statement by henk bleker

7/28/2019 Statement by Henk Bleker

1/8

Pagina 1 van 8

STATEMENT BY HENK BLEKER, MINISTER FORAGRICULTURE AND FOREIGN TRADE AT OPENING OFTHE GLOBAL CONFERENCE ON AGRICULTURE, FOODSECURITY AND CLIMATE CHANGE IN THE HAGUE,THE NETHERLANDS, 31 OCTOBER 2010________________________________________

Your Royal Highnesses, distinguished Excellencies,

distinguished participants, ladies and gentlemen,

It is a great honour and pleasure for me to open the

international conference on agriculture, food security and

climate change in the presence of His Royal Highness Prince

Willem Alexander, Prince of Orange and Her Royal Highness

Princes Maxima here in The Hague.

I am delighted to welcome so many representatives of

governments, private sector and NGOs from all over the world,

present to discuss one of the most pressing themes of today:

agriculture, food security and climate change.

Our discussions this week and moreover a successful outcome

could and should be very important for our future.

We all know the enormous tasks we are facing nowadays with

fighting the multiple crises. We all have to face these dilemmas.

As a global society, we cannot accept increasing levels of

poverty and hunger.


2/8

Pagina 2 van 8

So we need food and water security. At the same time we need

energy security.

Coupled with the urgent need to find effective policies to stop

the loss of biodiversity, this means we are faced with one of the

toughest challenges of the new millennium.

However, we are facing an even bigger challenge: how to feed 9

billion people in 2050. This challenge is even more complex

when we look at the scarcity of our natural resources.

We are consuming four times our planet. And that is clearly not

acceptable

So, Ladies and Gentlemen, we can not rest on our laurels,

action is urgently needed.

The 17th Session of the Commission on Sustainable

Development gave a clear message: agriculture is a crucial part

of the solution.

We have neglected agriculture too much in our international

policies for sustainable development in the last decade.

Agriculture is not only in the heart of sustainable development,

but is the key to achieving food security and dealing with

climate change, especially in Africa.

Investing in agriculture we need indeed.

As Mrs Brundtland clearly stated: "We must pursue

development that meets the needs of the present generation

without compromising the ability of future generations to meet

their needs".


3/8

Pagina 3 van 8

But, the food insecurity and the daily loss of our forest and

biodiversity show that old solutions do not longer fit. "If you do

what you did, you get what you got."

We need a paradigm shift. A shift towards a more sustainable

and resource efficient and more productive and climate smart

agriculture.

A shift towards green growth.

A transition which requires more sustainable production and

consumption patterns, using less resources and creating more

opportunities and incomes for farmers. And a transition in

which agricultural development and involvement of the private

sector is the driving force for the economic development of

many developing countries.

All together I would call this a climate smart agriculture.

Ladies and Gentlemen,

Agriculture has a huge potential to mitigate climate change,

both in developed and developing countries.

Agricultural soils and peat lands also store significant amounts

of carbon.

Better land management practices and more efficient use of

resources, like fertilizers and water, can contribute to a

significant increase in agricultural production.

At the same time it will safeguard forests and ecosystems which

also hold enormous amounts of carbon.


4/8

Pagina 4 van 8

We also have to make a huge effort to in the development

adaptation strategies with which the agricultural sector will be

able too counter the negative effects of climate change.

We should combine existing traditional knowledge with

innovative technologies and strategies to help farmers in the

field to adapt to climate change.


Please allow me to elaborate a bit more on the linkage between

agriculture, food security and climate change.

The consequences of climate change will have a profound

impact on agriculture. Consequences worldwide will vary

widely.

With Africa being one of the regions hardest hit,

Sub-Saharan Africa is even likely to surpass Asia as the most

food insecure region.

Agriculture worldwide is under threat from climate change,

resulting in increased incidence of floods and droughts,

increased temperatures, different patterns in the occurrence of

weeds, pests, and diseases.

This will all have a serious negative impact on agricultural

productivity, and therewith on food security, especially in

Africa.


5/8

Pagina 5 van 8

The World Development Report 2010 estimated that climate

change may increase the number of undernourished people in

2050 by up to 170 million.

This while we need a 70 % increase in agricultural productivity

to feed 9 billion people in 2050!

This increase in production should be realised as much as

possible on existing farmlands. And that can be done.

In Ethiopia, for example, we provide assistance on pilot basis to

36 pilots seed producing cooperatives. Over the past two years

these cooperatives have been empowered to multiply improved

seeds of a number of cereals and pulses. Through this initiative

many farmers, often in remote areas, have gotten access to

improved seeds with the potential of doubling their production.

Ladies and gentlemen,

We know the problems, we know the answers, what we need

now is action.

It is down to earth now.

Green growth can be achieved through a shift in agricultural

practise that takes into account environmental capacity of each

different region and water system, climate smart agriculture via

greenhouse gas reduction and higher absorbing capacity, as

well as energy efficiency and saving.

The development of such a transition in agricultural

development requires a five track approach:


6/8

Pagina 6 van 8

increasing our investments, research and innovations insustainable agriculture;

creating an enabling environment for entrepreneurship; developing sustainable production and food chains; improving market access especially for developing

countries, and

access to finance, for example to micro credits.

One can see that concerted action of governments and other

partners in society, especially the agribusiness, is needed.

Many private companies are taking the lead in this and Im glad

we have several representatives of the business sector with us

this week to share best practices.

Ladies and gentlemen,

Part of the paradigm shift is to make full use of science,

research and technology.

They must be linked up with education and extension to be able

to disseminate the results of research and to make it applicable

on the ground in the field. These are the pillars for sustainable

agricultural and rural development.

This so-called Golden Triangle of a strongly interlinked science

and technology, education and extension is one of the main

factors of the success of the Dutch agricultural sector.


7/8

Pagina 7 van 8

Linking traditional knowledge, science and new research and

innovation is very important to generate new ideas and

technological breakthroughs.


To conclude, as you might all know, the climate change

conference in Copenhagen ended with an Accord which was

noted by Parties.

In one month time negotiations will continue in Cancun.

Adaptation, mitigation, agriculture, land use and deforestation

are all elements being discussed in this context. Let us not

forget that agriculture is one third of the solution for climate

change. Therefore agriculture should have a prominent place in

Cancun.

During the 17th session of the Commission on Sustainable

Development of the United Nations, the Netherlands, as

outgoing Chair, was asked to explore how to further develop

the agriculture, food security and climate change agenda.

In response to this, we have taken the initiative to organize this

global conference on agriculture, food security and climate

change in close cooperation with Ethiopia, New Zealand,

Norway, Vietnam and Mexico, and the World Bank, and FAO,

Food and Agriculture.


8/8

Pagina 8 van 8

I want to thank my partners already in advance for their support

in the preparations.

The aim of this Conference this week is to develop a roadmap

with concrete actions linking agriculture-related investments,

policies, and measures with the transition to a climate smart

agriculture.

The topics under discussion this week will for sure give enough

food for an interesting and important outcome. Your

participation from governments, stakeholders, science and

financial institutions will bring together all experiences and

ideas to develop this climate smart agriculture approach.

I wish you a very successful and fruitful Conference and I look

forward to hear your message and concrete activities at the end

of the week in the The Hague Road Map for Action.

It is down to earth now, the world hungers for action!

Thank you.

statement by henk bleker

Documents