Leaders of G7 Farmers’ Organizations Urge Governments to Strengthen the Agricultural Sector Amid Global Challenges
During the G7 summit, representatives of farmers’ organizations from leading economies called on governments to recognize the critical role of a sustainable and robust agricultural sector in the face of escalating global challenges.
This is reported by AgroReview
Main Challenges for Agriculture
According to the leaders of farmers’ groups, agricultural producers in G7 countries are facing significant difficulties: rising inflation, high interest rates, and the prolonged effects of financial shocks, all of which negatively impact the agro-economy. Additionally, ongoing disruptions in international trade exacerbate uncertainty in the sector.
The situation is further complicated by climate change: frequent droughts, floods, and other extreme weather events threaten crop yields and create additional burdens on rural infrastructure.
Position of Farmers’ Organizations and Demands to Governments
Despite the challenges, farmers remain key to ensuring food security, fostering innovation, and promoting adaptation to climate change. In a joint statement released ahead of COP30, scheduled for November 2024, farmers’ organizations called on governments to take decisive action.
Leaders in the agricultural sector emphasized the importance of transparent and rules-based trade policies that should support market stability and ensure open access to agricultural products. They also particularly highlighted the need for the implementation of innovations that would allow farmers to utilize modern tools and technologies to enhance production efficiency.
Among the priority demands is the review of outdated regulations that hinder the competitiveness of the sector, as well as the development of science-based, incentivizing climate policies to improve soil health, increase yields, and protect agricultural land.
“Every day, farmers work in the fields, producing food for the world’s population while caring for our planet and supporting economic growth. But with climate change, geopolitical tensions, and an unstable trading environment, this is becoming increasingly difficult. That is why we urge the governments of G7 countries to help ensure stability and certainty, both in terms of trading systems and favorable policies that support innovation, productivity, and efficiency in agriculture worldwide,” said Tom Bradshaw, President of the National Farmers’ Union of the UK.
Rob Larew, President of the National Farmers’ Union of the USA, also noted the necessity of global cooperation to shape policies that guarantee the resilience of the agricultural sector and its economic viability, which will be essential for the prosperity of agriculture for future generations.