By the Witness Radio Team

With fewer than four years left to meet global biodiversity targets, a new United Nations assessment urges country to accelerate efforts to protect and restore nature, warning that current efforts fall short of promises.

The State of Biodiversity Action report, released just before the 17th Conference of the Parties to the Convention on Biological Diversity (COP17) in Armenia, reveals that while almost 90 percent of countries have set national biodiversity targets, less than half are making progress toward achieving them.

COP17 starts today in Yerevan, Armenia, and runs until October 30, 2026.

As the conference opens, the findings cast doubt on whether countries can fulfill the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework, adopted in 2022 to stop and reverse biodiversity loss by 2030.

The Framework addresses the principal drivers of biodiversity loss, including land- and sea-use change, unsustainable exploitation of species, climate change, pollution and invasive alien species, as well as economic and financial activities contributing to biodiversity loss.

A key ambition of the framework is to safeguard at least 30 percent of the world’s land and sea by 2030. The assessment reveals that current pledges fall short. Even if all commitments are met, just 26 percent of land and 12 percent of marine ecosystems would be protected by the deadline.

The gap between promises and progress was highlighted by Astrid Schomaker, Executive Secretary of the Convention on Biological Diversity, who called on governments to use the global review to identify shortcomings and accelerate implementation.

“We know where we stand. We know where the gaps are. Now we must work together to close them,” Ms. Schomaker said.

Her words highlight the conference’s core challenge. Countries know what must be done, but meaningful action is still lagging.

The assessment points to gaps in funding, coordination among government bodies, and the data needed to measure progress. It also shows that targets requiring action beyond environment ministries, such as business practices, sustainable consumption, harmful incentives, and finance, are falling furthest behind.

To meet the 2030 targets, governments must integrate biodiversity concerns into broader economic and development choices.

At the opening of COP17 on 19 October, the outgoing Colombian presidency also stressed the need to turn international agreements into practical results.

David Olarte Amaya, who represented Colombia’s COP16 presidency, described the gathering in Yerevan as a decisive moment for the planet, noting that the international community had an urgent responsibility to turn the framework’s commitments into “concrete, measurable, and lasting results.”

He also stressed that biodiversity is deeply connected to daily life, underpinning water and food security, resilient communities, thriving economies, and the well-being of society.

“Biodiversity is not merely an environmental concern but also the foundation of our water and food security, the resilience of our territories, the productivity of our economies, and the well-being of our societies,” he stressed.

He noted that the true measure of the conference’s success will not be the number of decisions made, but whether they spark real change in countries and communities.

“Today, as we hand over the COP16 presidency, Colombia reaffirms its commitment to solution-oriented multilateralism, grounded in dialogue, mutual respect among parties, and shared responsibilities. We express our confidence in Armenia’s leadership and our readiness to contribute constructively to the work of this conference,” he added.

Armenia’s Minister of Environment and incoming COP17 president, Mr. Hambardzum Matevosyan, recognized that countries must now focus on what works, where progress is lacking, and what must change to accelerate results.

“COP 15 gave us the framework. COP 16 advanced important mechanisms for its implementation. COP 17 must now help us determine where we stand, what is working, where progress is falling short, and what must change to accelerate implementation,” Mr. Matevosyan said.

He praised Colombia’s COP16 presidency and described the handover as a seamless continuation of the global push for biodiversity.

Mr. Matevosyan also highlighted the Leaders for Nature Summit in Yerevan, which concluded with the Yerevan Declaration—a call to action for nature and a reminder to turn promises into tangible outcomes.

Staying true to the promise of an inclusive COP, Matevosyan pledged that Armenia’s presidency would listen to Indigenous Peoples, local communities, women, youth, civil society, academia, local leaders, businesses, and the finance sector, recognizing that governments cannot tackle biodiversity loss on their own.

“The challenges we face are too big to be addressed by governments alone. The story, the parallel forums, thematic days, and numerous side events will inform and support negotiation outcomes,” he concluded.

As the 2030 deadline looms, the real test is whether countries can move from promises to action and deliver the transformation needed to stop and reverse biodiversity loss. The Yerevan review gives governments a chance to face the gaps, build stronger partnerships, and turn words into measurable progress for nature and all who rely on it.

KAMPALA — The Ministry of Lands, Housing and Urban Development has introduced stricter procedures for replacing lost, destroyed or damaged land titles, requiring public notices, physical inspections and stronger verification to curb fraud and protect legitimate landowners.

By the Witness Radio team.

In 2024, hunger affected an estimated 673 million people worldwide, the 2025 State of Food Security and Nutrition in the World report reveals, underscoring the urgent need to ensure everyone can access enough nutritious food.

Africa bears a heavy share of this crisis. Hunger affects about 307 million people, more than one in five on the continent. If nothing changes, experts warn that by 2030, as many as 512 million people could face chronic undernourishment, with nearly 60 percent living in Africa.

