United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres praised Ethiopia’s investment in wheat production and climate-aligned food policy as a model of how national leadership can reduce import dependence, create jobs and drive resilience in the face of global food insecurity.

In a video message delivered to delegates at the opening of the Second UN Food Systems Summit Stocktaking Moment (UNFSS+4) in Addis Ababa, Guterres said Ethiopia’s approach reflects the type of integrated, climate-smart food systems transformation the world urgently needs. He thanked the governments of Ethiopia and Italy for co-hosting the event, calling it a critical moment to renew global commitment to inclusive, sustainable and equitable food systems.

"Look no further than Ethiopia," he said, highlighting how local wheat production and forward-looking food policy are helping the country shift away from costly imports while generating employment and building rural resilience.

Complementing this progress is Ethiopia’s ambitious “Yelemat Tirufat” initiative—also known as the “Bounty of the Basket”—launched in 2022 to boost production of dairy, eggs, poultry, honey, and related products. This four-year program aims to improve nutritional self-sufficiency, create jobs, increase exports and reduce reliance on imports of animal products. Through this initiative, Ethiopia has significantly expanded livestock productivity, with millions of cows inseminated and tens of millions of improved chicks supplied, advancing food security at household and national levels.

Despite noting signs of progress since the first Food Systems Summit in 2021—including more than 150 countries now advancing reforms—Guterres warned that global hunger continues to rise, trade shocks are driving food prices higher, and nearly a third of the world’s population still cannot afford a healthy diet.

“The hidden costs of our food systems — on health, nature and human suffering — exceed $10 trillion a year. That’s more than three times the GDP of the African continent,” he said. “This is not just a crisis of scarcity. It is a crisis of justice, equity and climate.”

Guterres said what is now needed is a break from business as usual. He urged world leaders to dismantle policy silos and foster cooperation that connects agriculture to broader concerns like health, climate, trade and finance. He called for governance that gives equal weight to the voices of women, youth, Indigenous Peoples and smallholder farmers. He emphasized the urgency of unlocking large-scale financing, including through debt relief and reform of the global financial architecture, to support developing nations in building sustainable, people-centered food systems.

He also stressed the need for private sector engagement guided by public accountability, and called for innovative financing tools, including greater alignment between climate finance and food systems.

The Secretary-General’s remarks framed food not merely as a commodity, but as a linchpin for public health, climate action, peace and economic justice. “The future of food is the future of humanity,” he said. “Let us work together to build food systems that nourish every person, restore our planet and grow prosperity from the ground up.”

Ethiopia’s hosting of the summit comes amid a national push for agricultural self-sufficiency, with wheat cultivation expanding rapidly under government-backed programs. The country is also advancing integrated policies through initiatives like Yelemat Tirufat that combine livestock development with climate resilience, gender inclusion, and poverty reduction, signaling a holistic approach to food systems transformation.