Zero Hunger can only be possible with strong support from Parliamentarians

FAO Director-General José Graziano da Silva addresses the meeting on the Role of the Parliamentarians in the Fight Against Hunger.

6 July 2017, Rome – Parliamentarians have a key role to play along with governments, civil society, private sector, international agencies and donors “to achieve a Zero Hunger generation in our lifetime”, said FAO Director-General José Graziano da Silva today at a meeting with lawmakers on the sidelines of the FAO Conference.

“You are the ones who are responsible for enacting laws and for approving budgets, among other roles,” he said asking them to increase funding in their national budgets for food security and nutrition.

He also noted that achieving Zero Hunger by 2030 is still possible despite the fact that the number of hungry people has started to grow again. “But we have to move quickly from political commitment to concrete actions, especially at national and regional levels. As elected representatives, you possess a high level of political influence that is essential for a positive change in your countries.”

Graziano da Silva also emphasized the role of legislators in improving nutrition and food safety and praised them for acknowledging “the need for specific constitutional and legislative provisions to ensure the enjoyment of this human right to adequate food”.

FAO is ready to continue to collaborate with Parliaments, the Director-General said, and provide its technical advice and support for countries, within the context of their development strategies.

Participating in the side-event on “The role of Parliamentarians in achieving Sustainable Development Goal 2 – eradicating hunger, food insecurity and all forms of malnutrition” along with Graziano da Silva were Member of the European Parliament and Member of the European Parliamentary Alliance Against Hunger Maria Heubuch; Regional Coordinator of the Parliamentary Front against Hunger for Latin America and the Caribbean Luisa María Calderón Hinojosa; Alternate President of the Latin America and Caribbean Parliament Blanca Alcalá; and President of the Malagasy Parliamentary Alliance for Food Security and Nutrition Jafetra Randriamanantsoa.