Sustainable agriculture and food security were central topics during this week’s G20 Agriculture Ministerial Meeting in Hyderabad, India.
Day two of the three-day event this week saw ministers from various countries discuss ‘Sustainable Agriculture for Food Security and Nutrition’.
According to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra), the meeting focused on identifying actions and solutions to help tackle global food security and nutrition.
Defra said these solutions included moving to sustainable agriculture to lower impacts on climate and environment while increasing global food security, and ensuring agriculture and food systems are more resilient to shocks.
Ministers also discussed how we can achieve more sustainable food supply chains to reduce impacts such as deforestation caused by unsustainable agriculture, as well as the importance of long-term action and support for farmers and rural communities to ensure we can continue to feed a growing population.
Among the delegates was Secretary of State for Food and Rural Affairs Thérèse Coffey, who has commented:
“Building more resilient food security must be an urgent, ongoing priority for G20 and sustainable agriculture must be at the heart of our efforts.
“As well as making the most of science, tech and innovation, we need to recognise that protecting and supporting the power of nature is essential, and in many cases the most effective and cost-effective way to roll out solutions at scale.”
G20
The first day of the G20 Agriculture Ministerial meeting on Thursday (June 15) commenced with an exhibition by Indian politician and the country’s farming minister Shri Kailash Choudhary, which showcased India’s achievements in agriculture and allied sectors. This was followed by an Agriculture Deputies Meeting.
In the second half of the day there were two events on the following topics: ‘Managing Agribusiness for Profit, People and Planet’, and ‘Connecting the Digitally Disconnected: Harnessing the Power of Digital Technologies in Agriculture’.
Other topics discussed on day two, which was yesterday (Friday, June 16), included women-led agriculture, sustainable biodiversity, and climate solutions.
The third and last day, today (Saturday, June 17), will conclude with the adoption of the outcomes of the Agriculture Working Group, G20, Indian Presidency. The delegation will then proceed for a technical excursion to ICAR-Indian Institute of Millets Research (IIMR), Hyderabad.
G20, which is held annually, is a forum for top country leaders to discuss global issues in the name of economic cooperation.
