Âé¶ą´«Ă˝

Addis Ababa
Ethiopia

Deputy Secretary-General's keynote remarks on Food Systems Transformation in Complex Settings [as prepared for delivery]


Statements | Amina J. Mohammed, Deputy Secretary-General


Excellencies, Distinguished delegates, Ladies and gentlemen,

I am honoured to be here today.

I thank our co-hosts Ethiopia and Italy and WFP, UNICEF and the HDP Nexus Coalition for organizing this important conversation.

And I thank all of you present today for your commitment to putting an end to hunger and transforming our food systems, making these work even in the most dire and complex circumstances.

Dear friends,

Communities are trapped around the world in relentless cycles of hardship. Over 37 million children under five will face acute malnutrition this year – almost the entire population of Canada. Of those, nearly 10 million will suffer severe wasting - the deadliest form of undernutrition.

In many countries facing the greatest challenges, courage is on display at all moments. But we must ensure that the courage is matched with long term solutions that can result in resilience and sustainability.

Short-term interventions dominate, with little connection to longer-term development planning are not the solution we are seeking. We must choose transformation over dependency.

We have good examples. Nations are embedding resilience into national strategies. Leaders are refusing to accept hunger as inevitable.

Instead, they are combining local, indigenous and traditional knowledge with science to accelerate action towards inclusive and resilient food systems while rebuilding their nations.

These governments are not waiting for permission, they are leading.

But leadership cannot succeed alone, it must be built on a solid foundation rooted in adequate finance, partnership, and inclusion.

First, finance.

We need finance that multiplies impact, Catalytic investments that invest in local capacity. Patient capital that waits for transformation, not quick returns.

The World Bank has committed to this approach, we must encourage others to follow.

Second, we need coordination that serves people, not bureaucracies.

Humanitarian response linked to long-term development. Climate action connected to food security. Competing mandates replaced by shared purpose.

Third, we need to place communities at the centre of our efforts. Women grow 60% of Africa's food but own less than 20% of the land. Young people are at the vanguard of innovative agriculture but cannot access the financing that supports them.

This is especially the case in complex settings where perceived risk is higher and the options fewer.

Yet, investing in the transformation of food systems is especially critical in complex settings where equitable and sustainable food systems do more than feed people - they drive food security, strengthen resilience, enable stability, and promote inclusive economic growth.

This transformation must be guided by local innovations and proven strategies, rooted in data and the lived realities of crisis-affected communities.

We have the tools and we have inspiring examples from countries leading change, many of which we will hear in this room today.

What we need now is accelerated action at scale.

Food systems hold the key to sustainable development.

Let us use that key to unlock opportunity, stability, and hope for and with those who need it most.

And let us not forget that we need to strengthen our multilateral system to make peace and sustainable development a reality for all communities around the world.

Thank you.