United Nations, May 15, SPA--Saudi Arabia urged the United Nations (U.N.) General Assembly to pay greater attention to a long-term agricultural development to avert global food insecurity caused by desertification and droughts.
Saudi Agriculture Minister Dr. Fahd bin Abdulrahman Balghunaim delivered the speech of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia at the United Nations Commission for Sustainable Development in its 16th session in New York on Wednesday.
He said that such long-term solutions would ultimately be more productive than supporting emergency situations alone.
"Despite the importance of supporting emergency situations (to fulfill food needs), the international community should place greater importance to long-term agriculture development through the support for international organizations," Balghunaim said.
Balghunaim referred to the work done by the Food and Agriculture Organization and the International Fund for Agriculture Development (IFAD).
Saudi Arabia recently donated $50 million to IFAD, a U.N. agency that assists developing countries with low-interest loans and grants to combat hunger and poverty.
Balghunaim said the geographic location of Saudi Arabia is why desertification is one of the country's greatest challenges.
Desertification occurs when fertile soil deteriorates and when the productivity of harvest and farm animals is reduced. It is primarily caused by human activity and climate change.
Balghunaim said Saudi Arabia is working to combat desertification and sand movement through the 1977 U.N. convention to combat desertification. He described a specialized research center designed to tackle this problem, and research on water conservation via remote sensing, a technologically-advanced way to gather information.
"An institution was established to continuously receive and review images from various satellites covering the vast area of Saudi Arabia, in order to facilitate the study of sand movements and rates of sand dune encroachments, that threaten areas and lands that are inhabitable and capable of producing crops," Balghunaim told the General Assembly, adding that the institution is also addressing reforestation.
Balghunaim noted that Saudi Arabia is placing greater emphasis on rural development.
© Saudi Press Agency 2008
