WFF Closing Ceremony Closing Statement

Excellences,

Ladies and Gentlemen,

Dear Special Guests,

Dear Indigenous Peoples,

Dear Youth, Dear Young-at-Heart,

Dear Colleagues and Friends,

Dear Farmers,

And more importantly, the eight billion consumers we work for,

Hello from Rome!

As we reach the end of this incredible week, I am filled with passion, pride, accomplishment and gratitude.

I wish to thank all my colleagues, friends, support staff, and all the participants across generations for your groundbreaking work and inspiring collaboration to help create a better future, to transform global agrifood systems, and to achieve “Good food for all, for today and tomorrow”.

Thank you especially to the passionate and committed people who brought this Forum to life. Without all of you participating, we would not have had the fire and the inspiring mood that filled this room, and made this building so warm, so full of energy and so dynamic. Even our most important participants like His Majesty the King of Lesotho and His Majesty the King of Eswatini were smiling!

We are human beings. We are human beings. We are human beings. In Chinese culture, we say three times what is most important! Thank you, thank you so much.

Over the past week, we have seen impressive achievements.

In just five days, we hosted over 200 events – my friend from America, Ambassador Prescott, asked me “how can you manage it?”. I told him, its not me – its all of you, led by my Deputy Directors-General, Chief Economist, Chief Scientist ad interim, all the Directors, all the interpreters and all the other support staff. Even those working on the 8th floor, food booths and in the small coffee corners around the house, and those they worked to ensure the Eden Bar would re-open on time!

And we also opened the newly renovated kindergarten – I think it is one of the best kindergartens in Rome. So, it will attract all the young women and men to come and work here because their kids will have a good place to stay in the future. Then, you can share your experience with the future JWFD how you started playing here when you were young! Then, you will pass your passion to the next generation. 

With more than 8 000 external participants – this refers to those that came from outside of Italy - in the building in addition to more than 1 000 kids from Italy – but they were not all Italian, they are from our international staff.

Yesterday, if you saw the photos online, I had a full tight week, but when I am with the kids at the Junior World Food Day, I really unleashed myself, I am still young like that.

With more than 50 000 session views coming from online channels, and many more through our website, social media and our YouTube and other channels, TikTok, Facebook, WeChat, Instagram and WhatsApp – that is the game, that is the digital place, especially for the younger generations.

Based on the estimates of my colleagues from the Digital FAO and Agro-Informatics Division (CSI), the World Food Day and the World Food Forum campaign reached 1.7 billion accounts on key social media platforms.

Some of you remember last year, when I made my closing remarks, I said “I stayed at FAO for four years. First time I used the billion,” because I am from a “billion country” with1.4 billion people in China. So, I forgot “billion” the English word; however, now “billion” comes back to FAO. Because the first time I had a small conversation, five years ago, with Assistant Director-General Beth Crawford and I said, “what is the biggest number here?”; “one thousand, ten thousand, one hundred thousand”; “oh, that is a big number, here”. Then I talked about one million, ten million, and they said it was really big.

From then to now we have reached 1.7 billion. I counted and I think we can say more than 2 billion, because there are so many other platforms too. They just count TikTok, Facebook, WeChat, Instagram and WhatsApp - the big things. I know, there are a lot of smaller apps too used by a lot of Members.

So, as I said three years ago, I wanted to create a global movement because transforming agrifood systems is not only a matter for farmers, or only a responsibility of FAO, it is also of Members, governments, officials, private sector, scientists, and many others.

As I said, eight billion consumers should realize we are working for them, and for ourselves. Of course, we are one of the eight billion consumers! That is fantastic! These figures are a testament to the energy, collaborative spirit and truly global scope that have defined this year’s World Food Forum.

Additionally, I am so delighted to see that together with all my core leaders we have started preparing yourselves, we are counting down 365 days. Because next year is a really big year. So, now you can see, since I came, I have spent six years preparing for next year.

You need passion and patience; you need to get people on the same page, and then get them on board. This is the beauty of diversity, I learnt from young scientists. It is the beauty of the attitude, as DDG Maurizio Martina mentioned. Attitude changes your way of life, not money, not knowledge, it’s about your attitude. If you have an open attitude, you have more friends; if you have an inclusive attitude, you have less enemies.

