Agenda 2030 and rural transformation

Whilst increased media attention of the migration of refugees to Europe continues, the State of Food Security and Nutrition in the World reports in both 2018 and 2019 signal a rise in world hunger - a reversal of trends after a prolonged decline. Using SDG Indicator 2.1.2 to capture data on access to nutritious and sufficient food, the figure in 2019 report corresponds to a much higher number of people than those who suffer from hunger. While recognising the positive role ARD plays in combating hunger as well as reasons for migration, many European countries opted to re-locate ODA assigned budget to migrants support, integration and administration. The members of the Platform, as well as the international community as a whole, agree that a higher level of donor coordination and exchange supports finding solutions for sustainable development and the challenges to agriculture and rural development, which will achieve measurable positive impact on economic development and thus contribute to reducing hunger and key motivations for migration.

Agriculture and rural development (ARD) constitute highly complex systems which require long-term strategies. The SDGs call for more sustainability in development through the cooperation between new actors, such as the trade community or the climate change community, to achieve joint action towards rural transformation. The Platform’s Strategic Initiative Agenda 2030 addresses the new dimensions of development cooperation – with its focus on the policy priority areas of its members in the rural space.