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Th G20 Summit 2023 in New Delhi, held over September 9-10, brought India’s rich cultural, culinary and agricultural heritage to the forefront. And when it came to the agenda of the G20 Summit 2023 itself, much was achieved in terms of global peace and cooperation. A part of these achievements made under the Indian Presidency of the G20 Summit was the G20 Deccan High-Level Principles on Food Security and Nutrition 2023, a declaration made by all member nations and their Heads of State.
Keeping the global conditions of food security, climate change, wars and conflicts, etc in mind, the declaration’s main focus will be on the G20 nations’ commitment to eliminate hunger and malnutrition. The declaration highlights the impact the lack of food and nutrition security has on the most vulnerable populations in the world. “Rising commodity prices, including food and energy prices are contributing to cost of living pressures. Global challenges like poverty and inequality, climate change, pandemics, and conflicts disproportionately affect women and children, and the most vulnerable,” the declaration’s preamble states.
Video Credit: YouTube/Sanjeev Kapoor Khazana
Recognising the benefits of growing ancient and traditional crops like millets, which are not only nutritious but also support livelihoods of farming communities, the declaration noted that the G20 members will pay special attention to agriculture. “We encourage efforts to strengthen research cooperation on climate-resilient and nutritious grains such as millets, quinoa, sorghum, and other traditional crops including rice, wheat, and maize. We welcome the outcomes from the G20 members’ engagement in the 12th G20 Meeting of Agriculture Chief Scientists (MACS),” the declaration says.
The G20 leaders further said that to do this better, the access and availability of agricultural knowledge, fertilizers, etc is very important. The efficient use of fertilizers especially should be increased simultaneously with local fertilizer production, while keeping soil health in mind. And as these methods improve agricultural productivity throughout the world, the declaration also highlighted that food loss and waste should also be reduced across the agricultural value chain by improving storage, marketing and trade. All of this together can help create more sustainable and climate-resilient agricultural food systems.
Further, the need to focus on helping developing nations across the world and those ravaged by conflict like Ukraine and Syria was also bolstered through the declaration. “Commit to support developing countries’ efforts and capacities to address their food security challenges, and work together to enable access to affordable, safe, nutritious and healthy diets, and to foster the progressive realisation of the right to adequate food,” the declaration said. The G20 leaders’ declaration further highlighted their commitment to strengthen the Agricultural Market Information System (AMIS) and the Group on Earth Observations Global Agricultural Monitoring (GEOGLAM) to avoid food price volatility and enhance global coordination regarding early warning systems for natural disasters.