Remember my young friends here: do not create enemies, be open and make more friends, as many as possible.

This is my take-away for youth, after five years in FAO, after four World Food Forums. Even the Chief Economist when he started, he was not thinking in millions, he was thinking in thousands, because he used to work in the International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI), an academic institute: if they had 1 000 participants, it was already big enough.

Remember you should always be the first to change your attitude towards your colleagues, towards your friends, even towards your opponents. Be inclusive, be open and change your attitude first.

In the Global Youth Forum, we saw the WFF Youth Assembly bring together young people from around the world to discuss their local policy priorities and challenges, and identify new ways forward, launching the first-ever Global Youth Action Plan.

You see, young people are learning to start thinking of solutions and action plans. They already know how to change their way of doing business in the future. These kinds of fora provide them with an opportunity to discuss solutions and action plans. That is global education. We are not master teachers to the younger generations. It is their future. They have to learn how to manage their future. Do not worry, be happy. I always promise this to the young generation, which sets the roadmap to drive activities and impact heading into 2025.

The Youth Innovation Lab also recognized and rewarded young researchers and entrepreneurs, hosted incubation and acceleration initiatives, and bootcamps to identifying out-of-the-box, actionable solutions.

Youth Culture and Education activities inspired and brought together people from all ages and all parts of the world, and 50 youth leaders representing 25 WFF National Chapters led initiatives that transcend boundaries and create collective momentum at the global, regional and local levels for “Good food for all, for today and tomorrow.”

I am also very pleased that we launched the “FAO Four Betters Courses” upscaling our collaboration with academia and research institutions, and more importantly the university networks. We want to contribute to the FAO philosophy based on our long-rooted, tranditional agricultural culture. The Four Betters were endorsed by all 194 FAO Members.

Those courses will be presenting an online repository of over 600 multilingual certified courses free of charge, as a global public good. This initiative will build on the success of the FAO e-Learning Academy that this year celebrates 1 million users worldwide.

I hope that one day we can also reach 1 billion. I know for sure. If somebody wants to gamble with me - I never lost a bet! After the FAO Food and Agriculture Museum & Network wil be running for several years, we will reach 1 billion users! Because people need good foods, no matter if they are rich or poor. They will go on Google or Baidu or others and look for the FAO Museum and Network. They will start traveling and say: “hey, I am going to which town, which places”, even in Texas or in the Napa Valley. Which village should offer traditional foods, technology and even cultural shows. If you go to Ethiopia, Peru, Mexico, China, India, Italy, Egypt, you name it.

And those people will search, and that will create a new digital hub for the whole world, for all the people. So that, I know for sure, the e-Learning Academy and the FAO website, the Digital FAO and the Museum will reach 1 billion visitors in a year, easily, 1 billion.

I am also delighted to see how so many youths traveled from all the corners of the globe to be here, with different means of transportation. When I was young, I spent 60 hours in a hot train seat, a slow train going only 40 km/hour, for 60 hours. Of course, you are lucky. But still a lot of young people from the Small Island Developing States (SIDS), Africa, and some challenging places, made an effort to come here.

I really saw all of you come here with passion and with a smile. I recall myself 40-50 years ago when I started traveling. It is not easy. That is why yesterday I said, “all roads lead to Rome”. But I did not say another half of the sentence. Coming to Rome is not easy. I know. Even the Minister from Samoa told me it took him two days to get here. For some people it is very easy, yet they did not come. 

With the generous support of the Government of Ireland, and others, I know the United States supported a lot of young people to come here. No surprise. People come here to make friends and learn from each other. You visibly change your attitude. I thank DDG Martina - you highlighted the “attitude” word which will now become a key word for me again!

I saw three famous singers here today, but I don’t think they were so famous before they came to FAO. One is from Zimbabwe; she was here last year and today also. And now there is one from Egypt, and the first one was a lady from Indonesia. So, we have representatives from Asia and Africa. Now it is a challenge for our Chief Economist, Maximo Torero, because we need to find a famous young singer from Latin America next year!

Your passion and insights have been the driving force behind many of the discussions and outcomes of this week.

