Remarks for UN Resident Coordinator Mr. Fodé Ndiaye On UN Food Systems Summit 2021 Kigali 13th July 2021

Good morning! Mwaramutse

• Nyakubahwa Minister of Agriculture and Animal Resources Dr. Gerardine Mukeshimana
• Banyakubahwa Ministers, Governors, Mayor of Kigali, Government Officials,
• Representatives of CSOs, private sector, Development partners,
• Fellow UN Heads of Agencies
• Distinguished participants
• All protocol observed

It is a great pleasure to hold this important High-level Food Systems National Dialogue convened under the Theme: Shaping Country Food Systems Pathways for the pre-UN Food Systems Summit 2021, as a culmination of our 7 dialogs on the various tracks and on youth and women engagement, following the approval of the Cabinet of 19 February decision to embark in the FSS. Thank you, Honorable Minister, for the strong leadership of your Government, your personal commitment as well as the one of our convenor, the PS Minagri, of many ministers, other national stakeholders (CSOs, private sector), the UN, other DPs. This is partnership on the move to build the much-needed whole of society and whole of government approach towards a resilient, efficient and sustainable food systems beyond agriculture, impacting positively on people’s lives, leaving no one behind. Rwanda is globally seen as a good example of the FSS process. Of course, it has been grounded on excellent leadership, ongoing policies and strategies, institutions building, home-grown solutions and efficient partnership. Kudos to all of us. This is only the beginning to make our dialog a continuous forum to find innovative, comprehensive and sustainable solutions, to get food systems functioning well for everybody, everywhere.  

Yesterday, at the presentation of 2021 World State of FOOD SECURITY AND NUTRITION, to which I took part, we were reminded that we were tremendously off track to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals by 2030, for the people, the planet, prosperity, peace and through partnership. New tragic data inform us that between 720 and 811 million people in the world faced hunger in 2020 – as many as 161 million more than in 2019. COVID19 has exacerbated the challenges faced. This showed more than ever the importance of the FSS Pre-Summit and Summit, as per the UN Secretary-General’s call in 2019. High costs, coupled with persistently high levels of poverty and income inequality, continue to keep healthy diets out of reach for around three billion people, in every region of the world. In such context, we should recall that:

1. Complex problems require more than technical solutions. We need effective leadership, good governance, political will, urgent, bold and at scale action and partnership. Food systems transformation need to be at the heart of the 4th industrial revolution, inclusive growth prioritizing smart investments in agriculture and local economies, transformational development moving from the sectors of low productivity and low added-value to high productivity and high added-value, creating decent jobs, tackling poverty and inequalities, putting people at the center, more importantly women, youth, people with disabilities, small holders farmers, communities. Private sector, CSOs, DPs should continue playing an important role in that journey. All those voices have been heard during the FSS process, let us ensure that they are loudly heard and transformed in action in our pathway.
2. Food security is a human right; but well-functioning Food systems are also good for profit and business and for the entire society, and impact all the aspects of development, humanitarian and peace. There is no doubt that we have enough means to end hunger and poverty, to make diet accessible, available, affordable and sustainable for all!
3. Transforming Food Systems will require accurate disaggregated data, change in measurement including more natural and social capital, for scientific and evidence-based policies and strategies, technologies, innovations, new integrated research-extensions-markets value chains supported by well-functioning, inclusive and diversified financial sectors.
4. Culture is also an important parameter. Our diet defines who we are and who we are defines our diet. Our beliefs truly impact the functioning of the FS.
5. Overall, we need to connect the dots. The social, environment and economic dimensions of our food systems are profound.

Distinguished ladies and gentlemen

The 2021 Food Systems Summit is a make-or-break year of our SDGs Decade of Action. From the outset, the Secretary-General called for the Food Systems Summit to be a “People’s Summit” because everyone has a stake in food systems, and we all have a responsibility to act. Too often, food systems have been a part of the problem, when they can and must be a large part of the solution. That’s why the Summit is also a “Solutions Summit”. We need to get back to the right direction, to achieve SDG-2 and all SDGs and build forward better from COVID19. This requires a global accountability to monitor the country’s commitments.

