statement by henk bleker
TRANSCRIPT
-
7/28/2019 Statement by Henk Bleker
1/8
Pagina 1 van 8
STATEMENT BY HENK BLEKER, MINISTER FORAGRICULTURE AND FOREIGN TRADE AT OPENING OFTHE GLOBAL CONFERENCE ON AGRICULTURE, FOODSECURITY AND CLIMATE CHANGE IN THE HAGUE,THE NETHERLANDS, 31 OCTOBER 2010________________________________________
Your Royal Highnesses, distinguished Excellencies,
distinguished participants, ladies and gentlemen,
It is a great honour and pleasure for me to open the
international conference on agriculture, food security and
climate change in the presence of His Royal Highness Prince
Willem Alexander, Prince of Orange and Her Royal Highness
Princes Maxima here in The Hague.
I am delighted to welcome so many representatives of
governments, private sector and NGOs from all over the world,
present to discuss one of the most pressing themes of today:
agriculture, food security and climate change.
Our discussions this week and moreover a successful outcome
could and should be very important for our future.
We all know the enormous tasks we are facing nowadays with
fighting the multiple crises. We all have to face these dilemmas.
As a global society, we cannot accept increasing levels of
poverty and hunger.
-
7/28/2019 Statement by Henk Bleker
2/8
Pagina 2 van 8
So we need food and water security. At the same time we need
energy security.
Coupled with the urgent need to find effective policies to stop
the loss of biodiversity, this means we are faced with one of the
toughest challenges of the new millennium.
However, we are facing an even bigger challenge: how to feed 9
billion people in 2050. This challenge is even more complex
when we look at the scarcity of our natural resources.
We are consuming four times our planet. And that is clearly not
acceptable
So, Ladies and Gentlemen, we can not rest on our laurels,
action is urgently needed.
The 17th Session of the Commission on Sustainable
Development gave a clear message: agriculture is a crucial part
of the solution.
We have neglected agriculture too much in our international
policies for sustainable development in the last decade.
Agriculture is not only in the heart of sustainable development,
but is the key to achieving food security and dealing with
climate change, especially in Africa.
Investing in agriculture we need indeed.
As Mrs Brundtland clearly stated: "We must pursue
development that meets the needs of the present generation
without compromising the ability of future generations to meet
their needs".
-
7/28/2019 Statement by Henk Bleker
3/8
Pagina 3 van 8
But, the food insecurity and the daily loss of our forest and
biodiversity show that old solutions do not longer fit. "If you do
what you did, you get what you got."
We need a paradigm shift. A shift towards a more sustainable
and resource efficient and more productive and climate smart
agriculture.
A shift towards green growth.
A transition which requires more sustainable production and
consumption patterns, using less resources and creating more
opportunities and incomes for farmers. And a transition in
which agricultural development and involvement of the private
sector is the driving force for the economic development of
many developing countries.
All together I would call this a climate smart agriculture.
Ladies and Gentlemen,
Agriculture has a huge potential to mitigate climate change,
both in developed and developing countries.
Agricultural soils and peat lands also store significant amounts
of carbon.
Better land management practices and more efficient use of
resources, like fertilizers and water, can contribute to a
significant increase in agricultural production.
At the same time it will safeguard forests and ecosystems which
also hold enormous amounts of carbon.
-
7/28/2019 Statement by Henk Bleker
4/8
Pagina 4 van 8
We also have to make a huge effort to in the development
adaptation strategies with which the agricultural sector will be
able too counter the negative effects of climate change.
We should combine existing traditional knowledge with
innovative technologies and strategies to help farmers in the
field to adapt to climate change.
Ladies and Gentlemen,
Please allow me to elaborate a bit more on the linkage between
agriculture, food security and climate change.
The consequences of climate change will have a profound
impact on agriculture. Consequences worldwide will vary
widely.
With Africa being one of the regions hardest hit,
Sub-Saharan Africa is even likely to surpass Asia as the most
food insecure region.
