The UN Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) has identified 10 priority areas, including livestock, soil and water, crops, diets, and fisheries, that can help the world move closer to achieving the Sustainable Development Goal of ‘Zero Hunger’. The aim is to transform agrifood systems to become carbon sinks by 2050, capturing 1.5 gigatons of greenhouse gas emissions annually. The goal is to eliminate world hunger without exceeding the 1.5-degree limit for global warming set by the Paris Agreement. The roadmap provides pathways for action that can benefit the present and future, requiring policymakers, civil society, and the private sector to make sustainable and profitable choices. Although there are 120 action points, FAO emphasizes that achieving a system transformation requires everyone’s participation. The chief economist of FAO, Maximo Torero, states that the roadmap’s goal is to achieve food security and nutrition for all through accelerated climate actions. Climate finance flowing to agrifood systems is currently low, and the report highlights the urgent need for financing in this area. The FAO initiative aligns with the Emirates Declaration on Sustainable Agriculture, Resilient Food Systems, and Climate Action, which was launched at the UN climate conference in Dubai. UN Deputy Secretary-General Amina Mohammed emphasizes the importance of using food systems to accelerate the implementation of sustainable development and climate goals. Vincent Doumeizel, Senior Advisor on Oceans to the UN Global Compact, advocates for the “seaweed revolution” as a solution to climate, food security, and social crises. Seaweed has the ability to absorb carbon and serve as a sustainable substitute for plastics. Doumeizel calls for a shift in the narrative towards hope and optimism and emphasizes the potential of cultivating the ocean to feed the entire population while mitigating climate change, restoring biodiversity, and alleviating poverty.
