Shaw calls for accelerated regional action to combat hunger, poverty and climate change

Minister of Industry, Commerce, Agriculture and Fisheries, the Hon. Audley Shaw, left the island on Saturday, June 2, 2018 to attend the 159th Meeting of the Council of the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) of the United Nations.
Minister Shaw is attending the Council Meeting in his capacity as Chairman of the FAO Regional Conference for Latin America and the Caribbean.
Jamaica hosted the 35th Regional Conference of the FAO for Latin America and the Caribbean at the Montego Bay Conference Centre during the period March 5-8, 2018, which was chaired by the Hon. Karl Samuda, former Minister of Industry, Commerce, Agriculture and Fisheries. Minister Shaw is now the Chairman for Latin America and the Caribbean for the next two (2) years, and in that capacity presented the Report from the Montego Bay Conference to the 159th FAO Council on June 4.
Minister Shaw highlighted the critical challenges facing Latin America and the Caribbean which were discussed in Montego Bay including eradication of hunger and malnutrition, sustainable rural development and promoting sustainable agriculture in the face of climate change. Minister Shaw called on the countries of the region to accelerate national efforts geared at achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDG’s) leading to the eradication of hunger and poverty and also to build resilience to climate change.
While in Rome, the Minister will engage in a bilateral meeting with the Director General of the FAO, H.E. Jose Graziano da Silva, where he will review FAO’s ongoing technical cooperation programmes in Jamaica. The Minister will urge the FAO to accelerate work on preparing and presenting a proposal to the Green Climate Fund on Jamaica’s behalf to bolster Jamaica’s capacity to mitigate and adapt to climate change.
The Minister will specifically request that this proposal incorporate the 5 million tree planting programme he announced in his Sectoral presentation. The Minister will also be updated by the Director General on FAO’s initiative to relocate the Subregional Caribbean office to Jamaica.
The Minister will also meet with the Vice President of the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD), also based in Rome, with a view to re-engage this organisation to support a range of agricultural development projects and programmes.
Minister Shaw is accompanied by Permanent Secretary Donovan Stanberry.
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