Ambassador Đỗ Hùng Việt, Permanent Representative of Việt Nam to the UN, speaks at the general debate held by the Economic and Financial Committee (Second Committee) of the 81st session of the United Nations General Assembly in New York on Wednesday. — VNA/VNS Photo

NEW YORK — ASEAN has reaffirmed its commitment to eradicating poverty, ensuring food security and promoting sustainable rural development, highlighting the need for stronger regional cooperation to address growing challenges facing food systems.

Speaking on behalf of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) at a general debate on poverty eradication, agricultural development and food security held by the Economic and Financial Committee (Second Committee) of the 81st session of the United Nations General Assembly on Wednesday, Ambassador Đỗ Hùng Việt, Permanent Representative of Việt Nam to the UN, stressed agriculture’s vital role in ensuring food security, sustaining livelihoods and promoting inclusive growth in Southeast Asia.

Việt said that facing challenges from climate change, biodiversity loss, rising food demand, and price fluctuations, ASEAN is actively implementing its Vision for Food, Agriculture and Forestry towards 2045 and the relevant 2026-30 action plan to build food systems that are sustainable, inclusive and resilient.

He emphasised the need to support farmers and rural communities through sustainable agricultural practices, innovation and better access to technology, financing and markets.

Stronger regional cooperation is also essential to responding to natural disasters and supply chain disruptions, the diplomat said.

Highlighting the scale of the challenge, Việt noted that around 14 per cent of ASEAN’s population faces food insecurity while nearly one-third could not afford a healthy diet.

Efforts to ensure food security therefore need to go beyond food availability and also ensure that nutritious food is affordable and accessible to all.

The ambassador reaffirmed ASEAN’s priority of promoting inclusive and sustainable rural development and improving living standards for vulnerable communities through regional cooperation frameworks on rural development and poverty eradication.

He said ASEAN remains committed to implementing the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development as seen in the proportion of the region’s population living below the poverty line falling from 13.3 per cent in 2016 to 10.8 per cent in 2023.

ASEAN is also pursuing initiatives such as the “One Village, One Product” programme, empowering rural women and young people, expanding digital connectivity and investing in essential infrastructure to create more livelihood opportunities and strengthen food security, Việt added.

Participants in the debate identified poverty, food insecurity and malnutrition as major obstacles to achieving the Sustainable Development Goals.

Many called for more sustainable and resilient food systems, climate-adaptive agriculture, greater investment in rural infrastructure and social protection systems, and farmers’ improved access to technology, finance and markets. — VNA/VNS