MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Food Systems Pre Summit takes off this Monday in Rome: UN and Italy hosts

”Through accelerated action, we can help the world recover better from COVID-19, combat rising hunger and address the climate crisis,” said UN Secretary-General António Guterres.

Several Mercosur top officials will be attending the 2021 United Nations Food Systems Pre Summit that takes off this Monday in Rome until 28 July. The UN and Italy are hosting the Pre-Summit gathering under the leadership of UN Secretary-General António Guterres and Prime Minister of Italy Mario Draghi.

 The Pre Summit three-day event will bring together youth, smallholder farmers, indigenous peoples, researchers, private sector, policy leaders and ministers of agriculture, environment, health, and finance among others to deliver the latest evidence-based and scientific approach from around the world, launch a set of new commitments through coalitions of action, and mobilize new financing and partnerships.

The Food Systems Summit will take place in September alongside the UN General Assembly in New York.

“The Pre-Summit in Italy is a key moment for mobilizing the bold commitments we need to build sustainable food systems that work for people, planet, and prosperity. Through accelerated action, we can help the world recover better from COVID-19, combat rising hunger and address the climate crisis,” said UN Secretary-General António Guterres.

As hosts of the Pre-Summit, the Italian Government will make a national food system commitment to set the tone and a high ambition ahead of the Summit.

“Italy is ready to welcome this key appointment of the Food Systems Summit in Rome. We want to address the issue of food security within our broad agenda as President of the G20. Together with the UN and its agencies based in Rome, Italy will engage with its partners to promote better agriculture, sustainable value chains and healthy lifestyles. I expect everyone to join us in a global effort to protect the environment with meaningful actions,” said Italy Prime Minister Mario Draghi.

The Pre-Summit event will take place in a “hybrid” virtual format over three days, during which many people will participate in person at the UN Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) in Rome, while others from around the world will be engaged on a vast virtual platform. Global leaders are expected to step up and launch bold new actions, solutions, partnerships, and strategies to “recover better” from Covid-19 and deliver progress on all 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), each of which relies to some degree on nutritious, sustainable and equitable food systems.