Deputy foreign minister Emanuela Del Re and UN Food and Agriculture Organisation chief Jose Graziano da Silva held talks in Rome on Tuesday to mull ways to boost sustainable agriculture and food security - shared objectives of the Italian government and FAO.
Besides reviewing progress in the Italian government and FAO's strategic partnership, Del Re and da Silva also looked at the links between sustainable agriculture, food security, conflicts and migration.
Del Re and da Silva agreed on the need for shared development policies that tackle the underlying causes of migration and which involve beneficiaries and the private sector, with a focus on young people and their ability to innovate.
To underscore the importance of businesses to sustainable development, a group of entrepreneurs will accompany Del Re on her upcoming visit to the Horn of Africa, she told da Silva.
The Italian government intends to increase its funding to sustainable agriculture, especially in sub-Saharan Africa, possibly in collaboration with FAO, Del Re said.
