© FAO/A. Sattori The 35th session of the Regional Conference of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) opened in Dushanbe. Europe and Central Asia seek ways to strengthen food sustainability at conference in Dushanbe Climate and Environment
Europe and Central Asia face increasing climate, economic and geopolitical shocks that threaten food security and agricultural sustainability. Droughts, floods, soil degradation, supply disruptions and rising food prices are increasingly challenging countries in the region.
The 35th session of the Regional Conference of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), which opened in Dushanbe, is dedicated to finding solutions to these problems.
Ministers and representatives of the countries of Europe and Central Asia gathered in the capital of Tajikistan to discuss how to make agricultural and food systems more sustainable and efficient. Key themes include coordinating climate action, conserving biodiversity and restoring land.
FAO Director-General Qu Dongyu said the region needed collective solutions to address crises ranging from climate change to disruptions to global supply chains. According to him, special attention needs to be paid to two areas: strengthening the sustainability of agri-food systems and expanding financing.Although global markets have partially stabilized following the sharp rise in prices in 2022, many countries in the region continue to feel the effects of conflicts in Ukraine and the Middle East. This is reflected in the cost of food, fertilizers and other resources.
The FAO chief stressed that peace and stability remain essential to ensuring food security, and called for greater attention to support the most vulnerable groups of the population.
Climate threats intensifying
Additional pressure is exerted by the climate crisis. According to the FAO, the Europe and Central Asia region is warming at about twice the global average rate. This is leading to an increase in extreme weather events, including droughts and floods, and accelerating soil degradation.
Already, more than 90 million hectares of land are in critical condition.
Shortage investment
FAO continues to implement its Strategic Program 2022-2031, but funding remains insufficient. Since 2015, about $21.4 billion has been invested in the region’s agri-food systems – significantly less than needed.