Introduction
The COVID-19 pandemic and the conflict in Ukraine have significantly affected the global food supply system, heightening food insecurity and worsening famine worldwide. These crises triggered a significant food shortage and economic downturn, leading to considerable job losses, pushing millions into poverty and denying them the resources necessary for supporting healthy and nutritious meals. Substantial increases in food, energy and fertiliser costs have intensified the cost of living. The OECD and Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) forecast that least developed countries and net food-importing developing nations will face a decline in their food import purchasing power from 2024-2033 due to persistent cost-of-living pressures, as the decrease in international prices for certain primary food commodities has not led to a reduction in domestic retail prices.1OECD and UN Food and Agriculture Organization, Agricultural Outlook 2024–2033 (OECD-FAO, 2024). The goals of eradicating global hunger, achieving food security and improving nutrition by 2030, as advocated by Agenda 2030, are substantially jeopardised.
The Ukrainian war affected global commodity markets and agricultural trade dynamics. Many developing countries, particularly in Africa, rely on Russia and Ukraine for a significant portion of their wheat and fertiliser resources. The war has led to commodity prices surging because of reduced export capacity and high fertiliser costs, consequently threatening global food security. While commodity prices have stabilised since 2022, food inflation has remained high. Rising commodity prices have contributed to higher inflation rates in many African countries, eroding purchasing power and exacerbating poverty levels.2African Development Bank, “Africa’s Economic Performance and Outlook”, in African Economic Outlook 2023: Mobilizing Private Sector Financing for Climate and Green Growth in Africa (AfDB, 2023).
In numerous developing countries, agriculture and food systems are crucial for economic development, structural transformation, employment creation and food security. Thus, food systems are essential for achieving multiple Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), including SDG 1 (No Poverty), SDG 10 (Reduced Inequalities) and SDG 12 (Responsible Production and Consumption).
The Evolving G20 Agriculture and Food Systems Agenda
In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, the Saudi Arabian G20 presidency organised a virtual Extraordinary Agriculture Ministers Meeting on 21 April 2020, wherein G20 members committed to preventing any unjustified restrictive measures that could lead to excessive fluctuations in international food prices and threaten the food security and nutrition of substantial portions of the global population. In November 2020, G20 agriculture and water ministers released a communiqué emphasising the importance of responsible investments in agriculture and food systems. Similarly, the G20 Riyadh Statement to Enhance Implementation of Responsible Investment in Agriculture and Food Systems has attempted to establish short-term, country-specific objectives to facilitate the reduction of global per capita food waste and loss by 5% by 2030. It emphasises the need for responsible and sustainable investment in agriculture and food systems to strengthen global food security, support smallholder farmers, and promote resilience against challenges such as climate change and the COVID-19 pandemic.
