The G20 Food Systems Agenda

This report by the South African Institute of International Affairs (SAIIA) examines the evolution of the G20's agenda regarding food systems and global food security. It details the initiatives of various G20 presidencies, the role of international organisations like the FAO and WFP, and the synergies between G7 and G20 priorities. The document specifically outlines South Africa's priorities during its 2024-2025 G20 presidency, focusing on inclusive growth, climate resilience, and the empowerment of women and youth in agrifood systems.

• Global food security has been severely impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic and the conflict in Ukraine, leading to food shortages, economic downturns, and increased costs for food, energy, and fertilisers. The OECD and FAO predict that net food-importing developing nations and least developed countries will see a decline in food import purchasing power from 2024–2033.
• The G20 has evolved its food systems agenda through successive presidencies: Saudi Arabia (2020) focused on preventing restrictive measures and reducing food waste by 5% by 2030; Italy (2021) emphasized the Matera Declaration and SDG localisation; Indonesia (2022) supported the Black Sea Grain Initiative to ship over 33 million tonnes of grain; India (2023) focused on fertiliser access and the Deccan High-Level Principles; and Brazil (2024) established the Global Alliance Against Hunger and Poverty.
• Various international bodies support global food systems outside the G20, including the FAO (production standards), WFP (emergency aid and school feeding), IFAD (smallholder farmer investment), GAFSP (financial assistance for low-income countries), CGIAR (climate-resilient crops), AGRA (African agricultural output), and the Food Systems Summit Coalition.
• The G7 has implemented several food security initiatives, such as the L’Aquila Food Security Initiative (2009) and the New Alliance for Food Security and Nutrition in Africa (2012), though these have faced criticism regarding transparency and land grabbing. The 2024 Italian G7 presidency introduced the Apulia Food Security Initiative and the Mattei Plan for Africa, while the 2025 Canadian presidency supports the Africa Fertiliser Financing Mechanism with a CAD 10 million contribution.
• Under its G20 presidency starting in November 2024, South Africa has identified four priorities for its Agriculture Working Group: promoting inclusive market participation, empowering youth and women, fostering innovation and technology transfer, and building climate resilience. Additionally, a task force is studying commodity price volatility, stabilisation techniques, and effective food security policy instruments.
• Regional and bloc-level efforts include the BRICS Strategy on Food Security Cooperation (Beijing Declaration) and the African Union's CAADP, which recently adopted the Kampala Declaration as a 10-year strategy for sustainable agri-food systems by 2035. SADC's 2015–2025 Food and Nutrition Security Strategy aims to reduce insecurity, though 2022 reports indicate child stunting rates average above 25% in most member states.

APA

Cheteni, P. (2025). The G20 Food Systems Agenda. South African Institute of International Affairs. https://saiia.org.za/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/SAIIA_Synthesis_3_G20FoodSystems.pdf

Chicago

Cheteni, Priviledge. The G20 Food Systems Agenda. South African Institute of International Affairs, 2025. https://saiia.org.za/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/SAIIA_Synthesis_3_G20FoodSystems.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |last1=Cheteni |first1=Priviledge |title=The G20 Food Systems Agenda |publisher=South African Institute of International Affairs |date=2025 |url=https://saiia.org.za/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/SAIIA_Synthesis_3_G20FoodSystems.pdf |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{cheteni2025g20, author = {Cheteni, Priviledge}, title = {{The G20 Food Systems Agenda}}, institution = {South African Institute of International Affairs}, year = {2025}, url = {https://saiia.org.za/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/SAIIA_Synthesis_3_G20FoodSystems.pdf}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }