Transforming agriculture Digital revolution and addressing food security and nutrition on the global stage
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Narendra Singh Tomar, Minister of Agriculture & Farmers Welfare, GoI
Contd from previous issue
An important grouping of the G20 deals with agriculture, which has held meetings in different cities of India over the past months, with an emphasis on promoting food security and climate resilience through sustainable agriculture. This has been a major topic during the meetings, which concerns the whole world.
The G20 Agriculture Working Group (AWG) meetings held during this mega event were historic. The achievements of the Agriculture Working Group represent the collective efforts of over 200 delegates who have traveled over the past months from India’s cleanest city, Indore, to the well-planned urban landscape of Chandigarh, to the holy city of Varanasi, and finally reached to the mesmerizing city of pearls, Hyderabad.
The G20 Agriculture Ministers’ Meeting held on 16-17 June 2023 in Hyderabad, India, offers a major milestone in the global discourse on food security and nutrition. This gathering reaffirmed international commitments to establishing inclusive, resilient, and sustainable agricultural systems.
The Context : An Unprecedented Call for Action
The meeting’s outcome document laid bare the global community’s concerns about food and fertilizer price volatility, supply chain disruptions, and geopolitical tensions. Resilient and reliable supply chains were emphasized as essential for global food security, particularly for marginalized groups like women and girls during humanitarian crises.
Diversifying Food Resources
One of the meeting’s standout sections focuses on the importance of diverse and sustainably produced nutritious food. Encouraging initiatives to innovate in crop development, the ministers pointed to the need for climate-resilient, locally adapted, and underutilized grains. The document emphasizes the role of research and development in enhancing agricultural produc- tivity.
Nutrition and Bioforti-fication
The Ministers endorsed an evidence-based approach to nutrition, emphasizing that nutrient adequacy must primarily come from a diverse food base. They also acknowledged the potential of biofortification in improving nutritional content in crops.
A Focus on Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)
The ministers recognized the interconnectedness of sustainable agriculture, food production, international trade, and the achievement of the SDGs—especially the zero-hunger goal (SDG2).
According to recent projections, almost 600 million people will still be chronically undernourished by 2030, underscoring the immense challenge of eradicating hunger.
They highlighted the importance of enhancing capacity in developing countries for sustainable food production, storage, marketing, and loss reduction.
Transparency and Data-Driven Decision-Making
The Agricultural Market Information System (AMIS) and the Group on Earth Observations Global Agricultural Monitoring (GEO- GLAM) were acknowledged as crucial initiatives for enhancing agricultural market trans- parency. Given that food insecurity is not just a matter of availability but also of access.
Implications and Future Actions
Under India’s leadership in this G20 meeting, these discussions provide a scaffold upon which interna- tional initiatives can be built or expanded, offering a timely response to the increasing acute food insecurity and persistent high levels of hunger reported globally.
The roadmap has been laid; the challenge now is its implementation. As countries share best practices and build on these principles, the promise of a world with robust food security and better nutrition comes ever closer to realization. This milestone meeting serves as a significant catalyst, carrying the potential to change the course of food security and nutrition for generations to come. PIB
Contd from previous issue
An important grouping of the G20 deals with agriculture, which has held meetings in different cities of India over the past months, with an emphasis on promoting food security and climate resilience through sustainable agriculture. This has been a major topic during the meetings, which concerns the whole world.
The G20 Agriculture Working Group (AWG) meetings held during this mega event were historic. The achievements of the Agriculture Working Group represent the collective efforts of over 200 delegates who have traveled over the past months from India’s cleanest city, Indore, to the well-planned urban landscape of Chandigarh, to the holy city of Varanasi, and finally reached to the mesmerizing city of pearls, Hyderabad.
The G20 Agriculture Ministers’ Meeting held on 16-17 June 2023 in Hyderabad, India, offers a major milestone in the global discourse on food security and nutrition. This gathering reaffirmed international commitments to establishing inclusive, resilient, and sustainable agricultural systems.
The Context : An Unprecedented Call for Action
The meeting’s outcome document laid bare the global community’s concerns about food and fertilizer price volatility, supply chain disruptions, and geopolitical tensions. Resilient and reliable supply chains were emphasized as essential for global food security, particularly for marginalized groups like women and girls during humanitarian crises.
Diversifying Food Resources
One of the meeting’s standout sections focuses on the importance of diverse and sustainably produced nutritious food. Encouraging initiatives to innovate in crop development, the ministers pointed to the need for climate-resilient, locally adapted, and underutilized grains. The document emphasizes the role of research and development in enhancing agricultural produc- tivity.
Nutrition and Bioforti-fication
The Ministers endorsed an evidence-based approach to nutrition, emphasizing that nutrient adequacy must primarily come from a diverse food base. They also acknowledged the potential of biofortification in improving nutritional content in crops.
A Focus on Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)
The ministers recognized the interconnectedness of sustainable agriculture, food production, international trade, and the achievement of the SDGs—especially the zero-hunger goal (SDG2).
According to recent projections, almost 600 million people will still be chronically undernourished by 2030, underscoring the immense challenge of eradicating hunger.
They highlighted the importance of enhancing capacity in developing countries for sustainable food production, storage, marketing, and loss reduction.
Transparency and Data-Driven Decision-Making
The Agricultural Market Information System (AMIS) and the Group on Earth Observations Global Agricultural Monitoring (GEO- GLAM) were acknowledged as crucial initiatives for enhancing agricultural market trans- parency. Given that food insecurity is not just a matter of availability but also of access.
Implications and Future Actions
Under India’s leadership in this G20 meeting, these discussions provide a scaffold upon which interna- tional initiatives can be built or expanded, offering a timely response to the increasing acute food insecurity and persistent high levels of hunger reported globally.
The roadmap has been laid; the challenge now is its implementation. As countries share best practices and build on these principles, the promise of a world with robust food security and better nutrition comes ever closer to realization. This milestone meeting serves as a significant catalyst, carrying the potential to change the course of food security and nutrition for generations to come. PIB