G8/G20 Initiatives in Relation to Food Security Issues

The Group of Twenty (G20) major economies consists of 19 countries (Argentina, Australia, Brazil, Germany, India, Indonesia, Italy, Canada, China, the Republic of Korea, Mexico, the Russian Federation, Saudi Arabia, Turkey, France, South Africa, Japan, the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, the United States of America.) and the European Union. The G20 originally (since 1999) has brought together the finance ministers and central bank governors. The meetings of heads of states have been held since 2008. It was a response to the financial crisis, which began at that time in the global economy, and the way to engage in a discussion of global issues the most important emerging economies playing an increasingly important role in the world.

In general, the G20 have produced more than 80% of gross world product, and they are home to two- thirds of the world population. The trade of G20 countries amounts to 80% of the world trade.

The food security issues are high at the summits of the G20. At the summit in 2010 in Seoul (Republic of Korea) the Multi-Year Action Plan on Development was adopted which included a section on food security (www.g20.utoronto.ca/2010/ g20seoul-development.html). It contains two Actions – Action 1: Enhance policy coherence and coordination and Action 2: Mitigate risks in price volatility and enhance protection of the most vulnerable.

In June 2011, within the framework of the French Presidency of the G20 meeting of Agriculture Ministers, the Action Plan on Food Price Volatility and Agriculture was adopted. (www.g20.utoronto.ca/summits/2011cannes.html). The Action Plan attaches great importance to improving productivity, protection of vulnerable population from the negative impact of rising food prices, the coordination of national efforts to address the food crisis, and the establishment of food reserves.

The Declaration endorsed by G20 leaders meeting in Cannes in 2011 (Cannes Summit Final Declaration- www.g20.utoronto.ca/2011/2011-cannes-declaration-111104-en.html), identified five major goals designed to improve the food security and agricultural productivity:

1. improving agricultural production and productivity;

2. increasing market information and transparency;

3. reducing the effects of price volatility for the most vulnerable;

4. strengthening international policy coordination; and

5. improving the functioning of agricultural commodity derivatives' mark.

www.fao.org/fsnforum/ecfs/en – 1 – [email protected]

In 2012, during Mexico's presidency of the G20, one of the priorities was to raise food security and to respond to the volatility of commodity prices. In fact, the previously declared global objectives have been confirmed, and the need to implement the commitments made in 2011 has been stressed. These commitments include:

• Formation of Agriculture Market Information System within FAO. This system provides the statistical and analytical information on the production and global stocks at the markets of wheat, corn, rice and soybeans. The system is designed to promote transparency in food markets and help governments to inform the actions taken in response to global food price hikes.

• Development of the International Research Initiative for Wheat Improvement (IRIWI), designed to strengthen cooperation and coordination between the national and international research programs of tender wheat and Durum wheat.

• Development of the Excessive Food Price Variability Early Warning System. It has provided information on the price volatility since 2000 up to the present time, including daily volatility. It also shows the periods of excessive volatility in food prices on world markets. This information may be useful in determining the level of food security in the country, including the availability of natural food supplies.

• Creation of the Tropical Agriculture Platform (TAP). Its objectives are: the determination of optimal models of agricultural production, the organization of exchange of experience and improvement of continued training programs, including distance training.

• The Global Agriculture Monitoring Initiative (GEO ) has been created in order to improve the forecasts of agricultural production at the national, regional and international levels. The coordination of satellite monitoring systems in different regions of the world has been also envisaged.

In 2013, the presidency of the G20 was transferred to the Russian Federation. Under the presidency of Russia it is expected to continue work in the directions identified in the past, as well as along three priorities related to the need for a new cycle of economic growth in the world economy:

Investments – to enhance the growth of economy and employment;

Trust and transparency - to enhance the growth of economy;

Effective regulation – to enhance the growth of economy.

Within the framework of the priority investment to enhance the growth of economy and employment the topic of international development assistance has been highlighted, one of the elements of which addressed the food security with a focus on increasing agricultural production and the solution of problems related to poor nutrition of the population in some regions of the world.

The framework documents on the issues of food security are being currently prepared, which should include the questions related to the effects of agricultural growth on rural development, the implementation of programs of social protection and assistance, risk management, transparency and efficiency of agricultural risks prevention, and the improvement of the food aid effectiveness.