Dubai (Union)
Her Excellency Maryam bint Muhammad Al Muhairi, Minister of Climate Change and Environment, participated with the Ministers of Agriculture of the Group of Twenty, in Hyderabad, India, for two days, to discuss ways to develop comprehensive food and agricultural systems in the future. The meeting of the group announced a joint statement of the Ministers of Agriculture in the G20 for the year 2023, which is a document confirming the commitment of all members of the group to ensuring food security and nutrition for all. In her comment, Her Excellency Maryam Al Muhairi expressed her thanks and gratitude to the Republic of India for the good organization of the event that brings together the G20 and for hosting a meeting Ministers of Agriculture in the group, Her Excellency also praised the UAE’s invitation for the third time to join the G20 meetings, stressing that cooperation between the UAE and the member states is developing in various fields, and that the UAE is keen to enhance this cooperation in various economic fields, with special interest in enhancing food security and interest global climate change issues.
During her speech to the G20, Al Muhairi said: “The current global food systems are the largest contributor to biodiversity loss, deforestation, drought, and fresh water pollution in the world, and they are the second largest generator of greenhouse gas emissions,” stressing that the G20 is capable of To cooperate more on the transformation of agri-food systems, to assume that responsibility and to lead the world by reaching consensus on the transformation of these systems as soon as possible. Her Excellency added, “Next November, the UAE will host the COP28 Conference of the Parties, which focuses on stimulating the global response to many issues arising from climate change – from food systems to clean energy and biodiversity.” Her Excellency Maryam Al Muhairi called on the G20 member states to support the “Global Framework for Agriculture, Food Systems and Climate”, which will be announced next month during the United Nations Food Systems Summit. Her Excellency said, “We are working to put the final touches on the framework that aims to strengthen agri-food systems within the framework of global climate action.”
During her speech, Al Muhairi indicated that His Excellency Dr. Sultan Al Jaber, Minister of Industry and Advanced Technology, Special Envoy of the UAE for Climate Change, and President-designate of the Conference of the Parties (COP28), will focus on the file of transforming food and agricultural systems within his main agenda as a designated president during the next Conference of the Parties in the UAE. This will help accelerate action and investment in agricultural and food systems that promote climate action and sustainability at the same time.”
Rising prices
The group expressed concern about rising food prices, ongoing disruptions to global supply chains, as well as fluctuations in food and fertilizer prices. She also called for an increased focus on enhancing the resilience of supply chains, given their importance in achieving food security, as the reliability of supply chains is crucial, especially for those living in an environment with a low level of food security, especially women and girls in emergencies and humanitarian crises. The joint statement – which was signed by the G20 agriculture ministers on enhancing global food security – emphasized in particular the importance of continuing knowledge exchange between countries to support innovation efforts for the future. All representatives present at the G20 Agriculture Track meeting emphasized the urgency indicated in the statements of the G20 Leaders at the Matera and Bali Summits. The ministers pledged to help low-income countries, particularly net food importing developing countries, to address the multiple challenges they face due to climate change.
statement
The G20 Agriculture Ministers’ Statement for 2023 included an appendix on the Global Research Initiative on Millet and Cereals. This vital project aims to diversify, improve and develop sustainable food sources, with a focus on underutilized grains that are able to adapt to climate changes. The purpose of this framework is to enhance the efficiency of grain research by enabling scientists to disseminate results more effectively, creating online platforms to enable researchers to communicate with each other, and organizing knowledge exchanges on mutually agreed terms.
The Global Research Initiative project on millet and other ancient grains aims to support efforts under the International Year of Millet 2023 program announced by the United Nations. The attending ministers also called for new initiatives that promote innovations in the production and consumption of agricultural crops, as well as further research on biofortification of agricultural crops.
During the event, Her Excellency Maryam Al Muhairi participated in a breakout session that focused on ways in which the agricultural sector can keep pace with the changing world. During the session, Her Excellency reviewed the UAE’s experiences in this field, starting with its successes in vertical farming, and ending with its ambitious national strategy for food security 2051.
The UAE’s participation in the agricultural track of the G20, its hosting of the upcoming COP28 Conference of the Parties and its declaration of the Year of Sustainability, is an example of the country’s commitment to international cooperation in order to confront climate change. In addition, it launched the “Agricultural Innovation Mission for Climate” (AIM4C) initiative in cooperation with the United States, which seeks to encourage investment in climate-smart agriculture and support the development of food systems over a period of five years.
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