Spiralling food crisis key topic at G20 summit

As Ukrainian and Russian forces battled each other on the other side of the world, a conference on the sidelines of the G20 summit in Bali addressed the spiralling food crisis the conflict has created. The war between two of the world’s biggest grain suppliers has exacerbated the fragility of the global food supply, experts believe.

Taking the opportunity to raise the threat of an impending food crisis, Prime Minister (PM) Narendra Modi cautioned G20 leaders in Bali about the need for a ‘stable’ supply chain of both manure and foodgrains.

"The current shortage of fertilizers in terms of food security is also a huge crisis. Today's fertilizer shortage is tomorrow's food crisis, for which the world will not have a solution," Modi told the gathering, which included US President Joe Biden, British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak and French President Emmanuel Macron.

"We should build mutual agreement to maintain the supply chain of both manure and foodgrains stable and assured. In India, for sustainable food security, we are promoting natural farming and re-popularising nutritious and traditional foodgrains like millets," he said.

"We all must celebrate the International Year of Millets with great enthusiasm next year," he said, adding that millets could also solve global malnutrition and hunger.

PM Modi in his address highlighted how India ensured food security for its 1.3bn citizens during the Covid-19 pandemic while supplying foodgrains to many countries.

Various parts of the world are facing the challenge of food security triggered by the Russian invasion of Ukraine. Ukraine is a major producer of wheat and the halt in its exports of the staple food has triggered its shortage globally.

The G20, or Group of 20, is an influential bloc for global economic cooperation as it represents around 85 per cent of the global GDP, over 75 per cent of the global trade, and about two-thirds of the world population.

It is an intergovernmental forum of the world's major developed and developing economies. It comprises Argentina, Australia, Brazil, Canada, China, France, Germany, India, Indonesia, Italy, Japan, the Republic of Korea, Mexico, Russia, Saudi Arabia, South Africa, Turkey, the UK, the US and the European Union.

India is currently part of the G20 Troika (current, previous and incoming G20 Presidencies) comprising Indonesia, Italy and India.

Global and regional food security have been deliberated upon as one of the priority agendas of the G20 for many years now. In 2021, through the Matera Declaration, G20 ministers recognized that poverty alleviation, food security and sustainable food systems are key to ending hunger.

India had said that the Matera Declaration reflected New Delhi’s concern for the welfare of small and medium farmers, promoting local food cultures and recognizing agri-diversity.

The Matera Declaration also emphasized keeping international food trade open and strengthening global, regional and local diversified value chains for safe, fresh, and nutritious food as well as promoting a science-based holistic One Health approach.

India’s role in dealing with food security is important in light of its journey on the path of sustaining growth in foodgrain production and improving food systems.

One of India’s greatest contributions to equity in food is the National Food Security Act, 2013, which anchors the targeted public distribution system, the mid-day meal scheme and the Integrated Child Development Services. Today, India’s food safety nets collectively reach over a billion people.

Since Independence, India initiated policy measures, land reforms, public investments, institutional infrastructure, new regulatory systems, public support, and intervention in agri-markets and prices and agri-research and extension.

The 1991-2015 period saw the diversification of agriculture with a greater focus on the horticulture, dairy, animal husbandry, and fisheries sectors. The continued learning encompassed elements of nutritional health, food safety, and sustainability.

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 Kalyan Ann Yojana. Through the mechanism of purchases of cereals from farmers, the government was able to provide a swift and resilient response to the Covid-19 pandemic, and avoid supply chain disruption and economic shock using its robust public distribution system.

Over the decades, the Government of India has institutionalized buying grains from farmers and food stocks as strategic reserves for national food security. The minimum support price has encouraged farmers to produce and protected them from financial fluctuations. This process has protected people, especially the most vulnerable and poor, during difficult times.

Such measures, which are context-driven, are needed for managing the uncertainties that have become the new normal for ensuring food security for high-population countries and many other countries across the globe. There needs to be greater investment in agriculture, food safety nets for the poor and vulnerable, new ways of farming, and diversified livelihoods.

(Subhashis Mittra is a New Delhi-Based senior journalist, freelance writer, political commentator and public policy analyst.)