Remarks by Siddharth Chatterjee, UN Resident Coordinator in China

H.E. Mr. Tang Renjian, Minister of Agriculture and Rural Affairs,

H.E. Mr. Liu Huanxin, Administrator, National Rural Revitalization Administration,

H.E. Mr. Ma Youxiang, Vice Minister of Agriculture and Rural Affairs,

Excellencies, Distinguished Guests, Ladies, and Gentlemen,

Caption: Siddharth Chatterjee, UN Resident Coordinator in China

I thank the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs for the invitation to address the BRICS Symposium on Rural Development and Poverty Alleviation.

I congratulate China for its efforts in rural revitalization, as demonstrated in the video.

These efforts are built upon remarkable achievements – the success of lifting close to 800 million people out of extreme poverty in four decades while feeding one-fifth of the world’s population with merely 9% of the world’s arable land.

But challenges remain. Targeted policies are needed to address the balance between pressing issues such as urban-rural disparities, nutrition improvement, environmental upgrading, demographic transition and the ambitious objective of achieving carbon neutrality by 2060.

As President Xi Jinping said, “It is imperative to try all possible means to consolidate achievements in poverty alleviation, and then focus on rural vitalization to ensure a better life for rural residents”.

Caption: Participants at BRICS Symposium on Rural Development and Poverty Alleviation

The UN is now working with national and local governments in more than 20 provinces to provide technical assistance in cutting-edge areas such as climate resiliency and e-commerce.

UN Deputy Secretary-General Amina J. Mohammed has said, “Farmers are the lifeblood of our food systems. Understanding their needs and the challenges they face helps ensure that emerging solutions are fit for purpose”.

With the world’s population expected to approach 10 billion by 2050, the sustainable transformation of our food systems remains the foundation for ending hunger and reducing poverty while safeguarding our planet.

However, we now face an unprecedented global food crisis. Up to 811 million people go to bed hungry, and food prices have reached an all-time high due to conflicts, climate change, and the COVID-19 pandemic.  

BRICS countries are essential producers and consumers of the world’s agricultural products. BRICS countries could potentially play a dual role in rural development, pioneering inclusive policies and investments for achieving food and nutrition security in their own countries, while contributing through expanded South-South and Triangular Cooperation towards the global achievement of SDG 2 – Zero Hunger. Through the BRICS agricultural action plan (2021-2024), BRICS countries can unleash the full potential of the agriculture sector of member nations to tackle hunger and malnutrition, eradicate poverty, achieve inclusive growth and sustainable development.

The UN in China will continue to work with the people and Government of China, to safeguard the gains of the past, advance knowledge, share relevant lessons learned, and collaborate in new partnerships, in line with the five action tracks from the UN Food System Summit and the UN Decade for Family Farming.

Excellencies, you can count on the full support of the UN family to support your efforts, ensure rural revitalization, and leave no one behind.

I wish today’s symposium every success.

(Source: United Nations)