Distinguished ladies and gentlemen

Our Food System determines the quality of our nutrition, the quality of our health and the quality of our environment ensuring nutrition in emergency as well, as well as the quality of our human capital.  Let me share a few highlights with you:

• More than 80% of all diseases are food related,
• Obesity is directly related to a food system that does not allow easy access to fresh fruits and vegetables,
• Poor quality nutrition is directly linked to undiversified food production system,
• Abuse use of external agricultural production inputs (fertilizers, pesticides) pollutes natural resources (soil, water, air) and ultimately jeopardizes food production itself,
• A food production system that wastes food also wastes production inputs and natural resources,
• We have 70 million children globally born to malnourished mothers. This is unacceptable. In Africa, women played an important role in the food production system and should not be malnourished themselves.
• Undernourishment erodes human capital and fuels inequalities, instability and security.

Honorable Ministers, distinguished partners,

As we embark on transformation of Rwanda’s food systems, I would like to highlight:

First, strengthen cross-functional coordination and accountability,

Second, sustainable City Region Food Systems are required for a sustainable urbanization of our country and for opportunities for African Youth to engage in Agriculture as business.  

Third, capacity development of organizations and institutions, including research and training to develop abilities (individually and collectively) to solve problems, better plan, create demand and promote consumption of nutritious food to meet nutritional needs including during natural and man-made disasters.

Fourth, given the growing consensus linking conflict, COVID-19 and climate change in driving food security issues, we need to build forward in a more inclusive, greener and resilient approach.

Fifth, the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) offers big opportunities to build intra-regional food trade, enhance value chain, value-added, and promote export diversification.

Sixth, pro-nutrition legislation such as a comprehensive legal framework related to infant and young child feeding is needed. It is vital to note that consumers need more than just education on what a good diet looks like to enable the priorities and invest in nutritious diets. They need to feel motivated to want to eat a better diet and then be given practical, actionable ways to do so.

Last but not least, the desired systems transformations should be more diverse and inclusive, with Women, youth, persons with disability, small holders farmers, unlock sustainable finance and ensure equitable value distribution.

Honorable Ministers, distinguished partners,

Our dialog today gives us the opportunity to devise, commit, implement and account for innovative, varied, diversified and impactful solutions. We need to change our Food Systems building from best practices well performed and documented in the country of a thousand hills.

The UN call on all of us to contribute to the debate, continue to lend our voices and to champion improved food systems and make them function for everyone and everywhere in our country. This is the pathway to achieve together our shared goals for peace, people, planet, and prosperity and through partnership.

As the UN SG put it in his 12 July Statement: “The upcoming Pre-Summit in Rome at the end of this month will help us define the scope of our ambition and work out how we must address hunger, the climate emergency, incredible inequality and conflict, by transforming our food systems” “Our blueprint to recover from this pandemic is the 2030 Agenda. Investing in changes in our food systems will support the transformation of our world. It is one of the smartest – and most necessary investments we can make”

Esteemed Guests,

I want to thank all honourable Ministers members of the Steering Committee. I have closely followed up on all national dialogues; due consideration has been given to the process.

Let me thank my colleagues from the UN family, Heads of Agencies: FAO, WFP, IFAD, UNDP, UNICEF, ITC, UNECA, IOM, UNWOMEN and WHO with all the technical teams from the UN Resident Coordinator’s Office and UN Agencies.

Let me also appreciate all the ministries directly and indirectly dealing with Food Systems that have worked and continue to work hand in hand with the UN Country Team to support the UN Food systems summit shaping commitments to action for the pre-Summit and Summit

Let me end by commending the unwavering support of the Office of the Special Envoy on UN Food Systems Summit 2021 Dr. Agnes Kalibata and the Food Systems Summit Secretariat that has provided technical backstopping and financial support complemented by support from FAO and WFP. Dr Nabarro and his team also provide technical backstopping.

The UN in Rwanda reaffirms its commitment for the journey of building stronger coalition for long lasting food systems structural transformation and to contribute to African Common Position Paper for the Food Summit.

Thank you so much for your kind attention. Merci beaucoup. Murakoze cyane! Asante sana!

TURI KUMWE! “We are Together! Abishyize hamwe ntakibananira” loosely translated as nothing is impossible for people working together.