Piñol to chair UN agri confab

Agriculture Secretary Emmanuel Piñol became the first Filipino to chair the biennial conference of the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (UN-FAO), considered the highest policy-making body on food security.

The Department of Foreign Affairs reported that the Philippines was elected for the first time to chair the FAO Conference, which is holding its 40th session from July 3 to 8 in Rome, Italy.

Piñol dedicated his election as chair of the FAO conference to “ordinary farmers.”

“I consider this election to the chairmanship of the 40th session as a victory of the ordinary farmer for I lay claim to the distinction of being the first practicing farmer to be appointed as Secretary of Agriculture of my country,” he said in his acceptance speech.

He highlighted the threat posed by climate change to food production and called on governments to make more investments in agriculture to ensure the availability and affordability of food and to reduce poverty in the countryside.

“It is in this light that the Philippines calls for greater cooperation in technology transfer and sharing between advanced countries and those with great potentials for food production,” said Piñol, who delivered the country statement during the conference plenary.

Held every two years, the FAO Conference determines policy and approves the organization’s budget.

Sen. Cynthia Villar and Anac-IP party-list Rep. Jose Panganiban Jr., who chair the committee on agriculture of the Senate and the House of Representatives, respectively, were included in the Philippine delegation.

Bayani Mercado, Foreign Assistant Secretary for the UN and international organizations, said the Philippine chairmanship of the FAO was a recognition of the country’s leadership in the fight against hunger and malnutrition.

“We see the Philippine chairmanship of the FAO Conference as an affirmation of the confidence of the international community in the Philippines,” said Mercado, who also formed part of the delegation.

Last June 19, the Philippines also won a seat in the UN Economic and Social Council from 2018 to 2020.

“The Philippines is becoming an important player in multilateral fora for economic, development and food security issues,” Mercado said.