“Our current development model is unsustainable,” he declared, urging a reorientation toward systems that prioritize human dignity and sustainability over relentless profit.
Newsroom (01/10/2025, Gaudium Press ) In a powerful address at a seminar held on September 30 at the headquarters of the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) in Rome, Monsignor Fernando Chica Arellano, the Holy See’s Permanent Observer to the United Nations’ food and agriculture organizations, called for a fundamental shift in global economic models. “Our current development model is unsustainable,” he declared, urging a reorientation toward systems that prioritize human dignity and sustainability over relentless profit.
A World in Crisis Speaking to an audience of diplomats, NGO representatives, and civil society leaders, Chica Arellano painted a stark picture of the challenges facing humanity. “In 2024, 673 million people suffered from hunger, and 2.6 billion could not afford a healthy diet, particularly in low-income countries where food expenses account for over half of household budgets,” he noted. Soaring inflation has further eroded purchasing power, deepening poverty and exacerbating food insecurity. These remarks, delivered during the seminar Economy at the Service of Integral Development: Acting Together to Leave No One Behind, underscored the urgency of addressing interconnected global crises.
A Lethal Combination The Holy See’s representative highlighted the compounding effects of “ruthless wars, extreme climate events, economic shocks, political instability, and market volatility,” which he described as a “lethal combination” for global food systems. These crises, he argued, have exposed the fragility of an economic framework driven by short-term gains and exploitation.
Safeguarding Creation Drawing on the teachings of Pope Leo XIV, Chica Arellano emphasized the need for sustainable food systems rooted in solidarity. He advocated for an approach that moves beyond the “logic of reckless exploitation” to preserve and protect the Earth’s resources. “We must create conditions to care for Creation,” he urged, calling for policies that prioritize long-term stewardship over immediate profit.
Rethinking Development Chica Arellano challenged the long-standing notion that happiness and progress depend on endless consumption and GDP growth. “For decades, we believed that to be happy, we needed more, and that rising GDP was the measure of societal well-being,” he said. This mindset, he argued, has proven unsustainable. Instead, he called for an economy that serves “integral development,” one that places human dignity and equity at its core. “Overcoming the idea that profit at all costs should guide our economy requires us to question the very model of development we’ve relied upon,” he concluded.
The seminar, hosted by IFAD, served as a platform for renewed dialogue on building a more just and sustainable global economy, with Chica Arellano’s remarks resonating as a clarion call for collective action to address the world’s pressing challenges.
- Raju Hasmukh with files from Vatican News
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