News Highlight
India will assume G20 Presidency from December 1, 2022, and India should work to ensure the food security of the global and regional levels.
Key Takeaway
- The global situation has worsened with growing conflicts and spiralling climate crises marked by droughts, floods, cyclones, and economic downturns in the past few years.
- In this context, India’s presidency of the G20 offers a historical opportunity for the country to share its successful journey in moving from a fooddeficit nation to a food surplus nation and address the growing challenges of food security for creating resilient and equitable food systems.
The Matera Declaration
- About
- It is related to food security, nutrition and the food system.
- In 2021, through the Matera Declaration, G20 ministers recognised that poverty alleviation, food security, and sustainable food systems are vital to ending hunger.
- Objectives
- The Matera Declaration also emphasised keeping international food trade open, strengthening global, regional, and local diversified value chains for safe, fresh, and nutritious food, and promoting a sciencebased holistic One Health approach.
India and food security initiatives.
- The National Food Security Act.
- One of India’s most significant contributions to equity in food is the National Food Security Act, of 2013.
- It targeted the public distribution system, the midday meal scheme, and the Integrated Child Development Services.
- Diversification of agriculture
- The 1991-2015 period saw the diversification of agriculture, with greater focus being given to the horticulture, dairy, animal husbandry, and fisheries sectors.
- Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Ann Yojana
- In the past three years, while responding to the pandemic, India has set a global example in alleviating hunger by bringing in the Pradhan Mantri Garib KalyanAnn Yojana.
- Through the mechanism of purchases of cereals from farmers, the government was able to provide a swift and resilient response to the COVID19 pandemic and avoid supply chain disruption and economic shock using its robust public distribution system.
- The minimum support price
- The minimum support price has encouraged farmers to produce and protects them from financial fluctuations.
- During difficult times, this process has protected people, especially the most vulnerable and poor.
UN Food Systems Summit
- About
- It seeks to set the stage for global food system transformation to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals by 2030.
- Five identified action tracks
- The summit created a mechanism focused on five identified action tracks:
- Ensure access to safe and nutritious food for all
- Shift to sustainable consumption patterns
- Boost nature positive production
- Advance equitable livelihoods
- Build resilience to vulnerabilities, shocks, and stress.
What is G-20?
- About
- The G20 was formed in 1999 against the backdrop of the financial crisis of the late 1990s that hit East Asia and Southeast Asia in particular.
- Aims
- It aims to secure global financial stability by involving middle-income countries.
- Feature
- It is an informal group of 19 countries and the European Union (EU), with representatives of the International Monetary Fund and the World Bank.
- Members:
- Argentina
- Australia
- Brazil
- Canada
- China
- France
- Germany
- India
- Indonesia
- Italy
- Japan
- The Republic of Korea
- Mexico
- Russia
- Saudi Arabia
- South Africa
- Turkey
- The United Kingdom
- The United States
- The EU.
- India has been a member of the G20 since its inception in 1999.
Content Source: The Hindu