Representative of the Food and Agriculture Organisation of the United Nations (FAO) in Cambodia, Ms. Rebekah Bell, paid here this week a courtesy call on Deputy Prime Minister and Chairman of the Council for Agricultural and Rural Development (CARD) H.E. Dr. Yim Chhay Ly to discuss key collaboration and upcoming joint activities.
According to a FAO’s press release, during the meeting, H.E. Dr. Yim Chhay Ly highlighted key results and good progresses achieved as a result of effective leadership and coordination of CARD with support from different line ministries and development partners, including FAO. As part of the achievements, Cambodia, among more than 140 other countries, jointed the UN Global Food Systems Summit last year and presented its bold commitments to achieve Sustainable Development Goals through a food system approach. Cambodia has put in place the Roadmap for Food Systems for Sustainable Development 2030, guiding Cambodia investment to achieve 2030 food systems vision, which focuses on providing food security and nutrition for all.
Food security and nutrition is a very complex issue. There are many challenges for achieving food security and improved nutrition in Cambodia. Some are sector specific and require the concerted efforts of all those involved in the sector. Others are complex multi-sectoral challenges that require joint actions and coordination.
Acknowledging this complexity, the Cambodia’s 2nd National Strategy for Food Security and Nutrition (NSFSN), 2019-2023 adopts a twin-track approach, advocating each of the main sectors involved (Health, Agriculture, Education, Water Supply and Sanitation, Commerce, and Industry) to develop and lead their own related strategies and action, while CARD focuses on the priority actions requiring cross-cutting and multi-sectoral coordination.
With this, H.E. Dr. Yim Chhay Ly noted that, the Royal Government of Cambodia (RGC) has assigned the different line ministries to be responsible for specific sectors under the strategy.
Ms. Rebekah Bell congratulated Cambodia for achieving remarkable outcomes such as a significant progress in improving the food security, nutrition, reducing poverty, and especially the effective COVID-19 response and success with the vaccination of the population in Cambodia.
She also announced new important work of FAO, which is to provide technical support to the Royal Government of Cambodia to conduct a preliminary assessment on national food control and food safety systems that is going to take place over the next several months with financial support from the European Union.
Source: Agency Kampuchea Press