Ministers from African member states; representatives of observer countries; the African Union; and private sector representatives convened for the 33rd session of the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) Regional Conference for Africa (ARC33) in Rabat, Morocco, on Thursday, to deliberate on food security and rural development in Africa.
Entitled “Resilient agrifood systems and inclusive rural transformation,” the three-day conference will address practical solutions for food security and agricultural production improvement and draft regional priorities for FAO’s work program and budget for the next biennium.
Members and other stakeholders will share best practices, explore partnerships, discuss opportunities, and provide regional guidance on transforming agri-food systems in Africa.
The ARC33 agenda includes ministerial round tables, the launch of new FAO publications, special events covering various topics such as investments and financing of resilient agri-food systems, the “blue transformation” in Africa and the potential for aquatic food.
Discussions will focus on the FAO’s strategic framework for 2022-2031, which is a roadmap intended for the achievement of sustainable development goals (SDGs) by ending poverty; eliminating hunger; reducing inequalities; supporting the transformation; and setting sustainable agri-food systems for better production, nutrition, and environment.