

STATEMENT BY DR VIVILI

DELIVERED AT OPENING CEREMONY OF THE

PACIFIC CLIMATE SMART AGRICULTURE REGIONAL FOOD SYSTEMS DIALOGUE

VIRTUAL MEETING

30 JUNE 2021
 

Greeting’s excellencies, distinguished speakers, members of government agencies from around the region, participants from around the globe, ladies and gentlemen. It gives me great pleasure to speak at the opening of the Pacific Climate Smart Agriculture Food Systems dialogue.

In 2019, the United Nations Secretariat called for a Food Systems Summit to be held in 2021 without a hint of suspicion of what was to unfold in the year that followed. The impacts of Climate Change on Food production systems pre-existed; this has been exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic.   

An assessment of the Indo-Pacific Food systems in the first six months of 2020 by the Australian Centre for International Agricultural Research identified; a series of common pre-existing vulnerabilities affecting food security across the region which include:

o   Heavy reliance on imported foods

o   Susceptibility to climate change and extreme weather events

o   Underdeveloped biosecurity, animal and plant health services

o   Fragmented value chains and food system governance.
 

Addressing these issues via interactive dialogues and convening it to the Food Systems summit is crucial.

Although it was also reported positive features of Indo-Pacific Food systems in terms of resilience of recovery such as

o   Resurrecting old systems of trading or bartering – in response to the lack of finances due to job losses

o   Innovative local market strategies through e-commerce/online payment and quick and easy delivery services.

o   Regenerating subsistence farming and fishing

o   As people of the Pacific, we should use this as an opportunity to act across three-time scales (1, 5 and 10 years) for research and development investments to improve our Food systems to build resilience and sustainability.  

o   Shocks such as the COVID-19 pandemic is an opportunity for change in our food systems that requires identifying and building on local strengths and innovations.
 

Therefore, we must work together to share innovative ideas and models of development that have the potential to respond effectively to disasters and crisis.

I wish you all a successful dialogue, Thank you and Vinaka Vakalevu.