A/RES/67/228 Agriculture development and food security Recognizing also the importance and the positive role of smallholder farmers, including women, cooperatives and indigenous and local communities in developing countries, and their knowledge and practices, in the conservation and sustainable use of traditional crops and biodiversity for present and future generations as an important contribution to the achievement of food security, 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 (special) session of the Committee on World Food Security, held in Rome on 11 May 2012, at which the Committee endorsed the Voluntary Guidelines on the Responsible Governance of Tenure of Land, Fisheries and Forests in the Context of National Food Security, 16 and the outcome of the thirty-ninth session of the Committee, held in Rome from 15 to 20 October 2012, Taking note of the reports of the High-level Panel of Experts on Food Security and Nutrition of the Committee on World Food Security on food security and climate change and on Social protection for food security and the approved terms of reference for an inclusive consultation process within the Committee to develop and ensure broad ownership of principles for responsible agricultural investment, 1. Takes note of the report of the Secretary-General; 17 2. Reiterates the need to adequately and urgently address agriculture development and food security in the context of national, regional and international development policies, taking into account the importance of enhancing synergies between sustainable agriculture practices, biodiversity, food security, nutrition and development policies; Also reiterates the importance of developing countries determining their 3. own food security strategies, that food security and nutrition is a global challenge and a national policy responsibility and that any plans for addressing food security challenges and the eradication of poverty in relation to food security must be nationally articulated, designed, owned and led and built in consultation with all key stakeholders at the national level, as appropriate, and urges Member States, especially those that suffer from food insecurity, to make food security and nutrition a high priority and to reflect this in their national programmes and budgets; Calls upon the international community to support Africa in the 4. implementation of the various programmes under the New Partnership for Africa’s Development, 18 especially the Comprehensive Africa Agriculture Development Programme; 5. Welcomes the Zero Hunger Challenge initiative launched by the Secretary-General at the United Nations Conference on Sustainable Development as a vision for a future free from hunger; Also welcomes the proclamation by the General Assembly, in its 6. resolution 66/221, of 2013 as the International Year of Quinoa and the global launch of the Year, to be held on 31 January 2013, and encourages all Member States, the organizations of the United Nations system and all other relevant stakeholders to _______________ 16 Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, document CL 144/9 (C 2013/20), appendix D. A/67/294. 18 A/57/304, annex. 17 4/8