Source document: https://docs-lawep.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/1694819202321.pdf (Antigua and Barbuda)
The FAO Regional Conference begins with the participation of all the countries of Latin America and the Caribbean They will seek solutions to face the most complex agri-food scenario in recent decades.

March 28, 2022, Quito/Ecuador – The Regional Conference of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) began today in Quito, Ecuador, with the presence of representatives from all the countries of Latin America and the Caribbean.
The Conference will be a key instance for Latin America and the Caribbean to transform its agrifood systems to make them more efficient, inclusive, resilient and sustainable.

This transformation is required to face the most complex scenario of recent decades: agriculture must adapt to the effects of climate change while the price of food and fertilizers are rapidly increasing due to the war in Ukraine.
A quarter of the regional population lives in conditions of food insecurity, while the COVID-19 pandemic pushed 22 million people into poverty in just one year, forcing them to purchase food of poorer quality due to lower incomes.

“We are facing a perfect storm, which is why FAO believes that it is necessary to transform the agrifood system.

This is essential to get out of the crisis”, explained FAO’s Regional Representative, Julio Berdegué.
Whether Latin America and the Caribbean emerges successfully from this difficult situation is important beyond its borders: its agriculture produces enough food –in terms of calories– to feed 1.3 billion people.

In addition, the region is the largest net exporter of food in the world.

According to Berdegué, the FAO Regional Conference comes at the right time for countries to share innovations, reach agreements and take bold steps to strengthen their agrifood systems.
“What happens in this region affects the whole world.

The steps we take during the Conference to improve production, nutrition, the environment and the lives of our inhabitants will affect the future of the world, and open a path for others to follow,” Berdegué explained.
A roadmap towards a new agrifood system One of the central issues that the Member countries of FAO will debate during the Regional Conference is the Strategic Framework 2023-2031, which will guide the Organization's actions and must be adapted to the conditions and priorities of Latin America and the Caribbean.

It seeks to promote better production, better nutrition, a better environment and a better life, leaving no one behind.
At the Conference, there will be special sessions dedicated to each of these four betters, during which the countries will share their innovations, visions and experiences.

The FAO Strategic Framework 2023-2031 also places strong emphasis on digitization, technology and innovation, as tools to move towards the four betters.
Priority topics Ensuring healthy and nutritious food and better diets for all is one of the priority issues of the Conference, since, according to FAO, 267 million people in the region live in food insecurity.

The countries will also explore ways to create prosperous and inclusive rural societies.
“Nearly half of all rural inhabitants in the region live in poverty, these areas have been left behind even though they house the natural resources and biodiversity that sustains the region’s enormous food production”, Berdegué explained.

Another key issue is the need to promote resilient and sustainable agriculture and livestock, adapted to climate change, and with lower greenhouse gas emissions and minimal environmental impact.

What is the Regional Conference?


The Regional Conference is the highest regional governing body of FAO.

There, the Member countries meet every two years and establish the regional priorities of the Organization for the following biennium.

The 37th Regional Conference is taking place in Quito, Ecuador, and can be viewed online in its entirety at the following link.
It will be attended by the President of Ecuador, the host country, Guillermo Lasso, the Minister of Agriculture of Ecuador, Pedro Álava, Ministers of State of the 33 countries of the region, the Director General of the FAO, QU Dongyu, the Regional Representative of FAO, Julio Berdegué, international experts, members of the private sector, civil society, the United Nations system and the academic world.
PRESS REGISTRATION Journalists who want to cover the event and participate in the press conference and in other instances of the meeting must register in advance here.

INTERVIEWS To request an interview with FAO experts and authorities participating in the Conference, write to María Elena Álvarez (maria.alvarez@fao.org), Pamela Rosero (diana.rosero@fao.org) or Benjamin Labatut (benjamin.labatut@fao.org).
TWITTER/FACEBOOK @FAOAmericas #FAOAmericasConference #FAOAmericasConference WEBPAGE 37th FAO Regional Conference More Information List of Documents Provisional Agenda Media accreditation PRESS CONTACTS Diana Pamela Rosero María Elena Álvarez Benjamín Labatut PRESS CONFERENCE / LIVE IN QUITO AND VIA ZOOM WEDNESDAY, MARCH 30 10:30 AM Quito, Ecuador (GMT-5) / 12:30 Santiago, Chile (GMT-3) SWISSÔTEL QUITO / FAO REGIONAL CONFERENCE Ecuador’s ministers of Agriculture and Foreign Relations, FAO Regional Representative and FAO Chief Economist will analyze the complex scenario that affects agrifood systems Pedro Álava, Juan Carlos Holguín, Julio Berdegué and Máximo Torero participate in the FAO Regional Conference, which is taking place in Quito, Ecuador through April 1.
On Wednesday, March 30, at 10:30 a.m. in Quito, Ecuador, the Minister of Agriculture of Ecuador, Pedro Álava, the Minister of Foreign Relations and Human Mobility, Juan Carlos Holguin, the Regional Representative of the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), Julio Berdegué, and the Chief Economist of the FAO, Máximo Torero, will give a press conference at the Swissôtel in Quito, Ecuador, which can be followed by Zoom.
The event is part of the 37th FAO Regional Conference, whose members elected Minister Álava as president of the Conference.

The Regional Conference has brought together Ministers of State from all the countries of Latin America and the Caribbean to find joint solutions to the great challenges that affect the region today.
Countries are discussing the rise in hunger and malnutrition, the increase in food and fertilizer prices due to the war in Ukraine, the impact of climate change and the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic in the region, among others.

other urgent issues.

The Conference seeks to support countries to move towards more efficient, inclusive, resilient and sustainable agri-food systems for better production, better nutrition, a better environment and a better life, leaving no one behind.
All sessions of the Conference are being broadcast live.

MEDIA ACCREDITATION The press is invited to attend the press conference at the Swissôtel in Quito, or to participate in the event by Zoom.
Media registration and accreditation must be made in advance HERE FOLLOW THE CONFERENCE LIVE WEBCAST HERE CONFERENCE WEBPAGE TWITTER /FACEBOOK @FAOAmericas #FAOAmericasConference Facebook PRESS CONTACTS Diana Pamela Rosero Cristina Luna (cristina.luna@fao.org) María Elena Álvarez Benjamín Labatut WHAT Press conference WHEN March 30 at 10:30 am Quito, Ecuador time.
WHERE Appenzell salon- Mezanine Swissôtel, Quito Av 12 de Octubre 1820 and Luis Cordero, 1721565 QUITO And via Zoom online transmision WHO  Minister of Agriculture of Ecuador and President of the FAO Regional Conference, Pedro Álava.

 Minister of Foreign Relations and Human Mobility, Juan Carlos Holguin  FAO Regional Representative, Julio Berdegué  FAO Chief Economist, Máximo Torero FOLLOW THE CONFERENCE LIVE All sessions can be followed live on the following link.
PRESS REGISTRATION Journalists who want to cover the event and participate in the press conference and in other instances of the meeting must register in advance here.

PARTICIPATE IN THE PRESS CONFERENCE VIA ZOOM The press conference can be followed live by Zoom.
Join Zoom Meeting https://fao.zoom.us/j/92964801269 Meeting ID: 929 6480 1269 Passcode: 09543032 The press can send their questions in advance by writing to Maria.alvarez@fao.org, or benjamin.labatut@fao.org, or during the event, using the Zoom chat.

MORE INFORMATION List of Documents Provisional Agenda