Steenhuisen to Host G20 Agriculture and Food Security Meetings in Durban

Durban: Minister of Agriculture John Steenhuisen will this week host the G20 Agriculture Working Group (AWG) and Food Security Task Force Meetings in Durban, KwaZulu-Natal. The department stated that the high-level, three-day meetings, scheduled for 23-25 April 2025, are part of a series of international meetings leading up to the G20 Summit in November 2025. According to South African Government News Agency, the meetings aim to advance global collaboration on food security and agricultural development. Organized by the Department of Agriculture, the sessions will explore themes such as 'Data-Driven Approaches to Addressing Food Security' and 'Promoting Inclusive Agricultural Investment and Market Access'. The focus will be on four key priorities: promoting policies and investments that drive inclusive market participation, empowering youth and women in agrifood systems, fostering innovation and technology transfer in agriculture, and building climate resilience for sustainable agricultural production. The meeting follows the first G20 Agriculture Working Group Meeting, held on 3 and 4 March 2025. At that event, Steenhuisen highlighted the challenges facing farmers worldwide and called for strengthened global cooperation based on the principles of Ubuntu, emphasizing collective action, mutual respect, and shared responsibility. The initial AWG meeting provided an opportunity for G20 members and invited guest countries and international organizations to learn about the priorities South Africa has identified during its Presidency. The department noted that there was overwhelming support for South Africa's priorities, which include driving inclusive market participation, empowering youth and women, fostering innovation, and building climate resilience. With the endorsement of these priorities, the AWG is set to pursue transformative agricultural policies, increase investment in sustainable farming, and ensure a more resilient, food-secure future for all. The upcoming second AWG meeting will allow G20 members to further these priorities and begin discussions on a forward-looking declaration to be adopted by Ministers of Agriculture later this year.