UN head calls for climate smart agriculture
The Secretary-General of the United Nations, Ban Ki-moon, spoke at the Third Global Conference on Agriculture, Food and Nutrition Security and Climate Change in Johannesburg, South Africa and urged action to tackle food insecurity and malnutrition
Ban Ki-moon, the Secretary-General of the United Nations, spoke at a global conference earlier this month and highlighted the crucial role of agroforestry and diversification of crops in the battle to achieve food security and mitigate climate change.
The Third Global Conference on Agriculture, Food and Nutrition Security and Climate Change took place in Johannesburg, South Africa on 5 December and Mr Ban said: "Agriculture is a major contributor to global greenhouse gas emissions. At the same time, farmers worldwide are increasingly feeling the effects of a warming climate,"
"The answer to these interconnected problems lies in climate-smart agriculture," he said, emphasising in particular the need to eliminate of childhood malnutrition through sustainable agriculture that benefits smallholders around the world.
Mr. Ban said that his recent visit to the Sahel reinforced his perception of how climate change compounds the challenges for small farmers, following three major droughts in a decade that exacerbated poverty, conflict and disease.
"The region's Governments are working to help their people become more resilient, but they need international support, including through an ambitious climate change agreement in 2015," he said.
He called on leaders from Government, finance, business and civil society to work together on solutions, welcoming proposals to develop a Climate-Smart Agriculture Alliance and inviting all stakeholders to bring bold initiatives to the table at next September's Climate Summit, to be held at UN Headquarters in New York.
The Secretary-General's message to the three-day Conference, which closed today, was delivered by David Nabarro, his Special Representative for Food Security and Nutrition.
