[G20] The secretive council: G20 and everything in between

Written by Daily Mail

The food and agriculture industry plays a critical role in global economic development. In 2018 alone, the agriculture industry made up 4% of the global Gross domestic product (GDP). Furthermore, it accounts to more than 25% of the GDP in some developing countries, according to The World Bank. 

As countries around the world are beginning to pick up pace in rebuilding various industries due to the COVID-19 pandemic, it seems that COVID-19 pandemic has exposed the greatest flaw in our food security: The susceptibility of the collapse of food security in the long run.


This pressing issue has garnered the attention of the G20, urging the group to gather and discuss possible solutions for long-term viability of sustainable agriculture and long-term food security amidst the pandemic.


What is the G20, and why is it so secretive?

The G20 is an international organization that aims to promote financial stability globally. In G20, countries are to focus on the interest of both their countries and the world in terms of the global economy.  Unlike the other committees in SDYC, G20 is considered a private international organization, with no relation to the UN. 


Being a private organization, all discussions are not revealed to the public, with key information being released after the conference. 


How is food security related to the G20?

Agriculture and food security were introduced in the G20 in 2011, with the rising concern on the impact on the global economy that the declining growth of the agriculture sector will bring. 


With changing consumership, the recent pandemic, the trade war between the US and China, the need for sustainable agriculture and consistent food security is ever increasing.


With many countries imposing lockdowns and work-from-home restrictions, most food supply chains are severely hampered. Furthermore, the increased unemployment and shrinking workforce in the agriculture industry cause the harvest yield to decrease. 


As an industry that is time-sensitive, these restrictions jeopardize the growth of the industry and prolongs the time taken for the industry to recover from the pandemic. 



What are the roadblocks in pushing for sustainable agriculture and food security?


Sustainable agriculture is farming through ways that are able to meet the needs of society without compromising resources for future generations. 


Developing sustainable agriculture practices worldwide requires long-term, continuous efforts by stakeholders, such as farm owners, the local community, consumers, local governments, LEDCs, and MEDCs. It requires wide consensus and participation, with constant monitoring of the potential impacts of agriculture, all while providing sufficient agricultural products and high levels of food security. 


Alternative solutions?

In the council proceedings, numerous proposals have been mentioned to curb the decline in agricultural growth.


Automation brought up in the G20 conference, is one of the major selling points and possible solutions in Sustainable agriculture. It involves machinery help in the various processes in Agriculture. This increases the efficiency of the processes, and drastically reduces the manpower needed, both contributing to increased profits and reduced cost of operations. 


However, it is a costly solution that some countries and most farming plantations are unable to afford heavy machinery. Due to the predicted reliance on machinery, fewer jobs will be available to locals as well. The long-term benefits and the short-term cost are thus often in conflict.


Another solution is to better improve the infrastructure of Less Economically Developed Countries (LEDC). To promote growth in the agricultural industry in less-developed countries, it was suggested to develop the infrastructure. 


Most LEDC, however, can not afford it and require funds from MEDC. This develops a reliance on MEDC to improve the global agricultural economy, risking the chance of a collapse in the industry when various MEDC suffer from financial recessions.


With all these in mind, delegates in G20 are working hard to ensure that such issues are mitigated, and to find a balance between sustainable agriculture and conflicting interest.


So where does this leave the G20 nations?


With the end of 3 council sessions, the delegates of the G20 appear to have covered most grounds of the topic and are ready to consolidate their points. With that, the G20 seems to be moving at a steady and reassuring pace in solving one of the most pressing issues today. 

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