Tashkent, Uzbekistan (UzDaily.com) -- The International Conference on Food Security, organized by the government of Uzbekistan with technical support from the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), began its work in Samarkand. 

The event takes place on 7-8 September with the participation of the ministers of agriculture of 15 countries, deputy ministers of 8 countries, high-ranking diplomats of 13 countries and representatives of over 30 international and scientific organizations, as well as financial institutions.

At the opening ceremony of the event, Prime Minister Abdulla Aripov read an address from the President of the Republic of Uzbekistan Shavkat Mirziyoyev to the participants of the international conference on food security. It states, in part:

“Of course, the city of Samarkand was not chosen to host this conference by chance. This ancient city with almost three thousand years of history and culture was an important crossroads of the Great Silk Road for centuries. As you know, the issues of food security, its sustainable supply, the fight against hunger and poverty remain extremely relevant today. In recent decades, thanks to the “green revolution” and the widespread introduction of innovative technologies, the volume of agricultural production has sharply increased, and significant progress has been made in providing food to the ever-growing population of the planet.”

Based on the results of the conference, the Samarkand Declaration will be adopted. The document will define the main directions of international cooperation. The parties named climate change, depletion of water resources, and land degradation as key challenges.

The Samarkand Declaration consolidates the intentions of the participating countries:

- develop agriculture in the most environmentally friendly way that supports biodiversity, with optimal use of water resources.

- promote healthy nutrition among the population, especially among children and adolescents, introduce comprehensive school nutrition programs;

- empower women in rural areas to increase their contribution to the transformation of agri-food systems;

- support small and family farms at the state level, expand their access to production, natural and financial resources.

Also, within the framework of the International Conference on Food Security, a round table is being held with the participation of over 150 foreign scientists from 26 countries and 200 scientists from Uzbekistan. The participants discuss the possibility of implementing joint research projects.