EU, FAO agree to deepen strategic alliance, halve food waste

NaijaAgroNet:

The European Union (EU) Commissioner of Health and Food Safety Vytenis Andriukaitis and FAO Director-General José Graziano da Silva have agreed to ratchet up collaboration between the two organizations to address food waste, food safety, and antimicrobial resistance in supply chains, reports NaijaAgroNet.

In a new letter of intent signed between, FAO and the EU, both pledged to work closely together to halve per capita food waste by 2030, a goal established under the new Sustainable Development Goals global agenda. It also commits them to intensified cooperation on tackling the spread of antimicrobial resistance (AMR) on farms and in food systems.

Speaking at a signing ceremony at FAO's Rome headquarters, Commissioner Andriukaitis said: "Food loss and waste represent an unacceptable, unethical and immoral squandering of scarce resources and increase food insecurity, while AMR marks a grave societal and economic burden," adding: "We are becoming more united, more efficient and more strategic in how we tackle these issues, and as such, this agreement should be celebrated."

Calling AMR growing global concern, Graziano da Silva said: "Unfortunately the use of antibiotics, including their use to promote growth, is already widespread."

He described FAO's vision that antibiotics and other antimicrobials should be only used to cure diseases and, in certain circumstances, to prevent epidemics. They should not be used for growth promotion, he said.    

Noting that food loss and waste is linked to many aspects of sustainable development, Graziano da Silva cited the importance of strong partnerships like that between the FAO and the EU in addressing the problem.

Isaac Oyimah/GEE
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