by Keith Richmond
ACTIONAID has welcomed some parts of the final communiqué from the G8 agriculture ministers’ meeting at Treviso in Italy – but warned that, despite some good intentions, the “devil’s in the detail” and detail is missing.
The anti-poverty agency says G8 nations need to put into place concrete plans to increase investment in small-scale sustainable agriculture and rural development.
Livia Zoli, policy officer of ActionAid Italy, said: “The crisis last year revealed the extent of the rot in food and agriculture systems around the globe. We need long term solutions to hunger, enabling smallholder farmers to be more productive using low input sustainable farming methods. There needs to be a shift towards expanding agriculture to feed the increasing number of malnourished in developing counties and a shift away from agriculture to feed consumers in rich countries.”
ActionAid welcomed the call for protection against land grabs and leasing but believes there is an inherent contradiction in calling for the expansion of biofuels at the same time.
The agency said: “Before we move into developing second generation biofuels we need to look at their impact on food prices and local food security. Ministers have failed to acknowledge their role in last year’s food crisis.”
Another missing detail is that rich nations have been protecting their own vulnerable sectors – such as motor cars, banks and agriculture – while insisting others keep their markets open.
“So it’s hypocritical for G8 ministers to denounce protectionism”, said Livia Zoli.