In the FAO Science and Innovation Forum, we looked at advances in biotechnologies to enhance agricultural productivity, resilience and sustainability.

We highlighted community-led initiatives that drive agrifood systems transformation on local and regional levels.

We examined how digital technologies, such as precision farming, the Internet of Things, and Artificial Intelligence, are revolutionizing agricultural practices and improving supply chain efficiencies.

Above all, we put inclusion, or inclusiveness, first by addressing the critical challenges of closing the science, technology, and innovation gap in low- and middle-income countries, ensuring no one is left behind. If you leave behind technology and science, you will leave behind for generations. If you leave one meal behind, you can have a chance to get a meal back the next day. So please do not leave behind science and innovation.

We heard perspectives from diverse participants from FAO Members, Nobel Prize Winners, scientists and innovators – including the young ones, small-scale producers and Indigenous Peoples.  You can see two senior Nobel Laureate; they are so serious. That professor from Chicago, Michael Kremer, I am learning from him, you know. The people that are Nobel Laureates are so humble, so easy. He came, he left, not many people surrounding him. Very simple life. So, it is also a good model for young scientists, for young participants and for young staff here.

This Forum gives me hope that science, technology and innovation will contribute to closing the gaps between countries and communities, not widening them. I really appreciate the efforts that were put together by the Office of Innovation and the Chief Scientist ad interim, together with the Chief Economist, and that they designed together. I know it is not easy, but compared to five years ago, what is the outcome from here? Finally, as DDG Martina said, its about changing attitude - not only for myself, but all the staff here, and Members.

For the third straight year, we showcased presentations of country and regional-specific agriculture and food value chain investment opportunities that pinpointed exactly where and how to achieve transformational impact.

And we facilitated one-on-one dialogues between investors and governments that forged new collaborations to foster the advancement of sustainable agrifood investments and help achieve the goals of the 2030 Agenda.

Last year, the Hand-in-Hand Investment Forum resulted in USD 3.8 billion committed or in negotiation to country and regional investment plans

This year, we had 29 countries, and five Regional Initiatives present their investment plans and opportunities.

With 115 investments, designed for over 120 million beneficiaries, presented in total.

This year, we also created a new innovative Investor Networking Lounge to facilitate networking, partnerships and collaboration between Development Banks, Foundations, the Private Sector, and our Members that are here at the Forum.

FAO was also able to showcase the new expanded Agor-infomatics platform as well as cutting edge AI and advanced mapping use in agrifood investments as well as the new online Ex-ACT carbon accounting tool.

Those Government-led agrifood investments included more than USD 15 billion of detailed agrifood investment opportunities.

Finally, over 600 unique bilateral Hand-in-Hand Matchmaking meetings were held, representing our highest ever.

This year’s World Food Forum has also underscored the essential role of family farmers in agrifood systems transformation.

At the midpoint of the UN Decade of Family farming, the Global Family Farming Forum brought together thousands of participants and allowed exchanges of experiences, debates and reflection among farmers, government representatives, and many different stakeholders worldwide.

About 1200 participants gathered here in FAO premises to attend this Forum, and 1700 followed remotely the different sessions.

More than eight million were reached by our radio programs, and thousands have followed the event via live web stream.

With discussions in technical sessions, presentations and radio programs, led by over 150 speakers coming from 62 countries, these three days shed new light on good practices, successful processes, experiences and concrete policy solutions for the support of family farming.

The Global Family Farming Forum was not only a space for celebration, but it has also been a concrete starting point to upscale our efforts in favour of family farming, by strengthening collaboration, cooperation and innovative partnerships among governments, resource partners, international organizations and family farmers’ organizations.

FAO hosted the Global-Hub on Indigenous Peoples’ Food Systems meeting.

Since COAG endorsed the Global-Hub in 2020, it brings together Indigenous and non-Indigenous scientists and researchers, to co-create knowledge on Indigenous Peoples food and knowledge systems and influence global policy discussions.

This year, 50 Indigenous and non-Indigenous experts met in the Indigenous Nomadic tents to discuss about the new report the High-Level Panel of Experts ins preparing on Indigenous Peoples’ Food Systems.

