Agriculture ministers from G20 countries meeting in Bali, Indonesia, in late September repeated their condemnation of the war in Ukraine and its effects on food security.
Canadian minister Marie-Claude Bibeau said the country is steadfast in its support of Ukraine and Ukrainians.
“Canada joined other G20 members in our condemnation of Russia’s brutal invasion of Ukraine, and to outline the serious consequences for the agriculture sector, food prices and food security,” she said in a statement.
Host minister Syahrul Yasin Limpo said food security is a human rights issue.
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Indonesia had set out three priorities for the meeting: promoting resilient and sustainable agriculture and food systems; promoting open fair, predictable, transparent and non-discriminatory agricultural trade; and innovative agricultural entrepreneurship through digital agriculture to improve farmers’ livelihoods.
Syahrul said climate change, the COVID-19 pandemic and the war in Ukraine “demands joint movement and commitment from all G20 countries to take immediate action to accelerate the transformation of agricultural systems and food.”
He said the systems must be more efficient, inclusive, resilient and sustainable to ensure more production, better food and nutrition.
In a news release, Bibeau said research and innovation, empowering women and youth, and science and rules-based trade were the keys to eradicating word hunger.
“Canada will continue to take concrete actions and engage in international dialogue through the G20 and other organizations to help farmers feed the world sustainably,” she said.
During the G20 meeting, Bibeau participated in a forum on digital agriculture and how equitable access to digital tools and resources for women and youth could promote more participation in the industry.
Her statement said the government would continue to work within organizations like the G20 to “support a co-ordinated response to global food security concerns.”
Canada has allocated a record $615.5 million for humanitarian food and nutrition assistance this year, it said, including more than $480 million to the World Food Program.
Meanwhile, Indonesia is a priority market for Canada. Food and agricultural exports were $567 million in 2021, representing a doubling of that market in two years. Main exports include soybeans, non-durum wheat and frozen pork products.
Before the G20 meeting, Bibeau went to the Philippines as part of a trade mission. Her stops included Foremost Milling Corp. to discuss how it uses Canadian wheat, and meetings with the Philippine Association of Meat Processors and the Meat Importers and Traders Association.
She also met with Canadian-based non-governmental organizations to talk about how they help small and medium agricultural businesses in the Philippines grow.
