Global Technical Forum of Landlocked Developing Countries on Food Security and the Sustainable Development Goals
Tashkent (Uzbekistan), 07/10/2026 - 08/10/2026
[Building on the foundation laid by the International Forum of Landlocked Developing Countries on Food Security and the SDGs September 2024, the upcoming Global Technical Forum convenes at a defining moment for sustainable development. The current global context, marked by geopolitical landscape, market disruptions and increasing climate variability has amplified the structural vulnerabilities of LLDCs. Transforming the agrifood systems of LLDCs is therefore both a technical priority and a development imperative, essential for achieving food security and other related SDGs.]
Landlocked Developing Countries (LLDCs) face unique structural challenges stemming from their lack of direct access to global markets, high transport costs, and dependence on transit countries. These constraints significantly influence their economic development, trade competitiveness, and food security outcomes.
Agrifood systems are central to the livelihoods and economies of LLDCs. Agriculture accounts for a substantial share of GDP and employment, supporting most of rural populations.
However, these systems are often characterized by low productivity, limited access to finance and technologies, weak market integration, and high vulnerability to climate and economic shocks. Strengthening agrifood systems is therefore essential for achieving food security, reducing poverty, and advancing progress toward the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), particularly SDG 2 (Zero Hunger).
Key imperatives
The Forum will focus on advancing actionable solutions to support agrifood systems transformation – an essential prerequisite for achieving food security and sustainable development in LLDCs – across four interconnected priority areas that address the structural challenges facing these countries.
- Combating Climate Change and Environmental Vulnerability
Addressing climate risks through resilience-building measures, early warning systems, and sustainable natural resource management.
- Driving Transformation through Science, Technology, and Innovation
Promoting digital agriculture, artificial intelligence, and innovation ecosystems to overcome geographic constraints and enhance productivity.
- Optimizing Trade and Market Access
Improving connectivity, trade facilitation and regional integration to address the high transport and transit costs faced by LLDCs, reduce trade barriers and enhance the efficiency and competitiveness of agrifood systems.
- Catalysing Sustainable Financing
The resources currently available are vastly insufficient to meet the investment needs for the sustainable transformation of agrifood systems in LLDCs. A primary focus of the forum will be exploring financing needs and potential financing models. These may include blended finance, public-private partnerships, and mechanisms pooled from international donors to directly support LLDC priorities for the sustainable transformation of agrifood systems.
Across these priority areas, the following cross-cutting themes will be reflected: youth, gender equality and women’s empowerment, governance and data.
Agenda
High-level opening
Keynote address
|