G7 leaders’ declaration on food security and nutrition

Empowering women, improving nutrition through a people-centered approach and ensuring sustainability and resilience within agriculture and food systems are at the centre of the G7 leaders declaration on food security and nutrition.

Bioversity International welcomes the G7 leaders’ summit declaration in Japan on 27May 2016 regarding food security and nutrition and the endorsement of collective actions to empower women, improve nutrition, and ensure sustainability and resilience with agriculture and food systems. 

Women are the custodians of agricultural biodiversity, a key component of sustainable food systems. Using a diversity of crops and varieties in the field contributes to diversity on the plate, which is linked to better nutrition.  

G7 leaders’ declaration on food security and nutrition:

 “Ending hunger and malnutrition is a fundamental element of the 2030 Agenda. As part of a broader effort to achieve the SDGs, we commit to engage collectively in concrete actions in collaboration with relevant partners and stakeholders towards the achievement of our aim to lift 500 million people in developing countries out of hunger and malnutrition by 2030. Building on the G7 Broad Food Security and Nutrition Development Approach, we endorse the G7 Vision for Action on Food Security and Nutrition, which outlines collective actions in the priority areas of: (i) empowering women; (ii) improving nutrition through a people-centered approach that recognizes the diverse food security challenges people face across the rural to urban spectrum; and (iii) ensuring sustainability and resilience within agriculture and food systems. We commit to enhance synergies with relevant international initiatives. We support the development of good practices for global food security and nutrition that are in line with the SDGs and the Paris Agreement on climate change. This could include expanding farming opportunities, revitalizing rural communities, and enhancing production, productivity, responsible investment, trade and sustainability in agriculture and food systems. We welcome the International Symposium on Food Security and Nutrition to be held in Japan and the Nutrition for Growth Summit.”

Read the full G7 leaders declaration and the G7 Vision for Action on Food Security and Nutrition 

Read the DG Dialogues blog: You can put a price tag on agricultural biodiversity
Ann Tutwiler welcomed the official communiqué from the G7 Environment Ministers’ meeting, Japan, and reflected on the challenges of putting a price tag on the many services that agricultural biodiversity brings to the sustainable development table.

Photo: Women farmers having collected peas from field near Pusa, Bihar, India. Credit: Bioversity Intenational/C.Zanzanaini