Agriculture & food security

We welcome the adoption of a statement during the FAO Summit in Rome, making it possible to implement the Global Partnership for Agriculture and Food Security proposed by President Sarkozy in June 2008.

France remains fully mobilized in the fight against global hunger, as reaffirmed yesterday by Bruno Le Maire, Minister for Food, Agriculture and Fisheries, during his address at the FAO forum.

The adoption of this statement is however only one stage in a long process. We want to go further. Yesterday France and Brazil proposed, in a joint statement, that a two-year road map for food security be swiftly debated and adopted by the reformed Committee on World Food Security. This road map should be shared by all stakeholders. It should strengthen the long-term vision for achieving a sustainable, adequate and healthy food supply by 2050 and prompt the joint review of food security policies.

The sudden and significant rise in the price of food on the world markets at the beginning of 2008 had a major impact on the food security of households in countries that are dependent on these markets for their supply. This global crisis prompted a healthy international debate in which France played an active role. Through the President of the Republic it proposed international mobilization within the framework of a Global Partnership for Agriculture and Food Security, clearly emphasizing the need for action:

1) In developing countries, with regard to household revenues through growth and employment, in agriculture and in other sectors, with regard to the resumption of food production and with regard to taking care of vulnerable populations.

2) At the global level, through increased attention to the consequences of decisions regarding energy, trade and agriculture on food security for the most vulnerable populations and the whole world. At the same time, France has pledged to increase its aid to regional food and agricultural security policies, in West Africa in particular, given that the development of local and regional markets was part of the solution to the problems that arose due to the volatility of world markets. Aid for investment in agriculture in developing countries increased in 2008 and 2009. AFD?s (French Development Agency) new commitments have been and will be in line with a fixed goal: €1 billion over 5 years just for Africa. France participated in global efforts by contributing more than €400 million in bilateral commitments for agriculture in 2008. At the bilateral level, France contributed €52 million in food aid and increased its budgetary aid to the most affected countries by €20 million, which is more than the two-fold increase in aid that was announced.

Through AFD, France was involved in the creation of an African Agriculture Investment Fund (AAIF), developed on the initiative of the ADB, IFAD, AGRA and sub-regional African banks. The AAIF will support private, national and international investors. It will become operational at the end of 2009 and will have ?200 million in capital. France has continued its efforts to support agricultural research and training in developing countries in order to increase their production and help them adapt to climate change (?90 million in 2008).

It should also be reiterated that under the French presidency of the EU Council, an additional European facility for a rapid response to the crisis, benefitting from €1 billion in funding over 3 years was approved and implemented. With regard to the multilateral organizations to which it belongs, France has increased its contribution to the replenishment of the International Fund for Agricultural Development to €35 million (compared with ?23 million for the previous replenishment). It resolutely supports the reform of the FAO, an organization that has a vital mandate and which must guide international mobilization.