22 January 2017: The ninth meeting of the ministers of agriculture of the Group of 20 (G20) adopted an ‘Action Plan’ focusing on, among other issues, water for agriculture, the use of information and communication technologies (ICT) in agriculture and combating anti-microbial resistance (AMR).

On water management, ministers commit to better integration of sustainable water management in food and agricultural policies, improving policy coherence and reducing food waste to alleviate pressure on water resources. Furthermore, ministers encourage: responsible public and private investment in sustainable water management; improved plant and animal breeding to enhance water-use efficiency and resilience; development of cost-effective risk management instruments to increase resilience against adverse weather events; improved data and information for sustainable water and soil management; and research and development and exchange of research outcomes.

On ICT in agriculture, ministers underscore that farmers require proper access to high-speed digital infrastructure, and state that they will improve ICT skills of farmers and farm workers, and improve the connectivity of ICT applications and equipment.

Regarding the prevention of anti-microbial resistance, ministers commit to action to reduce the risk of diseases and to prevent unnecessary use of antibiotics. Specifically, they commit to: promoting a requirement that antibiotics used in livestock husbandry and aquaculture be prescribed by veterinarians or other authorized persons; and phasing out the use of antibiotics as growth promoters in food producing animals in the absence of risk analysis. They state that countries will either conduct transparent risk analysis or launch road maps to phase out the use of antibiotics as growth promoters by 2020.

José Graziano da Silva, FAO Director-General, underlined the importance of ICT, noting its potential to improve efficiency, resilience and inclusion of poor family farmers.

Speaking to ministers during the meeting, José Graziano da Silva, Director-General of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the UN (FAO), underlined the importance of ICT, noting its potential to improve efficiency, resilience and inclusion of poor family farmers. He also invited ministers to participate in FAO’s Global Framework for Water Scarcity and to support FAO’s work on antimicrobial resistance.

The G20 meeting of agricultural ministers held on 22 January 2017, in Berlin, Germany, was the first of a series of ministerial meetings and working groups preparing for the G20 Summit, scheduled to take place from 7-8 July 2017, in Hamburg, Germany. The ministerial meetings provide an opportunity to address individual G20 topics in-depth. [UN Press Release] [FAO Press Release] [G20 Agriculture Ministers’ Declaration 2017] [G20 Agriculture Ministers’ Action Plan] [G20 Ministers’ Meetings]