The International Poultry Council (IPC) affirmed its commitment as a leader in transforming the world through environmental and sustainable practices, in partnership with the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO).
During a signing ceremony at its bi-annual conference, a Commitment of the Poultry Meat Sector was signed by the IPC and the FAO in the presence of the IPC President Robin Horel and FAO’s Senior Animal Production Officer Badi Besbes, reinforcing the cooperation agreement renewed in 2018.
Focusing on five of the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), the IPC committed to the sustainable development of the sector, delivering benefits for both the planet and people globally. These included:
- Zero hunger (SDG 2) – sharing good practices and promoting sustainable production;
- Good health and well-being (SDG 3) – promoting poultry as a healthy choice and sharing good management and manufacturing practices;
- Quality education (SDG 4) – building capacity to ensure high quality and sustainable production;
- Industry, innovation and infrastructure (SDG 9) – Supporting innovative and sustainable industrialisation;
- Climate action (SDG 13)– reducing greenhouse gas and other emissions.
Following the signing ceremony, IPC President Robin Horel (Canadian Poultry & Egg Processors Council), said, “The choices our industry make today are hugely important and this commitment is a natural progression from our active participation in the Global Agenda for Sustainable Livestock and the Livestock Environmental Assessment Partnership. Ensuring we develop our commitment to the SDGs as part of our ongoing cooperation is important to us; as society changes, and people live and work in different ways, the industry must also provide more innovation, information and sustainability. By embracing change we can deliver healthy and sustainable poultry meat for millions of people worldwide.” The FAO Representative Badi Besbes stated “The poultry meat sector can make an important contribution to the fight against poverty and hunger and has a key role to play in achieving the UN Sustainable Development Goals”. He added “Since 2010, FAO and IPC work together to promote sustainable food production and consumption and to foster innovation, responsible investment, enhanced efficiency and employment creation”.