Climate Change and Food Security:  Interactions and solutions

Food safety is a crucial component of the One Health concept, according to Goshgar Tahmazli, Chairman of the Azerbaijan Food Safety Agency (AFSA), Report informs.

Tahmazli shared this insight during the roundtable discussion on the One Health approach, held within the framework of COP29.

The chairman noted that in today's world, new challenges are emerging in society, including in social and economic spheres, due to the impact of climate and environmental factors. "Joint action is crucial in identifying and managing these issues. In this regard, we emphasize the special significance of COP29 and consider it a discussion platform with vast opportunities," he stated.

“Currently, factors that can seriously harm the health of humans and other living beings, as well as the environment, are manifesting themselves prominently worldwide. At the same time, coordinated action mechanisms are being established internationally to manage these factors and minimize their harm.”

The chairman highlighted that to ensure the population's access to healthy and safe food, it is necessary to properly manage all potential risks along the food chain from primary production to consumption, including the harmful effects of environmental factors. "However, natural contaminants present in air, water, and soil, as well as improper use of pesticides and agrochemicals in crop farms and veterinary drugs and antibiotics in livestock farms, lead to levels of these substances exceeding permissible limits in plant and animal-based food products. This poses a serious threat not only to plant and animal health but also to human health," he warned.

Tahmazli also explained that according to statistics, approximately 600 million people worldwide face health problems each year due to contaminated food products.

“Especially, irresponsible use of antibiotics is causing globally concerning antimicrobial resistance, which is recognized as one of the pressing issues for modern healthcare and food safety systems. Considering its direct impact on animal health and indirect effect on human health, the safety of feed products is also considered an essential component of food safety,” he concluded.