Context: Recently, Union Agriculture Minister participated in an virtual meeting of G-20 Agriculture Ministers which was organised by the Saudi Presidency.

Key Points

• It  was organized through video conferencing by the Saudi Presidency to deliberate on the ways and means of ensuring continuity of the food supply value chain including livelihood of farmers.
• The meeting sought to address the issue of Covid-19 impacts on food security, safety and nutrition.
• No export restrictions or high taxes on food and agricultural products purchased by the World Food Programme (WFP) and other humanitarian agencies.
• The International Fund for Agricultural Development will help in technical assistance, and work to improve resilience in agriculture.
• The G20 AMIS (Agricultural Market Information System) will help coordinate policy responses.
• The G-20 nations resolved to have international cooperation in the backdrop of the Covid-19 pandemic to avoid food wastages and losses, and maintain the continuity of the food supply value chain across borders.
• They also resolved to work together for food security and nutrition, share best practices and lessons learnt, promote research, responsible investments, innovations and reforms that will improve the sustainability and resilience of agriculture and food systems.

World Food Programme

• It is the food assistance branch of the United Nations, established in 1961.
• Aim:To eradicate hunger and malnutrition with the ultimate goal of eliminating the need for food aid itself.

International Fund for Agricultural Development

• Established in 1977, it is an international financial institution and a specialised agency of the United Nations. It works to address poverty and hunger in rural areas of developing countries

G20 AMIS (Agricultural Market Information System)

• It is an inter-agency platform to enhance food market transparency and encourage international policy coordination in times of crisis. It was established in 2011 at the request of G20 countries.

G20: It is an informal group of 19 countries and the European Union with representatives of the International Monetary Fund and the World Bank.