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654769
Tue, 03/07/2023 - 09:04
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https://www.oananews.org//node/654769
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Polish President Calls for Supporting LDCs in Agriculture, Rural Development
Doha, March 06 (QNA) - HE President of the Republic of Poland Andrzej Duda called for supporting the least developed countries (LDCs) in in agricultural and rural development so that they could ensure their own food security.
This came during his participation in the panel discussion on agriculture and rural development at the 5th UN Conference on the Least Developed Countries (LDC5) in Doha.
Poland is an example of the success that can be achieved through investments in agri–food sector and is ready to share its experiences with the world's poorest countries, Andrzej Duda, the Polish president, told a UN conference in Qatar.
He said that ensuring the supply of grain, drinking water, fresh food products, and the efficient functioning of supply chains between Europe and Africa and the Middle East is currently hampered by the ongoing war in Ukraine.
"Therefore, it is so important to support the least developed countries in agricultural and rural development so that they could ensure their own food security," Duda added.
According to him, Poland which is the fifth-largest food producer in the European Union with a 10.5 percent share in EU production "stands as an example of success that can be achieved by investing in agriculture and modernisation of the agri–food sector."
Duda argued that the least developed countries should be helped with implementing various solutions to modernise their domestic agri-food sectors, including artificial intelligence tools, navigation systems, satellite images and digital platforms for farmers.
He announced that Poland was ready to share its "experience and capacities in the agri–food sector" with the world's poorest countries.
"The example of Poland is proof of how important the modernisation of the agri-food sector is for the whole economy" Duda said. "Poland has a lot to offer, from finished products to know-how, which we are ready to share in order to jointly develop our economic relations."
Duda also pointed out that Poland already "actively engages in supporting entrepreneurship in the least developed countries, increasing their energy efficiency, seeking also to improve their water infrastructure and protect their biodiversity."
"As president of Poland, I once again pledge our readiness to support you through our enterprises, which have adequate experience in modernising the sector and expanding their presence on foreign market," he said.
Meanwhile, A number of experts participating in the panel discussion on agriculture and rural development discussed the most important challenges and issues facing the LDCs in this aspect, calling for supporting these countries with various available tools and means, promoting agricultural investment, and using modern technologies to achieve food security.
Member of the Board of Directors of the Qatar Chamber (QC) and Chair of the Qc's Food Security Committee, Mohammed bin Ahmed Al Obaidli, said that QC is putting forward an initiative to establish a partnership fund aimed at developing productive resources under international auspices, to become a contributions to supporting the LDCs towards the structural transformation of the economy.
He affirmed QC's readiness to host the headquarters of the fund, and to facilitate the initial meetings of representatives of the relevant parties, to develop this vision's various technical, financial and legal dimensions into practice, and launching this fund from the State of Qatar during the current year.
He explained that the proposed fund is to build human and economic capacities to support the LDCs in self-reliance.
Al Obaidli said that the State of Qatar views food security projects as part of national security, pointing that the success of the experiment in Qatar was achieved only with the cooperation of stakeholders, as well as keen attention to all components of supply chains.
He touched on the challenges associated with the successive effects of the COVID-19 pandemic and climate change, as well as the growing need to transform the agricultural sector, and accelerate rural development in the LDCs, as a major variable in eradicating poverty and achieving global food security.
He pointed to the main role of the private sector in this context, through its ability to provide the financing, technology and infrastructure necessary for the structural transformation of rural economies, the establishment of new value-added industries, the increase of farmers' income, and the provision of job opportunities.
For his part, Chief Economist at the United Nations' Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), Maximo Torero Cullin, stressed the weakness of the LDCs in facing agricultural challenges and environmental repercussions due to the multiple economic problems that these countries are experiencing.
During his intervention in the session, he said that the DPoA presents a common goal to provide a decent life for the people of the LDCs, by securing access to healthy food for all, stressing the need for the commitment of the various concerned parties, including governments, companies, civil society institutions, universities and others, in moving forward to achieve food security in these countries.
Cullin stressed FAO's endeavor to move from the stage of strategies and recommendations to actual implementation on the ground, by working from the bottom up by identifying farmers' needs and challenges, providing the necessary facilities, and applying in a spirit of cooperation and solidarity, and excellence by using the best means, in addition to adopting a system for continuous development and identification.
Director of the Agribusiness and Infrastructure Development Department at the United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO), Dejen Tezira stressed the importance of achieving food security for the LDCs, especially as these countries face many challenges that include the fragility of their food systems, indicating that improving these systems is very important to eradicate chronic hunger.
He affirmed UNIDO's commitment to intervening within the framework of local contexts in LDCs, by supporting knowledge and innovation, and using modern technologies to achieve the required food security, through partnership between the public and private sectors.
Head of Transaction Strategy and Execution at EY-Parthenon Company, Alessandro Cataldo said that the conference is an appropriate opportunity to build a coalition that may help address multiple problems, most notably the global food crisis with half a billion people suffering from food stress, in addition to the exposure of food supply chains to many shocks, and the deterioration of soil quality, especially in the LDCs.
In a related context, Grupo OCP’s Director of Sustainability, Hanan Morshed stressed the importance of the role of the private sector in accelerating the structural transformation of rural economies and local agro-food systems, by providing capital, technology and expertise, in a way that contributes to opening new markets for small and medium-sized farm owners, providing job opportunities for local communities.
Rose Namayanga, Managing Director of Kandy Farms in Uganda, said that small and medium enterprises look at risks more than they look at opportunities, and this is one of the biggest challenges facing LDCs. She pointed out that a large proportion of LDCs' peoples work in agriculture, which means that most of them are small and medium-sized companies in this field, and therefore there is a missing link between financing on the one hand, and using this financing to enhance productivity and provide job opportunities on the other hand.
In the same context, Managing Director of the Common Fund for Commodities (CFC) Sheikh Mohammed Belal, explained that the demand for food is great compared to supply, pointing to the importance of supporting the LDCs in the agricultural and food fields, by taking advantage of technological solutions. (QNA)
