The food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), an important organ of the United Nations is not as prominent in terms of activities on the grounds as other UN bodies such as the United Nations Development Program (UNDP), the United Nations Children Fund (UNICEF) or World Food Program (WHO).
But it is a significant organization that has been playing pivotal roles in providing consequential support to countries plagued by drought and other natural disasters, spawning massive starvation on citizens.
President Joseph N. Boakai, one of many global leaders, attending the global four-day gathering, and also one of the speakers, shared deep thoughts on the dire crisis nations continue to face, trumpeting what he called "the alarming rise of hunger and malnutrition across various parts of the globe, with the impact profoundly affecting the African continent."
While the rest of the world is challenged by food and other crisis, President Boakai singled out how Africa, a land he said is abundant with natural resources and agricultural potential, tragically finds itself at the epicenter of this crisis.
Quoting FAO reports, President Boakai told the gathering that millions of people across the continent, and many other parts of the world face acute food shortages.
He said: "The stark reality is that, despite its fertile soils and vibrant cultures, Africa is beset by complex challenges such as climate change, conflict, economic instability, and inadequate infrastructural investments in agriculture."
According to the Liberian leader whose invitation is informed by his deep interest in agriculture and food security for his people, the enunciated factors have not only aggravated the food crisis but have also deepened vulnerabilities within communities, limiting their access to adequate nutrition and the means for improving their lives.
"Today, one in five people in Africa go to bed hungry, a statistic that compels us to act decisively," he emphasized as a way of drawing urgent global attention to the problem for possible solution.
President Boakai told the gathering that their being in Italy was not about just highlighting the challenges, but to also call for concrete action-urgent, impactful steps that will drive tangible change on the ground.
The Liberian leader pledged the country's fullest preparedness to make impactful contribution to the global movement for food security by sharing its vision and experiences in building an inclusive, resilient, and transformative agri-food system-one that can deliver sustainable food security and nutrition for our people not just today but in the future.
Whether FAO authorities will yield the call and factor Liberia's experiences and vision into the agenda remains unknown, but it is clear that the President has played his part by sounding the trumpet, as Noah in biblical flood time when the entire world endured devastating deluge.
The President used the platform to present the country to the agri-world, informing leaders and organizers about Liberia's location in the heart of West Africa's Upper Guinea Rainforest region, and its recognition as one of the world's most bio-diverse areas.
"We are also one of the world's wettest countries, with an annual rainfall exceeding 2500 mm," he said.
Sharing the country's position on GHG emissions, President Boakai emphasized how Liberia's revised 2021 Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC) commits to reducing GHG emissions by 64% below the projected business-as-usual level by 2030.
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He accentuated: "In doing so, we reaffirm our dedication to environmental sustainability, with 10% of the reduction unconditional and 54% dependent on international support."
President Boakai informed the gathering that Liberia is a vital net carbon sink, absorbing more greenhouse gases (GHGs) than it emits, and proudly contains over 40 percent of West Africa's remaining rainforest.
"While we remain proud of our contributions to addressing global warming, we must also recognize the importance of our dependence on the soil for our food security and economic development," the President said.
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