TEHRAN – The Islamic Republic of Iran is taking a step to reshape agrifood systems across the Asia-Pacific region by dispatching a high-level delegation to the 37th Regional Conference for Asia and the Pacific (#APRC37) being held from February 19 to 22 in Colombo, Sri Lanka.

The conference aims to address the complex challenges stemming from prolonged pandemics, climate emergencies, and volatile markets that have significantly impacted millions of agrifood producers and consumers in the region.

Headed by Alireza Mohajer, the Deputy Minister of Agriculture for Agronomy, the Iranian delegation is set to participate in the multilateral effort for regional agrifood system reform. 

Technical support for the delegation is being provided by the FAO Representation in Iran.

Yubak Dhoj GC, FAO representative ad interim to the Islamic Republic of Iran, highlighted that “FAO in the Islamic Republic of Iran is contributing to sustainable agriculture and biodiversity conservation while strengthening the community resilience against natural disasters and climate change impacts.” 

“This country’s high-level participation in this important conference will help guide FAO’s work here in Iran and right across the Asia and Pacific region, as all FAO Member Nations share a common goal of achieving the SDGs by 2030, particularly those goals relating to hunger, poverty and inequality,” he added.

The Regional Conference, with participation from 46 FAO Member Nations in Asia and the Pacific, has previously seen hundreds of high-level participants engaging in a virtual Senior Official's Meeting from January 31 to February 2. 

The agenda includes a special Ministerial Session, highlighting modernization and digitalization for smallholders in aquaculture and livestock, as well as an overall transformation of agrifood systems in countries across the vast region.

QU Dongyu, the FAO Director-General, is expected to travel from the FAO headquarters in Rome to join the Ministerial Session.

Ministerial roundtable discussions will cover topics such as securing future food and nutrition, investing in poverty reduction and modernization, and strategies for water and food conservation to reduce loss and waste, which are of vital interest not only to the Islamic Republic of Iran, but other countries around the region.

Key areas of focus for Iran include crop production, livestock and animal health, fisheries and aquaculture, forestry, water governance, and climate change. 

FB/MG