Kathmandu. Foreign Minister Dr. Arzu Rana Deuba has said that strong cooperation is needed among the countries affected by climate change to reduce its risks. Addressing the High-Level Session on Least Developed Countries and Landlocked and Small Island Developing States organized today under the 44th General Assembly of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations in Rome, Italy, she said that there should be no delay in strengthening cooperation in planning to reduce climate change risks.
She said, “Least Developed, Landlocked and Small Island Developing States are at great risk from climate change. It is also adversely affecting agricultural production and livelihoods in those countries. Nepal has recently concluded the Sagarmatha Dialogue to collaborate with the world through its agenda. In the coming days, cooperation among all nations with a common agenda is necessary.’
Foreign Minister Dr. Deuba also emphasized the need for climate adaptation financial support, early warning systems, and development of rural infrastructure for the Himalayan countries. She informed that international investment and capacity building work, along with accessible and inclusive measures, are indispensable to deal with climate-related risks.
Minister Dr. Rana said, ‘Only technology, collaboration, and solidarity can bridge the gap between potential and achievement. Nepal has always urged for the promotion of South-South and North-South cooperation, technology transfer, expansion of markets, and access to financial resources.’ Currently, these countries, including Nepal, are facing common crises such as food insecurity, malnutrition, and climate change, which are also jeopardizing the achievements made, she said. Minister Dr. Rana said that Nepal is facing multifaceted challenges such as climate-induced disasters, weak infrastructure, biodiversity loss, and limited access to technology and finance.
She said that the ‘Four Betters’ put forward by the FAO, namely better production, better nutrition, better environment, and better life, can play an important role in transforming the agricultural system. Minister Dr. Rana informed that under good production, Nepal is modernizing agriculture by adopting climate-friendly farming systems, high-value crops in hilly areas, and local innovations, and promoting nutritious food targeting specific communities under good nutrition.
Similarly, under good environment, Nepal has prioritized regenerative agriculture, soil and water conservation, and biodiversity conservation, and has improved livelihoods by expanding access to entrepreneurship, social security, rural infrastructure, and services for women, youth, and small farmers and marginalized communities towards a better life. Minister Dr. Rana stated that more than 60 percent of the workforce in Nepal is engaged in the agricultural sector and that agriculture contributes 23 percent to the national production, and said that agriculture is not only a means of employment but also a means of nutrition and livelihood.
प्रतिक्रिया दिनुहोस्