Indigenous Peoples are key pillars in the fight against hunger and food insecurity. Their food systems and unique territorial management practices have fed their communities for thousands of years while also protecting the environment and nature.

Ladies and Gentlemen, dear colleagues, I am honored to announce here today that in 2025, FAO will host the Third Session of the UN Global Indigenous Youth Forum. I really encourage all the indigenous young people and friends to come here and bring your food, culture, practices, and technologies here all together from the 7 regions of the world to implement the Rome Declaration, you announced a year ago.

FAO remains ready to keep learning from the wisdom and spirituality of Indigenous Peoples.

The Rome Water Dialogue has also been a crucial part of the Forum, focusing on Integrated Water Resources Management and its impact on agrifood systems. This week we:

Adopted the Rome Declaration on Water Scarcity in Agriculture, enhancing collaboration among FAO Members and mobilized commitments to increase the impact of the Global Framework on Water Scarcity in Agriculture - WASAG.

As DDG Beth Bechdol already mentioned, I think that based on WASAG we will be strengthening the Rome Water Dialogue, not only water scarcity, flooding, water pollution and all those related to irrigations for agrifood systems and even for ecosystems restoration. We will also widen and deepen our discussions on water management issues. UN Secretary-General António Guterres has already nominated a Special Envoy on Water, Her Excellency Retno L.P. Marsudi, the current Minister of Foreign Affairs of Indonesia. She will coordinate UN agencies to promote and implement the outcomes of the 2023 UN Water Conference.

We agreed on key operating mechanisms of WASAG; and

Highlighted the priorities in addressing water scarcity in agriculture, strengthening the connections between the agriculture and water sectors.

As we celebrated World Food Day 2024, with the theme “Right to Foods, for a better life and a better future”, it was a timely reminder that all people have the right to adequate foods, and a call to the global community to renew the commitment to build more efficient, more inclusive, more resilient and more sustainable agrifood systems that can nourish the world.

 World Food Day saw the launch of the FAO's “80-1 Anniversary Countdown”, 365 days of action leading up to FAO's 80th birthday in 2025. A milestone that will offer an opportunity to further strengthen our partnership and reaffirm FAO’s unique role as the leading Organization technical agency with the mandate to eradicate hunger and poverty, supporting Members.

Together with our host country Italy, I unveiled the logo of the Food and Agriculture Museum & Network, which will officially open on World Food Day 2025. I already officially invited His Excellency President Mattarella of Italy, and he promised he would come. I had the privilege to present a special model of the logo of this important initiative to the President of the Republic of Italy in person, together with an invitation. The Museum will be an interactive, digital and informative space open to students, schools, families, and individuals.

This anniversary countdown is a reminder that we are a global Organization, built by the actions of individuals coming together.

Cooperation and teamwork are the only ways to approach global food challenges.

Together, employees, Members, partners, and all stakeholders, friends, young and young at heart, our actions can make a difference.

I invite all of you to take part in these 365 days of action as one-FAO family.  

Dear Friends,

As we look to the future, this week has reaffirmed the vital role of youth, women, and diverse stakeholders in shaping the future of our agrifood systems.

The World Food Forum has grown from a youth-only event to a global platform that brings together stakeholders from all sectors, with youth leading the way.

It has shown us the exponential power of intergenerational collaboration across policy, science, innovation, education, culture and investment.

The role of youth remains central. It is your energy, ideas and determination that fuel the transformation we seek.

I urge all Members to step forward and support new programmes and projects that advance the engagement of youth and women.

Follow the excellent examples set by those who have already committed to this cause.

The WFF is where agrifood systems transformation can truly take shape through concrete actions, partnerships, alliances, and crucial financing.

Let us continue to support our young leaders, who are already mobilizing at the local level through National Chapters and other initiatives. Their commitment is a beacon of hope and progress.

Before we conclude, I am so happy and excited to invite all of you to the next World Food Forum from 13 to 17 October 2025! Please take note and put it on your agenda.

I look forward to continuing this journey with all of you and seeing the ongoing impact of our collective efforts.

Thank you for your participation, thank you for your energy, and thank you for your dedication.

Only together can we ensure a “Good food for all, for today and tomorrow” and build a better future.

Thank you.