Upon taking office as FAO new regional representative, Mario Lubetkin pointed out the effects of the Covid-19 pandemic, the military conflict in Ukraine, as well as other armed confrontations in various territories around the world as “extraordinary challenges” for the organization.

Such situations aggravated the negative trend of increased hunger, a scenario that since 2019 has added, in the region alone, 13 million people, he pointed out.

The new regional representative emphasized that FAO will support the governments of the continent in stimulating innovation processes for the transformation of agri-food systems.

A task, he said, to be carried out in conjunction with other United Nations agencies, international and regional institutions, non-governmental organizations and Study Centers.

Lubetkin, a journalist by training of Uruguayan nationality, has served as Deputy Director General of the FAO since 2017. He joined the organization in 2014, as director of the Office of Institutional Communication and, since 2015, he was in charge of the office of the general director.

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