21 February 2025, Rome: The FAO Director-General, QU Dongyu, met with H.E. Martin Heydon, Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine of Ireland at FAO headquarters in Rome.
The Director-General welcomed Minister Heydon to FAO and congratulated him on his recent appointment. He expressed appreciation for Ireland’s commitment to FAO’s work through both the advocacy of President Higgins and Ministers, as well as Ireland’s support to FAO’s work to build resilience in agrifood systems with a consistent focus on issues such as gender and sustainable livestock.
Minister Heydon referred to Ireland’s commitment to FAO as primarily a duty to the world’s most vulnerable. He also referred to Ireland’s national agrifood strategy, Food Vision 2030, with the goal for Ireland to become a world leader in sustainable agrifood systems by balancing climate smart agriculture, environmental and economic sustainability, health, and innovation. He said that the ambition was to achieve a balanced approach to sustainability incorporating economic, social and environmental sustainability.
The Director-General agreed with this approach, indicating that it mirrored the FAO Strategic Framework founded on the Four Betters – better production, better nutrition, a better environment and a better life, leaving no one behind.
The pair discussed the upcoming Second FAO Global Conference on Sustainable Livestock Transformation due to take place from 29 September to 1 October 2025 at FAO headquarters, and the Director-General commended Ireland on the science and evidence-based approach to the transformation of agrifood systems and, in particular, to sustainable livestock farming. The Minister reaffirmed Ireland’s commitment in this regard, as well as the need to communicate well to the public and consumers on the transformations that farmers continue to undertake to incorporate the latest science and technology to produce nutritious and sustainable food.
The Director-General emphasized the importance of and conveyed his appreciation for Ireland’s support to the annual World Food Forum which takes place at FAO headquarters in Rome every October. In particular, he referred to the value of the Hand-in-Hand Investment Forum which provided an opportunity for countries to present their Investment Plans to investors, resulting in more efficient funding for the transformation of agrifood systems.
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