Agriculture worldwide is under threat from climate change,
resulting in increased incidence of floods and droughts,
increased temperatures, different patterns in the occurrence of
weeds, pests, and diseases.
This will all have a serious negative impact on agricultural
productivity, and therewith on food security, especially in
Africa.
-
7/28/2019 Statement by Henk Bleker
5/8
Pagina 5 van 8
The World Development Report 2010 estimated that climate
change may increase the number of undernourished people in
2050 by up to 170 million.
This while we need a 70 % increase in agricultural productivity
to feed 9 billion people in 2050!
This increase in production should be realised as much as
possible on existing farmlands. And that can be done.
In Ethiopia, for example, we provide assistance on pilot basis to
36 pilots seed producing cooperatives. Over the past two years
these cooperatives have been empowered to multiply improved
seeds of a number of cereals and pulses. Through this initiative
many farmers, often in remote areas, have gotten access to
improved seeds with the potential of doubling their production.
Ladies and gentlemen,
We know the problems, we know the answers, what we need
now is action.
It is down to earth now.
Green growth can be achieved through a shift in agricultural
practise that takes into account environmental capacity of each
different region and water system, climate smart agriculture via
greenhouse gas reduction and higher absorbing capacity, as
well as energy efficiency and saving.
The development of such a transition in agricultural
development requires a five track approach:
-
7/28/2019 Statement by Henk Bleker
6/8
Pagina 6 van 8
increasing our investments, research and innovations insustainable agriculture;
creating an enabling environment for entrepreneurship; developing sustainable production and food chains; improving market access especially for developing
countries, and
access to finance, for example to micro credits.
One can see that concerted action of governments and other
partners in society, especially the agribusiness, is needed.
Many private companies are taking the lead in this and Im glad
we have several representatives of the business sector with us
this week to share best practices.
Ladies and gentlemen,
Part of the paradigm shift is to make full use of science,
research and technology.
They must be linked up with education and extension to be able
to disseminate the results of research and to make it applicable
on the ground in the field. These are the pillars for sustainable
agricultural and rural development.
This so-called Golden Triangle of a strongly interlinked science
and technology, education and extension is one of the main
factors of the success of the Dutch agricultural sector.
-
7/28/2019 Statement by Henk Bleker
7/8
Pagina 7 van 8
Linking traditional knowledge, science and new research and
innovation is very important to generate new ideas and
technological breakthroughs.
Ladies and Gentlemen,
To conclude, as you might all know, the climate change
conference in Copenhagen ended with an Accord which was
noted by Parties.
In one month time negotiations will continue in Cancun.
Adaptation, mitigation, agriculture, land use and deforestation
are all elements being discussed in this context. Let us not
forget that agriculture is one third of the solution for climate
change. Therefore agriculture should have a prominent place in
Cancun.
During the 17th session of the Commission on Sustainable
Development of the United Nations, the Netherlands, as
outgoing Chair, was asked to explore how to further develop
the agriculture, food security and climate change agenda.
In response to this, we have taken the initiative to organize this
global conference on agriculture, food security and climate
change in close cooperation with Ethiopia, New Zealand,
Norway, Vietnam and Mexico, and the World Bank, and FAO,
Food and Agriculture.
-
7/28/2019 Statement by Henk Bleker
8/8
Pagina 8 van 8
I want to thank my partners already in advance for their support
in the preparations.
The aim of this Conference this week is to develop a roadmap
with concrete actions linking agriculture-related investments,
policies, and measures with the transition to a climate smart
agriculture.
The topics under discussion this week will for sure give enough
food for an interesting and important outcome. Your
participation from governments, stakeholders, science and
financial institutions will bring together all experiences and
ideas to develop this climate smart agriculture approach.
I wish you a very successful and fruitful Conference and I look
forward to hear your message and concrete activities at the end
of the week in the The Hague Road Map for Action.
It is down to earth now, the world hungers for action!
Thank you.