Tashkent, Uzbekistan (UzDaily.com) – Achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and ensuring inclusive growth requires partnerships and collaborations with everyone concerned. The expertise and experience of the private sector is also key to meet the challenges of our times and ensure sustainable agrifood systems.

In this context, FAO facilitated a consultation with the private sector prior to the upcoming Regional Conference for Europe. On this virtual meeting representatives of the private sector exchanged views on the fundamental issues of sustainable food and agriculture in Europe and Central Asia. Participants were encouraged to explore the potential of cooperation, taking into account the current crisis and challenges as well.

“Including the private sector in the regional and global dialogue is growing in importance, as companies have been widely recognized as fully-fledged partners to drive sustainable development further in a progressive manner,” said Darya Alekseeva, FAO partnership officer. “We are two years into the implementation of the global FAO strategy on private sector engagement, and the process has already yielded positive results and impacts. So, to avoid losing momentum, it is important to continue our cooperation with the sector also in Europe and Central Asia.”

Adiba Akhmedjanova, Chairperson of the Association of Agrarian Women of Uzbekistan, which is a partner of FAO in several projects, shared her ideas on economic, environmental and social aspects of transforming the agri-food system of Uzbekistan with the participation of private sector, namely, with wide involvement of women. According to her, the unification of rural women in cooperations and clusters, their wide involvement in the organization of modern agricultural production in accordance with the principle of “leaving no one behind” will contribute to the rational use of human, land, water and other resources, increase production and the range of agricultural products, enhance women’s contribution in ensuring food security and improving well-being of their families, as well as strengthening the role of women in society as a whole.

The private sector consultation will enhance engagement within the sector across the region, also in relation to the above-mentioned FAO strategy, to assess lessons learned and the way forward.

As a general outcome, the consultation will help FAO better understand the priorities of the private sector on sustainable food and agriculture, which will, in turn, enable the Organization to formulate better and more targeted programmes and projects that embrace an inclusive and participatory approach.

Participants of the event included regional and country-based companies, private sector groups, associations, and foundations from inside and outside the European Union, as well as representatives of different food and agriculture businesses, ranging from consumer representatives to packaging companies, and processing industries.