Philippine Delegation joins World Food Day Celebration and World Food Forum Flagship Event in Rome

The Philippine delegation, headed by Department of Agriculture (DA) Senior Undersecretary Domingo F. Panganiban, joined stakeholders, including Heads of Government, policymakers, experts, and representatives from civil society, youth, and indigenous organizations, during the celebration of the 2023 World Food Forum Flagship Event on October 16-20, 2023 in Rome.

The week-long event kicked-off with the World Food Day Ceremony on October 16, which is also the anniversary of the establishment of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) in 1945. The theme for the 2023 celebration “Water is Life. Water is Food. Leave No One Behind,” emphasized the crucial role of water in agriculture and the need for equal access to food resources. The event aimed to raise awareness regarding the vital connection between water, food, and the global effort to eradicate hunger and malnutrition.

Meanwhile, the World Food Forum (WFF) Flagship Event’s theme for 2023 is Agrifood Systems Transformation Accelerates Climate Action. The WFF, launched in 2021, is an independent, youth-led global network of partners facilitated and hosted by the FAO. It aims to spark a global movement that empowers young people everywhere to actively shape agrifood systems to help achieve the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and a better food future for all. It is organized into three interlinked fora – the WFF Global Youth Forum, the FAO Science and Innovation Forum, and the FAO Hand-in- Hand Investment Forum.

“Let’s explore how we may promote investment opportunities in sustainable agri-food systems in the Philippines through this platform in the future,” Sr. USec Panganiban said.

The WFF hosted presentations from around 30 countries, showcasing investment and intervention opportunities through the FAO Hand-in-Hand Initiative (HIHI) Forum. The Philippines, being a middle-income country, was not eligible to be a beneficiary of this Initiative when it was launched in 2019. Nonetheless, FAO Chief Economist and FAO Deputy Director General in charge of the HIHI mentioned that this Initiative will now be opened up to all those who may be interested.

The FAO Hand-in-Hand Investment Forum