President calls for transformation of global food systems to be more sustainable

President Gotabaya Rajapaksa, addressing the United Nations Food Systems Summit, has stressed the importance of all stakeholders working together to transform global food systems to be more sustainable, resilient, and inclusive.

Under the leadership of UN Secretary-General António Guterres, the virtual event took place on Thursday (Sep. 23) amidst the General Assembly High-level Week. 

The Summit, which was convened as part of the Decade of Action to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) by 2030, launched bold new actions, solutions and strategies to deliver progress on all 17 SDGs, each of which relies on healthier, more sustainable and more equitable food systems.

Delivering his address, the Sri Lankan President said the pandemic has exposed weaknesses in global food systems that will only be worsened with climate change.

“Sustainable food systems are part of Sri Lanka’s rich sociocultural and economic heritage.”

With regard to Sri Lanka’s organic fertilizer revolution, President Rajapaksa said, the current government took the bold step to restrict imports of chemical fertilizers, pesticides, and weedicides earlier this year as the country’s most recent past saw increasing use of these harmful substances that led to adverse health and environmental impacts.

However, changing the mindset of farmers long accustomed to using chemical fertiliser and the production of sufficient quantity of organic fertiliser domestically have proven challenging, he added.

“Sri Lanka welcomes technical assistance and bilateral support in this regard.”

Speaking further, President Rajapaksa pointed out that organic agriculture is part of a wider programme that includes enhancing market oriented inclusive food value chains to reduce rural poverty. 

“Through such improvements, I am confident Sri Lanka will be able to sustainably transform its food system and ensure greater food security and better nutrition for its people.”

Sri Lanka appreciates the technical assistance of the Food and Agriculture Organisation and the World Food Programme, and the support of other global organisations and scientific bodies in this regard, he continued.

“As leaders our aim must be to ensure a better future for our people and our planet. The challenges we face are universal, and we must work together to find solutions to them.”

President Rajapaksa said he is hopeful that the Summit will help facilitate the transformation of the global food system to one that can better foster the health of both humanity and the planet.

Meanwhile, the UN Secretary-General called on the world to keep its promises for a better future through food systems that work for people, planet and prosperity at the first-ever UN Food Systems Summit.

Delivering the chair’s Summary Statement of Action delivered at the Summit during the UN General Assembly in New York, UN Secretary-General António Guterres called on governments and partners to meet the commitments they made to achieve the SGDs by 2030.