A global compact will promote the transformation of agri-food systems

A new World Parliamentary Pact to transform agri-food systems and guarantee the right to adequate food was agreed this Friday during the Second World Parliamentary Summit against Hunger and Malnutrition that took place in Chile.

The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) noted that more than 200 parliamentarians, 15 presidents and vice-presidents of national and regional parliaments and parliamentary bodies from 64 countries agreed to commit to working for a transition to sustainable agri-food systems and inclusive to guarantee the right to adequate food for all.

In this sense, the Pact calls for a greater participation of parliaments by taking concrete initiatives, such as new legislation, budget allocation and the creation of associations to facilitate the transformation of systems.

Parliamentarians also pledged to monitor and report on the progress achieved, specifically on initiatives undertaken and laws adopted.

Technical support

The text specifically asks the UN agency to provide technical means to achieve a more effective application of the pact. This includes improving data collection and reporting systems; encourage cooperation among parliamentarians; and support awareness raising and capacity building activities.

In addition, the pact makes a call for international partners and donors to support these efforts. In this sense, the text requests the Committee on World Food Security to establish a mechanism for the representation of parliamentarians who fight against hunger and malnutrition, and to organize a Third World Parliamentary Summit, no later than 2026.

gender gap

At the end of the meeting, the Coordinator of the Parliamentary Front against Hunger and Malnutrition of Chile, Carolina Marzán, highlighted that “as a result of the debate and enriching contributions that have been made around the pact, we have verified that the analysis around hunger and malnutrition is known worldwide by everyone, and for this reason I would like to reiterate that the existing gender gap in our nations is harmful to advance in agri-food systems more sustainable, since it is women who feed the world.

For his part, the director of the Spanish Agency for International Development Cooperation stated that “coordination, cooperation and collaboration is essential. Alone we cannot. The solution is not only international cooperation, but also alliance.”

Antón Leis added that it is necessary “to work together in parliamentary alliances, such as the Parliamentary Front against Hunger in Latin America and the Caribbean, which has been an example for the rest of the world.”

a world gathering

For two days, parliamentarians from around the world met in Valparaíso to reaffirm the urgency of ending hunger and malnutrition, as part of the global goals, underlining the crucial role they play in transforming agri-food systems through the adoption of laws, the approval of public budgets and the monitoring of the application of public policies and government commitments.

During the thematic sessions and side events, you also identified and shared examples of good practicein particular in relation to the development of innovative legislation.

The Summit was organized by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, together with the Spanish Agency for International Development Cooperation, the National Congress of Chile and the Government of Chile, and had the support of the European Commission , the Mexican Agency for International Development Cooperation and the Parliamentary Front against Hunger in Latin America and the Caribbean.