[Title] Annex 3 2019 G20 Stocktaking Exercise ‐ Presidency's Summary Statement ‐
As tasked in the 2017 G20 Agriculture Ministers Declaration, the second Stocktaking exercise of the initiatives launched by the previous G20 Agriculture Ministers' Meetings was held during the first Agriculture Deputies Meeting of 2019. The Deputies took stock of 10 initiatives, based on a report of each prepared by its coordinator, which is summarized as follows:
Agricultural Market Information System (AMIS)
2018: The proposal to extend AMIS activities to the monitoring of food trade chokepoints has resulted in mixed progress, mainly because of limited human and financial resources of the AMIS Secretariat as well as the overall lack of appropriate information on this subject matter. The results of the work of a country working group on AMIS sustainability were discussed in the AMIS Rapid Response Forum (RRF) meeting on 25‐26 February. The RRF noted that to achieve its goals, funding needs to be sustainable in the long term and strongly recommended funding contributions to AMIS on a voluntary basis over the next five years.
For further information: http://www.amis‐outlook.org/
Group on Earth Observations Global Agricultural Monitoring Initiative (GEOGLAM)
2018: Two new activities were developed in addition to regular crop monitoring for AMIS and Early Warning; "the online decision support system for early warning of agricultural production anomalies" and "the development of quantitative metrics to support markets and food security". 2019: Various ongoing activities including the crop monitors and new activities from 2018 will be continued. Outreach activities are expected to accelerate, including Vietnam and the Mekong Basin nations with support from Japan.
For further information: http://www.geoglam.org and https://www.cropmonitor.org
Wheat Initiative (IRIWI)
2018: The secretariat transferred from Paris to Berlin. The Wheat Initiative organized 17 meetings and training workshops in 10 countries. Membership of working groups expanded to 660 people from 53 countries. The reference quality sequence of the wheat genome was completed and the Wheat Ten Genomes project initiated, and the International Wheat Yield Partnership launched a new round of projects.
2019: Launch of the Heat and Drought Wheat Improvement Consortium and the Wheat Information System. Hold the first International Wheat Congress in Canada. Develop new programs on enhancing the role of agronomic considerations in research planning, strategies for transnational pest and disease monitoring and control and expanding the utilization of genetic resources.
For further information: https://www.wheatinitiative.org
Technical Platform on the Measurement and Reduction of Food Loss and Waste (TPFLW)
2018: An initiative to merge TPFLW and Community on Practice of Food Loss Reduction (CoP on FL) is still ongoing. Quantitative and qualitative studies to measure food losses along value chains were completed in six countries and a further study on impact assessment continues. Case study reports on the application of the food loss analysis methodology for the identification of critical loss points in food supply chains were published online.
2019: On‐going activities will be continued. The international Day of Awareness of Food Loss and Waste (September 29th) will be submitted for consideration to the UNGA in September 2019.
For further information: http://www.fao.org/platform‐food‐loss‐waste/en/ and http://www.fao.org/food‐loss‐reduction/en/
G20 Framework for Analyzing Policies to Improve Agricultural Productivity Growth, Sustainably
2018: A number of country reviews analyzing policies to improve productivity and sustainability in food and agriculture were finalized and published: China, Estonia, Korea, and Sweden. The framework has also been applied to additional reviews of Argentina, Japan, Latvia, and Viet Nam, which will be published in 2019. A report synthesizing the main findings from country reviews is also close to completion.
2019: The framework is being revised to reflect experience from country reviews, evidence from recent related studies, and the recommendations in the G20 Agriculture Ministers' Action Plan 2017.
For further information: www.oecd.org/tad/agricultural‐policies/innovation‐food‐ agriculture.htm
G20 Agricultural Chief Scientists (MACS‐G20)
2018: The 7th MACS was held in Argentina where delegates discussed how to support G20 Agriculture Ministers and ways to strengthen synergy and cooperation of the G20 members and international organizations in scientific fields. Argentina and Germany hosted a FLW (Food Loss and Waste) workshop in order to tackle identified regional challenges in Latin American and Caribbean countries. Activities in working groups on issues such as Sustainable Soil Management led by France and Russia, Agricultural Technology Sharing led by China and Agroecosystem Living Labs led by Canada and the US, were on‐going.
2019: The 8th MACS was held in Japan on 25th and 26th April. Besides, Japan is ready to host workshops on transboundary plant pests and climate‐smart technologies later in 2019.
For further information: https://www.macs‐g20.org/
Elements of G20 Agriculture Ministers‘ Action Plan 2017
[AMR] 2017‐ 2018: Discussions on AMR were continued in various fora such as G20 (Agriculture and Health), GFFA, etc. 2019: Continuous stocktaking of the commitments in paragraphs 16 and 17 of the G20 Agricultural Ministers' Action Plan 2017 is necessary while many countries tackle these issues. Countries need to broaden their focus to fight against AMR .
[Agriculture and Water] 2017 – 2018: An expert workshop on crop genetic diversity was held. Activities of enhancing water‐related information systems are also ongoing. 2019: International conference on genetic diversity will be held in November. FAO report on "Global Framework on Water Scarcity" to G20 will be considered.
[ICT] 2017 – 2018: Discussions on ICT in Agriculture were continued in various fora such as G20 (Agriculture, Digital Economy, MACS), E‐agriculture Solutions Forum and Global Forum for Food and Agriculture ‐ GFFA (January 2019). 2019: Proposal of an international workshop on "Sustainable Agricultural Production Innovation Lab" will be considered. The international workshop will also explore synergies, possibly within the framework of the proposed Digital Council for Food and Agriculture.
Tropical Agriculture Platform (TAP)
2018: A new action plan was established with the following priorities: to better acknowledge the importance of Agricultural Innovation, increase investments, further develop the Common Framework, and monitor the progress of Capacity Developments. Other activities in 2018 included: symposiums, events and dialogs, assessment of countries' Agriculture Innovation Systems, and validation of TAP Common Framework in pilot countries.
2019: Numerous ongoing activities will be carried forward according to the new action plan. For further information: http://www.tropagplatform.org/
Platform for Agricultural Risk Management (PARM)
2018: Before the end of the first phase of its action plan, major progresses such as identification of risks and risk management tools, capacity and awareness raising on agriculture risk management, increasing of expertise, promotion of partnerships were seen especially in sub‐Saharan Africa.
2019: The second phase will start from June and PARM is seeking for new partners in order to scale‐up Agriculture Risk Management.
For further information: www.p4arm.org (PARM), https://issuu.com/parm‐ ifad/docs/parm_brochure_a5 (PARM Horizon 2)
The G20 Ministers of Agriculture would like to acknowledge the work done by its coordinators on the reports and highlight the importance of continuing with this exercise in the upcoming years.