A meeting of the G20 working group on agriculture has started in Durban, South Africa, with participants set to discuss key macroeconomic factors affecting food prices.
ENA, a partner of TV BRICS, reports that the meeting will discuss access to supplies on domestic and international markets.
At the opening of the three-day meeting, South Africa’s Minister of Agriculture, John Steenhuisen, called for united efforts in the face of global challenges, including climate change and food insecurity.
According to him, the transfer of technology and innovative solutions will be key to the sustainable development of the agro-industrial sector.
The minister emphasised the need for food chains that both contribute to food production and preserve ecosystems.
“We are deeply committed to ensuring that this working group becomes a platform for collective ambition, practical collaboration, and long-term transformation,” Stenhuizen said, adding that South Africa has an inclusive and action-oriented approach.
South Africa took over the G20 presidency in December 2024 under the motto “Solidarity, Equality, and Sustainability”.
According to President Cyril Ramaphosa, the country’s top priorities for the period include strengthening support to states in the global South, increasing access to development finance, and adapting to climate change.
The G20 was founded in 1999 after the Asian financial crisis as a forum for the Finance Ministers and Central Bank Governors to discuss global economic and financial issues.
It was upgraded to the level of Heads of State/Government in the wake of the global economic and financial crisis of 2007, and, in 2009, was designated the “premier forum for international economic cooperation”.
In 2023, India put forth a proposal for the African Union to attain permanent membership status within the G-20, a proposal that garnered unanimous support from all participating nations.
Hence, the African Union was accepted as a permanent member of the G20.
Members of the G20 are: Argentina, Australia, Brazil, Canada, China, France, Germany, India, Indonesia, Italy, Japan, Republic of Korea, Mexico, Russia, Saudi Arabia, South Africa, Türkiye, the United Kingdom, and the United States), the European Union, and since 2023, the African Union. (TV BRICS/NAN)
