Addis Ababa: Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed emphasized that the global complexity of challenges has only underscored the urgent need to redouble efforts towards food security. The World Without Hunger Conference kicked off today in Addis Ababa, bringing together over 1,500 high-level stakeholders from across the globe including in the presence of his Highness Sheikh Khaled Bin Mohamed Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi.
According to Ethiopian News Agency, in his keynote address to the conference, Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed highlighted the challenges that would divert the noble goal to eradicate hunger as a global community. “When we committed to achieving their hunger as a global community, we could not have foreseen how climate change, natural disasters, the COVID-19 pandemic, and escalating global conflicts would divert us from this noble goal,” he revealed.
The Premier emphasized that the complexity of these challenges has underscored the urgent need to redouble efforts towards food secur
ity. “In a crisis-prone world with a growing population, ensuring food security demands innovative solutions. We must adopt sustainable practices, advance modern farming, expand access to essential agriculture inputs and address climate change to enhance productivity,” Abiy stated.
He noted that ending hunger is about more than just increasing productivity; it requires tackling systemic issues such as poverty, inequality, and climate resilience in a holistic manner. “To combat hunger, we need to transform our food systems by moving beyond traditional agricultural practices and embracing agro-industrialization,” the Prime Minister stressed.
For him, transforming the food system involves investing in agricultural inputs, energy access, and processing technologies, with prioritizing food security. Achieving success in this endeavor requires a collaborative approach between governments, the private sector, farmers, researchers, and international organizations working together, he elaborated.
Finally, the Prime
Minister extended his gratitude to UNIDO for co-hosting the World Without Hunger Conference and its unwavering support of Africa and for championing this cause. The World Without Hunger Conference kicked off today in Addis Ababa, featuring solution-oriented technical sessions, an investment forum, and a high-level political forum, it was indicated.
The conference, co-organized by UNIDO, the African Union Commission (AUC), and the Government of Ethiopia with technical support from the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), is going to be undertaken from 5th to 7th November 2024 here in Ethiopian capital, bringing together over 1,500 high-level stakeholders from across the globe.