Italy, Japan, France, the United States, the United Kingdom, Germany, Canada, and the European Union participated in the meeting. Several UN organizations were also present at the meeting, such as the FAO, IFAD, OECD, and WFP.
The agriculture ministers of the seven major Western industrialized countries said they are “deeply concerned about the devastating impact that the war has on global food security, not least due to price spikes in grains, fuel, and fertilizer.”
With hunger rising and domestic food price inflation soaring in much of the world, collective actions are needed to meet global food security goals in both the short and long term. This was stated by Qu Dongyu, the Director-General of the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), at the G7 meeting.
The FAO chief pointed to five core actions for the G7 to make progress toward sustainable agro-food systems, including the roles of markets, aid, the private sector, and science and innovation.
Discussions within the G7 about increasing agricultural production have so far not been a major topic, partly because most countries are themselves major food exporters and often competitors. There is also concern that efforts to expand agricultural production could prompt some countries to adopt protectionist measures, such as subsidizing farmers.
The G7 countries pledged to support Ukraine’s recovery, including assistance with demining agricultural land and restoring storage facilities and irrigation systems destroyed by Russia.
They emphasized that the prolonged invasion and climate change have made resilient and sustainable food systems increasingly important. They called for the promotion of both domestic production and international trade to diversify supply chains for agricultural products. They also vowed to make efforts to improve sustainable productivity.
The ministers also approved an action plan for sustainable agriculture. The plan calls for a wide range of innovations in agriculture and intensified efforts to reform agricultural policies to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.