Canada’s ag minister Marie-Claude Bibeau is in Italy to take part in the biennial conference of the United Nations’ Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO). It’s taking place in Rome from July 1-7 under the theme:  water resource management.

There will be three round tables on the theme of water. Table One will be centred on Water Scarcity: Making water flow for people and planet; Round Table Two on Integrated Flood Risk Management; and Round Table Three will focus on Water Infrastructure.  All of topics are relevant to Canadian agriculture.

Minister Bibeau is expected to be formally elected as chair of the FAO conference on its first day. She will be the first female agriculture minister to be in the role, and the first Canadian to chair since 1997. The chair presides over the gathering of the full membership of the FAO, facilitating the exchange of views among all members as they work together towards global food security and the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals.

While in Italy, Minister Bibeau will also take the opportunity to discuss Canadian agricultural opportunities with Italian agri-food stakeholders, including the mutual benefits of the Canada-European Union Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement (CETA). She will host a roundtable discussion with female leaders in agriculture and agri-food from around the world, meet with Canadian industry associations, and meet Italian businesses who use Canadian agriculture and agri-food products.

Source:  Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada June 30, 2023 news release