A/RES/68/233 Agriculture development, food security and nutrition Reiterating the urgent need for action to address the adverse effects of climate change on food security, as well as the root causes of food insecurity and malnutrition, Acknowledging that food losses and waste, estimated at 1.3 billion tons annually, occur in lower- and higher-income countries at all stages of the food supply chain, as well as the consumption stage, and recognizing the need to take urgent measures to reduce pre- and post-harvest losses and waste of food, Reiterating the importance of empowering rural women as critical agents for enhancing agricultural and rural development, food security and improved nutrition outcomes, Recognizing that farmers, including small-scale farmers and fisherfolk, pastoralists and foresters, can make important contributions to sustainable development through production activities that are environmentally sound, enhance food security and nutrition outcomes, improve the livelihoods of the poor and invigorate production and sustained economic growth, Recognizing also the importance of smallholder and family farmers, including women, cooperatives, indigenous peoples and local communities in developing countries, and their knowledge and practices, in the conservation and sustainable use of traditional crops and biodiversity, as well as livestock management, which play a positive role in contributing to the achievement of food security and improved nutrition outcomes, as well as in the implementation of development goals in such fields as employment policy, social integration, regional and rural development, agriculture and environmental protection, Welcoming the outcome of the thirty-eighth session of the Conference of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, held in Rome from 15 to 22 June 2013, 17 in particular the decision to modify the Organization’s first global goal from reducing to eradicating hunger, Highlighting the importance of the five strategic objectives of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, Welcoming the outcome of the fortieth session of the Committee on World Food Security, held in Rome from 7 to 11 October 2013, Recognizing the endorsement of the Voluntary Guidelines on the Responsible Governance of Tenure of Land, Fisheries and Forests in the Context of National Food Security 18 by the Committee on World Food Security in 2012, Recognizing also the ongoing inclusive consultative process within the Committee on World Food Security to develop voluntary and non-binding principles for responsible agricultural investments intended for all stakeholders that are involved in, benefit from or are affected by those principles, Noting with appreciation the progress made in the consultative process, based on a twin-track approach, at the Committee on World Food Security to develop a programme of action for addressing food insecurity in protracted crises at the global, regional and national levels and for advancing greater understanding of the _______________ 17 18 4/10 See Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, document C 2013/REP. Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, document CL 144/9 (C 2013/20), appendix D.