World meat industry news

The pandemic of a new coronavirus infection has worsened the difficult situation in the field of food supply. This is stated in a video message posted on the website of the Russian Foreign Ministry on Friday by Head of the Russian diplomatic department, Sergey Lavrov, to the UN summit on food systems.

‘The Russian Federation consistently supports the solution of the problem of hunger and the elimination of all forms of malnutrition. We consider it unacceptable that against the background of the explosive development of science and technology, millions of people in the world continue to suffer and die from hunger and disease. Unfortunately, the already difficult situation in this area is further aggravated by the increase in the number and scale of natural disasters and conflicts, the spread of restrictive measures in trade, as well as the COVID-19 pandemic, which has affected all countries without exception,’ he said.

According to the Minister, the current summit provides a unique opportunity to assess the existing food systems and determine the main directions of their transformation. ‘The result of the changes should be not only the production of a sufficient amount of high-quality food without causing further damage to the environment and biological diversity, but also ensuring its safety and accessibility for all categories of the population. Such a comprehensive approach is the basis for the food security doctrine of the Russian Federation, approved by Russian President Vladimir Putin in January 2020,’ he said.

Lavrov stressed that Russia, as one of the largest food producers, makes a significant contribution to improving the level of global food security. ‘Our country supports the efforts of the international community in the field of humanitarian response and assistance to international development. It consistently participates in the provision of food aid both through bilateral channels and through the UN system organizations,’ he informed.

According to him, one of the most effective forms of assistance is projects on school nutrition. ‘Being at the junction of humanitarian aid and development assistance, they provide a great cumulative effect. Together with the World Food Program, we are implementing a series of such projects worth more than $120 million,’ the minister said.