News in brief: The first day 2023 G20 meeting of agriculture ministers in Hyderabad, India focused on the importance of collaborations. It hosted a showcase of innovations in agriculture and panel discussions on managing agribusiness and harnessing digital technologies.
The 2023 G20 meeting of agriculture ministers, director generals, international organisations and private companies started off on Thursday with panel discussions on the necessity of collaborations.
Held in Hyderabad, India, the meeting was organised by the Agriculture Working Group (AWG). A report claims that about 200 delegates from G20 member countries and other organisations showed up.
At the event, there were 71 exhibition stalls for members to showcase innovations in different agriculture fields including waste to wealth management, post-harvest, smart and precision tech, value chain management and more.
One of the first panel discussion at the event was based on the business side of the sector, it was themed Managing Agribusiness for Profit, People and Planet. Dr Johan Swinnen, the director general of the International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI), gave the panel’s keynote address. Meanwhile, the former secretary of the Department of Agriculture and Farmers’ Welfare (DA&FW), Dr Shobhana Kumar Pattnayak moderated the discussion.
Panelists from private institutions in the supply chain industry shared their thoughts on managing trade-offs between profit, people and the planet. They spoke on solutions and policies that provide greater food sustainability.
The second event was panel on how digital technology can improve agriculture. Themed Connecting the Digitally Disconnected: Harnessing the Power of Digital Technologies in Agriculture, it covered avenues for scaling up and copying digital agriculture innovations, government interventions, and including digitally disconnected people.
The event Chair and Under Secretary of the USDA Rural Development, Xochitl Torres Small kicked off the event while Kenichi Yokoyam, director general of the Asian Development Bank (ADB) delivered the keynote.
Rentala Chandrashekhar, the chairman of the Centre for the Digital Future, moderated the panel which had participants from agritech companies, startups, and international organisations.
The host country, India, through its Union Minister for Agriculture and Farmers Welfare Narendra, Singh Tomar, expressed readiness to collaborate in addressing agriculture problems around the world.
Tomar added that the country is encouraging crop diversification, developing climate-resilient seeds, and initiatives to assist farmers.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi also gave an address at the event, via a video call, on how India is employing a fusion approach to agriculture. He mentioned the importance of natural farming and innovations, praising farmers across the nation. Also, he highlighted rejuvenating the Earth, promoting organic fertilisers, protecting soil health and pest management solutions.
Modi added that 2023 is the year for millet and promised to establish a research institute dedicated to the crop. He encouraged collaboration on food security, sustainable systems and reducing food waste.
