Director-General QU Dongyu highlights youth, innovation, and rights-based policies as engines of change

Addressing world leaders, ministers, and delegates gathered in Addis Ababa, Qu emphasized that agrifood systems are central to addressing interconnected global challenges – from food insecurity and climate issues to environmental degradation and inequality.

Reflecting on progress since the first UN Food Systems Summit in 2021, convened by the UN Secretary-General as part of the Decade of Action for the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), the Director-General noted that many countries have moved from commitment to implementation through policy reform, investment shifts, and integrated planning. He cited Ethiopia as one of the leading examples, where FAO-supported efforts have reduced post-harvest grain losses by up to 40 percent in some areas, directly improving food security and rural livelihoods.

In his address, the Director-General outlined three major areas to drive transformation.

Second, he stressed that scaling innovation and technology is essential for overcoming systemic barriers. He highlighted the role of the World Food Forum, with its three pillars – Hand-in-Hand Investment, Science and Innovation, and Youth and Women's Empowerment – as a key platform for accelerating solutions. Tools such as the FAO-led Agrifood Systems Technologies and Innovations Outlook (ATIO) are helping countries identify and adopt innovations including digital agriculture, artificial intelligence, and precision farming.

Third, Qu underscored the importance of grounding transformation in the Right to Food – a foundation for transparency, participation, accountability, and inclusion. In this regard, he emphasized FAO's role in hosting the support mechanism for the Global Alliance Against Poverty and Hunger, launched under the G20 Brazil Presidency, which serves as a platform for coordinated financing and technical support aligned with national priorities.

"We are making systems transformation the new normal — hand in hand with governments, investors, academia, civil society, and the private sector," Qu said. "Let us use this Stocktake to reflect and act boldly, and to strengthen our partnerships to turn vision into action."