19 April 2012: Addressing the FAO Regional Conference for Europe, the Director-General of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the UN (FAO), José Graziano da Silva, called ending hunger the world’s “most urgent” challenge as the global community moves toward sustainable development objectives through the Rio+20 process.

At the meeting, Graziano da Silva underscored the opportunities to explore the convergence between the food security and climate change agendas. He called for action on: adopting production approaches that produce more food with less impact; reducing food waste; integrating long-term resilience into local development objectives, particularly in areas affected by repeated food insecurity crises; and building anti-poverty approaches that integrate food security and economic opportunities. Graziano da Silva also discussed food security challenges for Europe, highlighting pockets of food insecurity in the Caucasus and Central Asia.

The FAO Regional Conference for Europe took place in Baku, Azerbaijan from 17-20 April 2012. [FAO Press Release]