By Abbas Nazil
The Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) of the United Nations has issued a strong call for bold action, increased investment, and stronger partnerships to accelerate the transformation of global agrifood systems.
This call came during the UN Food Systems Summit +4 Stocktake (UNFSS+4), held in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, under the theme “Transforming Food Systems for People, Planet and Prosperity.”
FAO Director-General QU Dongyu, speaking at the summit, emphasized the pivotal role that agrifood systems play in addressing interconnected global challenges, including food insecurity, climate change, environmental degradation, and social inequality.
The summit gathered world leaders, policymakers, youth advocates, farmers, private sector actors, and development partners from across the globe to assess the progress made since the inaugural 2021 Food Systems Summit and to set a path towards achieving global food goals by 2030.
A major focus of the gathering was the need to translate national food system pathways into measurable outcomes.
This included highlighting the importance of inclusive financing, local innovation, and committed political leadership to drive the necessary transformation.
Dongyu remarked that transformation of agrifood systems is already underway, but he stressed that the success of these efforts depends on the pace, scale, and coordination of global action.
He noted that the primary challenge is no longer initiating action but accelerating it.
Stefanos Fotiou, Director of the UN Food Systems Coordination Hub, expressed optimism over the increasing number of countries adopting food systems reform.
According to him, over 120 nations now have national food system pathways in place, indicating growing global momentum for systemic change.
Throughout the three-day summit, participants discussed how to mobilise financial resources for smallholder farmers, scale up climate-smart agriculture, and enhance data and governance systems to ensure effective implementation.
One of the standout voices at the event was the President of Somalia, Hassan Sheikh Mohamud, who called for stronger global solidarity in the face of food insecurity and climate threats.
He highlighted Somalia’s national strategies aimed at boosting agricultural productivity, empowering rural populations, and fostering public-private partnerships to achieve food security.
The President also underscored the necessity of building sustainable market systems, particularly in fragile and vulnerable contexts.
His statements reflected the summit’s recurring theme: that local leadership, tailored national efforts, and long-term strategies are key to lasting change.
Discussions also touched on critical areas such as reducing food loss, regenerative farming techniques, developing nutrition-sensitive supply chains, and leveraging blended finance to expand innovative solutions.
Delegates consistently stressed the need for policy coherence, patient capital, and inclusive collaboration to build sustainable agrifood systems that benefit both people and the planet.
The summit concluded with renewed commitments from stakeholders and a unified call to action, reaffirming the global responsibility of governments, private sectors, and communities to work decisively and inclusively to transform food systems.
This event served as a significant global checkpoint, assessing progress, identifying gaps, and emphasizing the urgency of accelerating food system reforms worldwide.
