In July 2011, the G20 Agriculture Ministers launched in Paris an Action Plan on food price volatility and agriculture to strengthen the long-term response to food insecurity. An Agricultural Market Information System (AMIS) was established.

A decision that I consider extremely positive for the role it can play in improving market transparency.

This mechanism, housed in the FAO, not only could be very useful in reducing price volatility, but also serves as an example of new partnerships that need to be created in order to deal with global challenges such as ending poverty and food insecurity.

In fact, besides G20 countries, AMIS engages all relevant international organizations and is open to collaboration with the main grain and oilseed producing, exporting and importing countries, as well as representatives from major commodity exchange markets and the private sector.

Mr President,

In such a challenging international context, continuing collaboration between the Rome-based agencies is indeed critical. It is, however, not enough.

The international community has to do more to promote a sustainable global food system and a balanced development of the agricultural sector. It is indeed known that agricultural development is two to four times more effective at reducing hunger and poverty than any other sector.

For economic development and food security to go hand in hand, there is a need for a comprehensive approach cutting across interrelated policies, countries and institutions and calling for new ways of working and cooperating between governments, the private sector and civil society. The Rome-based agencies must be at the forefront of these new partnerships. They must reinforce their cooperation in order to contribute to the success of the renewed Committee on World Food Security.

Mr President,

IFAD’s focus on smallholders means that its operations must engage two important categories: namely the private sector and women.