These numbers make it clear: we must transform our food systems now. It is not just about growing more food; it’s about ensuring everyone can enjoy diets that are diverse, safe, nourishing, and rooted in culture.

On World Food Day 2026, celebrated under the banner “Innovate Today, Nourish Tomorrow,” leaders urged the world to invest boldly in healthy eating, indigenous food traditions and agricultural breakthroughs that truly serve people’s needs.

Italy’s Minister for Agriculture, Food Sovereignty and Forestry, Francesco Lollobrigida, called for greater attention to healthy, balanced and sustainable diets, linking food consumption to human health, cultural heritage and environmental protection.

“To nourish tomorrow, it isn’t enough to invest in innovation and research and in waste reduction. We must also promote dietary habits that are healthy, balanced and sustainable, capitalizing on the deep link between food, health, culture and territory,” Lollobrigida said.

He highlighted Italy’s food culture as a living example of how what we eat can weave together nutrition, environmental care, and the fabric of social life.

“Food isn’t just nutrition; it’s a way of spending time together defending and protecting our environment and our health,” he said.

The minister also urged everyone to unite to tackle food waste, a challenge that stretches from farm fields to family tables. He stressed that governments, businesses, researchers and consumers must join forces through smart policies, new technologies and better food education to end waste.

While Italy’s minister focused on eating habits, King Letsie III of Lesotho, David Mohato Bereng Seeiso, called on African nations to embrace their indigenous foods, crops and traditional wisdom to boost nutrition.

The King noted Africa’s rich tapestry of traditional foods, livestock and aquatic resources, many perfectly suited to local environments and packed with nutrition. Yet he observed researchers, markets and public campaigns too often overlook these treasures.

“Countries must be assisted to promote indigenous traditional and underutilized foods as part of healthier diets, biodiversity conservation, climate adaptation and local economic development,” he said.

He added that building value chains around locally adapted foods could open doors for smallholder farmers, women and young entrepreneurs, all while helping communities safeguard their food heritage.

“While restoring pride in Africa’s food heritage, innovation does not mean abandoning tradition; it means combining the best of modern science with the knowledge and experience of our communities. Nourishing tomorrow should also begin with investing in children today,” King Letsie III added.

His words highlight the need to help farmers preserve locally adapted crops and seeds while harnessing science to boost harvests and nutrition.

FAO Director-General Qu Dongyu said scientific innovation should be judged by its contribution to people’s lives rather than by technological advances alone.

“Innovation is not only about the technology, but it’s also about people. It is about enabling people to turn knowledge into opportunity, science into solutions and hope into action,” he said.

He cited satellite monitoring, early-warning systems, improved irrigation, and digital technologies as tools that can help farmers protect harvests, manage resources, and access markets and financial services.

Today, science provides farmers with tools previous generations could hardly have imagined. Satellites monitor crops from space, helping detect threats before harvests are lost. Early warning systems give farming families time to prepare for droughts, floods and other risks. Smarter irrigation lets farmers produce more food while using less water. Digital technologies connect rural communities to markets, financial services, and networks once out of reach, especially for smallholder farmers. These innovations can strengthen food security, stabilize incomes and create better opportunities for future generations.

Yet innovation alone is not enough. Its true value lies in reaching those who need it most and ensuring successful solutions can be shared and scaled up. The most effective innovations are those developed with farmers and rural communities, considering their needs, knowledge and local conditions, he said.

King Letsie III said transforming food systems requires political leadership, stronger institutions, and adequate nutrition financing.

“Our parOur parliamentarians approve budgets, enact laws, oversee government action and represent citizens’ priorities. I therefore welcome FAO’s engagement with the Pan-African Parliament and national and sub-regional parliamentary alliances on food security and nutrition. Through parliamentary capacity development, FAO is helping legislators create stronger enabling environments. Parliamentarians can and should champion adequate financing for nutrition, protect school meal budgets, promote healthy food environments, improve food safety laws, support women and youth and hold institutions accountable for the commitments made to our people.” He said.

He highlighted school feeding programs as one way to improve children’s diets while creating markets for locally produced food.

Nutritious school meals are a strategic investment that can improve diets, attendance, and learning; strengthen social protection; and create steady demand for locally produced food. Homegrown school meals connect agriculture, nutrition, education and local economic development. School meals should do more than relieve short-term hunger. They should support physical and cognitive development, encourage lifelong healthy habits, strengthen local economies and provide practical learning on nutrition, food safety, hygiene, biodiversity and respect for food. Safe water, sanitation and hygiene are also essential to ensure every meal advances health, dignity and learning, he added.

These leaders’ voices send a clear message: we must bridge the gap between what is grown in fields and what nourishes people’s bodies and lives.

Africa needs stronger links among farmers, researchers, universities, policymakers, entrepreneurs and investors. Solutions that show promise must move beyond pilots and laboratories, be adapted to local realities and scaled through effective institutions and sustainable financing,” the King said.

He emphasized that young people must be at the heart of this movement, with skills, funding, land, digital tools, mentors, and access to markets.