Food security is key to Italy's G20 presidency this year and it will host an event in Rome ahead of the UN Food Systems Summit in New York in September, the government said in a statement on Wednesday.
The pre-summit gathering in Rome will take place from 19-21 July in a 'hybrid' format and will be led by UN secretary-general Antonio Guterres and Italy's prime minster Mario Draghi, the statement said.
“Italy is ready to welcome this key appointment of the Food Systems Summit in Rome. We want to address the issue of food security within our broad agenda as President of the G20," said Draghi.
Together with the UN and its Rome-based agencies, Italy will work with its partners to foster "better agriculture, sustainable value chains and healthy lifestyles," Draghi added.
"I expect everyone to join us in a global effort to protect the environment,” Draghi underlined.
The Rome gathering "will bring together the efforts and contributions of a global engagement process to shape ambitions to transform food systems," according to the statement.
Youth, private sector and indigenous peoples' representatives will attend the event as well as smallholder farmers, researchers, policy leaders and agriculture, environment, health and finance ministers, said the statement.
The meeting will offer "the latest evidence-based and scientific approaches and best practices from around the world, to launch a set of fresh commitments through new joint action, efforts to obtain new funding and create new partnerships," the statement went on.
“The Pre-Summit in Italy will be a key moment for mobilising the bold commitments we need to build sustainable food systems that work for people, the planet, and prosperity," said Guterres.
"Through accelerated action, we can help the world 'recover better' from COVID-19, combat rising hunger and address the climate crisis”, he added.
The Italian government will make "a national food system commitment" at the Rome event to set the bar ahead of the UN summit, the statement noted.
"Many" delegates will take part in person at the physical meeting being held at the UN Food & Agricultural Organization (FAO) headquarters in Rome, while others will take part via "a vast virtual platform," the statement said.
Global leaders are expected to launch "bold new action, solutions, partnerships, and strategies to 'recover better' from the COVID-19 pandemic" at the Rome gathering, the statement said.
The global leaders will also make progress on attaining all of the UN's 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), each of which requires on nutritious, sustainable and equitable food systems.
Italy is co-hosting events ahead of the international climate summit COP26 in Glasgow in November, the statement recalled.
Countries are expected to outline plans at the Glasgow summit to meet the landmark 2015 Paris climate pact to keep global warming under 1.5 degrees Celsius.
"The role of food systems in achieving global goals and climate targets is expected to serve as a central priority of these other events and continue to carry forward momentum from Food System Summit," the statement concluded.
