17 February 2011: The UN General Assembly (UNGA) recently held an informal plenary meeting on the priorities of the French presidency of the Group of 20 (G20) with regard to agriculture. On behalf of the presidency, Bruno Le Maire, Minister of Food, Agriculture and Fisheries for France, provided a briefing focused on investment in global agriculture, securing food prices, and improving cooperation among G20 countries.

In introductory remarks on the occasion of the plenary, UNGA President Joseph Deiss observed that the French Presidency has set ambitious goals for the G20. He observed that excessive volatility in the prices of raw materials and especially of agricultural products is a problem, and underscored the need to: ensure the best functioning of markets and increase transparency in this regard; create conditions that allow farmers in developing countries to benefit from higher prices; and open up markets for products from developing countries.

Le Maire then provided a briefing in the UNGA. Addressing a press conference following the briefing, Le Maire emphasized that, “We all have the moral obligation to succeed when it comes to flighting volatility in food prices.” He noted general agreement that demand would continue to rise exponentially, while production would only increase mathematically, owing to climate change, the conversion of lands to other uses and other factors. Le Maire observed that the key would be to re-launch investment in global agriculture in order to increase independent agricultural capacity in developing countries. He also highlighted the need for global cooperation, greater information exchange and technical assistance, noting that currently there is no cooperative mechanism on agriculture among the member countries of the G20.

Finally, Le Maire stressed that regional perspectives are important, and he expressed his wish to work closely with agencies such as the Food and Agriculture Organization of hte UN (FAO) and the World Food Programme (WFP) in order to make the current system more efficient. [Introductory Remarks by UNGA President] [Press Statement by Le Maire] [Website of G20 Presidency]