Poland in Iraq

3 May 2022, Lodz – nearly 50 countries from Europe and Central Asia will join the 33rd Session of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations’ Regional Conference for Europe (ERC33) to discuss pressing issues of providing food security and agrifood systems transformation. The meeting comes as at a time of protracted crises, as the region is coping with the challenges brought about by COVID-19. Meanwhile, the conflict in Ukraine is affecting production and trade of staple agrifood products and threatening the lives and livelihoods of millions not only in Europe and Central Asia, but also beyond.

Participating countries will discuss matters affecting world food security and agriculture, including a surge in global food prices, and share approaches for transforming agrifood systems in Europe and Central Asia, as well as ensuring sustainable food productionchains.

The Regional Conference is FAO’s highest governing body in Europe and Central Asia. The four-day conference, hosted this year by Poland from 10 to 13 May, will be held as a hybrid event, both at the Doubletree Hilton hotel in Lodz and online with participants following the webcast.

Agriculture ministers and other government officials from across Europe and Central Asia will be joined at the conference by civil society groups, private sector representatives, development partners and observers.

Turning the tide with FAO’s strategic changes

FAO’s Strategic Framework  will inform discussions during the conference. It will help guide countries to achieve the conditions for sustainable development defined under the “2030 Agenda”.

Sessions of ERC33 will include remarks by: 

• Director-General QU Dongyu, Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations
• Henryk Kowalczyk, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development of the Republic of Poland

• Zbigniew Rau, Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Poland
• Jamshid Khodjaev, Minister of Agriculture of Uzbekistan and Chairperson of ERC32
• Hans Hoogeveen, Independent Chairperson of the FAO Council
• Gabriel Ferrero, Chairperson of the Committee on World Food Security (CFS)



The Conference will provide a platform for high-level dialogue, among others, on the following issues:  

• The road to transformative agrifood systems in Europe and Central Asia – Regional actions to implement the “FAO Strategic Framework 2022–2031”
• Sustainable food production chains, a practical approach for transforming agrifood systems for healthy diets in Europe and Central Asia

The following side events will take place during the conference:

• The launch of the Regional Technical Platform on Green Agriculture
• Fostering the enabling environment for the digital transformation of agriculture through country strategies: national and village perspectives

• United Nations Decade for Family Farming and peasant rights in times of crisis

Resources for media

ERC33 website

ERC33 list of documents

Follow the conference at FAO’s webcast portal

on Twitter
@FAORussian, #ERC33

Media accreditation

Journalists are invited to attend the event in Lodz, or to follow the proceedings online.

In Lodz

Media registration and accreditation must be sought in advance. Media outlets will need to arrange their own visa, travel and accommodation.

Please register online at: https://event-services.fao.org/ERC33. You will receive an email confirming your registration.

For accreditation: please send proof of registration to Annamaria.Illes@fao.org who will provide the media accreditation form. Please use capital letters when completing the form.

Once completed, send her your accreditation form, a scan of your passport and the proof of registration.

You will then be advised on how to receive your accreditation badge. Only journalists with a badge will be allowed into the venue.

Online 

Register online at
https://event-services.fao.org/ERC33

Watch the daily proceedings at FAO’s webcast portal:  www.fao.org/webcast

Contacts

Victoria Kalinin

Communication Officer

FAO Regional Office for Europe and Central Asia

Victoria.Kalinin@fao.org 

Lea Plantek

Communication Specialist

FAO Regional Office for Europe and Central Asia

Lea.Plantek@fao.org