Dr. Kakoli Ghosh - Chief Technical Advisor, FAO

In a discussion, a representative from the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) of the United Nations shares insights on their work in Saudi Arabia, focusing on sustainable rural agriculture development. The program aims to enhance rural livelihoods, economic opportunities, and value chains, particularly for youth and women entrepreneurship. The urgency of transforming agri-food systems is emphasized due to challenges like biodiversity loss, climate change, and food waste. The discussion highlights the critical state of world hunger, with 753 million people affected, primarily in developing countries facing land degradation and climate-related issues. The importance of investment, especially at the local level, is stressed as a solution to these problems, with smallholder farmers being pivotal to agri-food systems. The conversation also touches on the role of international climate gatherings in addressing urgent needs and the potential for breakthroughs through new partnerships.