Eight Amazonian countries have agreed to develop a joint working strategy to advance food and nutritional security across the region. This decision was made during the Second Regional Dialogue on Amazon Bioeconomy and Inclusive Rural Transformation. This event was organized by the Amazon Cooperation Treaty Organization (ACTO) and the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) in Belém, Brazil.
The dialogue recently brought together representatives from Bolivia, Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador, Guyana, Peru, Suriname, and Venezuela to identify opportunities, emblematic cases, and challenges for implementing this strategy. This news agency understands that the strategy aims to guide the region toward eradicating hunger and poverty.
The discussions also generated technical inputs for a common Amazon strategy and formulated investment plans to make the Amazon region’s agrifood systems more efficient, inclusive, resilient, and sustainable through the Mano de la Mano Initiative.
One of the first investments under this initiative will focus on strengthening the role of the Amazon Regional Observatory (ORA) and improving the management of territorial information, which will provide essential inputs for decision-making and policy formulation. Additionally, the strategy will ensure access to digital services, such as connectivity and online platforms, to enable Amazonian rural communities to fully participate in the bioeconomy. The initiative will also focus on improving the common management of water basins, particularly concerning fishery resources.
The event, attended by over 80 civil society organizations, government representatives, and academia from the Amazon Basin countries, is part of a broader technical collaboration agreement between ACTO and FAO. This agreement aims to foster cooperation among the eight ACTO member countries to strengthen food and nutrition security and promote inclusive rural transformation in the Amazon region.
Vanessa Grazziotin, Executive Director of ACTO, emphasized the commitment of the Amazonian countries to the initiative, stating, “We are committed to acting on all fronts necessary to achieve truly sustainable development in the Amazon. Each member country plays a crucial role in our joint struggle to preserve the region and transform its riches into sustainable benefits for all.”
FAO’s Senior Policy Officer, Luiz Beduschi, also highlighted the importance of the strategy, noting, “The Amazon Strategy for Food and Nutritional Sovereignty and Security seeks to contribute to the human right to safe, nutritious, sufficient, and healthy food, helping to improve the living conditions of the people of the Amazon region.”
During the event, FAO’s Chief Economist, Máximo Torero, gave an online presentation detailing the Mano de la Mano Initiative. He noted that the initiative “also promotes digital infrastructure, ICT services, digital skills, and traceability. It focuses on the sustainable management of fishery resources and non-timber forest products and territorial information management.”
Overall, the dialogue marks a significant step forward in the collaborative efforts of Amazonian countries to ensure food and nutritional security while promoting sustainable development and inclusive rural transformation in the region.
