The Samarkand Congress Center was the setting for an International Conference on Food Security, which was attended by more than 620 foreign guests from 32 countries and representatives of over 30 international organizations.
At the opening ceremony, Prime Minister A. Aripov read out the address of the President of the Republic of Uzbekistan Shavkat Mirziyoyev to the participants of the conference. The address noted that, due to the “green revolution” and the widespread use of innovative technologies, agricultural production has increased significantly in recent years, and tangible results have been achieved in providing food to the growing population of the Earth. However, the coronavirus pandemic and crises in world politics and the economy have led to disruptions in the supply chain of agricultural products and increased prices for them, particularly affecting developing countries.
The Secretary General of the Economic Cooperation Organization Khusrav Noziri stated that in some countries, it is now difficult to provide the population with even local food, and this is especially pronounced in countries with middle and low-income levels. He also noted that in order to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals by 2030, global hunger must be eliminated.
The plenary session of the conference continued with panel sessions. During these sessions, representatives of each country spoke about achieving global food security, the widespread introduction of innovations in agriculture, maintaining environmental cleanliness, and rational use of land, using the example of their states.
It was noted that the world is facing land degradation and water scarcity, a pandemic, and an unstable geopolitical situation, making the issue of food security particularly significant. The Samarkand Conference was seen as a very timely event.
The Samarkand Declaration was adopted following the results of the issues discussed at the sessions. It provides for the development of agriculture in the most environmentally friendly, biodiversity-preserving way, assistance in the healthy nutrition of the population, the empowerment of rural women, and support for small and family farms at the state level.
The conference will continue its work on September 8 with an Agricultural Investment Forum of Uzbekistan. It will provide information on projects implemented in the country’s agricultural sector and plans, and tasks for the future will be determined.
The Samarkand Conference on Food Security is of great importance to the present and future of peoples around the world. It is a logical continuation of the UN Food Systems Summit, and its goal is to ensure a bright future by establishing a constructive exchange of ideas between all people and introducing innovative solutions.
Gayrat Khonnazarov, Golib Khasanov, UzA