Deccan High Level Principles on Food Security and Nutrition 2023
We, the G20 countries at the 2023 Agriculture Ministers' Meeting in Hyderabad, India:
Recognize that the situation of global food security, and persistence of all forms of malnutrition aggravated by climate change, geopolitical tension and conflicts and other systemic shocks is a collective challenge that necessitates concerted actions to achieve Zero Hunger (SDG2) under the 2030 Agenda.
Cognizant of the unique role of G20 members' as major agricultural producers, consumers and exporters, and our collective responsibility to build short-term and long-term policy responses to accelerate the transition towards transparent, sustainable, equitable, resilient, and inclusive agriculture and food systems.
Acknowledge and commit to reinforce the global efforts to enhance food security and nutrition and advance the agreed outcomes of current and past G20 Agriculture Ministers' meetings.
Commit to champion these High Level Principles, that demonstrate our responsibility in reinforcing and complementing efforts across geographies in response to global food security crises.
PRINCIPLE 1: Facilitate Humanitarian Assistance to Countries and Populations in Vulnerable Situations
Increase multisectoral humanitarian aid including actively coordinating efforts to enhance the levels and efficiency of humanitarian food assistance in response to crises and conflicts. Develop innovative strategies and mainstream anticipatory action through policy collaboration to address challenges faced by populations in vulnerable situations.
PRINCIPLE 2: Enhance Availability and Access to Nutritious Food and Strengthen Food Safety Nets
Encourage policies and programs targeting sustainable production of food, including supporting Net Food Importing Developing Countries. Fostering progressive realization of the right to adequate food in the context of national food security, improve consistent access and availability of safe, affordable, diverse, and nutritious food. Promote targeted food and cash-based safety net programs sharing best practices and experiences with countries in need for effective policy, program design and implementation.
PRINCIPLE 3: Strengthen Policies and Collaborative Actions for Climate-Resilient and Sustainable Agriculture and Food Systems
Strengthen policies and accelerate cooperation for sustainable management and efficient use of natural resources and agricultural inputs to promote sustainable agricultural production and productivity growth. Collaborate on developing sustainable, scalable and inclusive technologies, practices and innovations to address climate change and biodiversity loss.
PRINCIPLE 4: Strengthen Resilience and Inclusivity in Agriculture and Food Value Chains
Enhance the resilience of value chains at local, regional, and global levels to withstand short-run disruptions and shocks by strengthening infrastructure, reducing food losses and waste, developing, and implementing risk management policies and improving stakeholders' capacity along the value chains particularly of women, youth, smallholders, small and medium enterprises and other underrepresented groups. Work together to improve market transparency, timely sharing of reliable information for monitoring the food market and shape consequent policy responses. Facilitate open, fair, predictable and rules-based agriculture and food trade, avoid export restrictions and reduce market distortions, in accordance with relevant WTO rules.
PRINCIPLE 5: Promote the One Health Approach
Implement the "One Health" approach by accelerating the global fight against antimicrobial resistance (AMR), and preventing, reducing, and managing the risk of zoonotic diseases and other biological threats to agriculture and food security.
PRINCIPLE 6: Accelerate Innovation and the Use of Digital Technology
Foster scalable innovations and technologies that support the transformation towards sustainable food systems, facilitate affordable, and inclusive access to digital infrastructure and promote development and safe application of digital tools tailored to the various needs of the agriculture sector. Strengthen capacity building efforts for adoption and utilization of technologies, and digital solutions to empower all farming communities, including smallholders.
PRINCIPLE 7: Scale-Up Responsible Public and Private Investments in Agriculture
Encourage responsible investments from all sources in infrastructure, research and innovations to support development of sustainable, climate resilient and smart, productivity enhancing technologies and practices, diversification of food systems, dissemination of technology, rural revitalization, and improvement of value chain efficiency. Promote public-private partnerships to leverage private investment. Stimulate private sector investment and facilitate access to finance to encourage participation of youth in agriculture and develop complementary businesses.
These High Level Principles provide a basis to guide our actions to address food security and nutrition challenges, in collaboration with FAO, IFAD, WFP, and other relevant international organizations and bodies like CFS, by building and strengthening linkages among global, regional, and local initiatives to develop and implement national pathways for sustainable and inclusive food systems.