Germany’s Green Week, which is a forum on agri-food policy issues, is currently taking place in Berlin and has seen representatives from the Irish agri-sector in attendance.
Speaking at the trade fair, which was founded in 1926, among others, was the president of Germany’s biggest farm organisation, Deutscher Bauernverband (DBV), Joachim Rukwied.
The DBV recently organised a rally in Berlin after a week of farmer protests in towns throughout the country over a government decision to phase out farmer relief for agri-diesel.
Farmers continued their protest during the event in Berlin, and the president reiterated farmers’ demand to withdraw government plans to cut the agri-diesel relief.
Speaking at the trade fair, he again called for the secure supply of domestically produced food to be maintained, and warned of becoming dependent on imports from abroad.
The Green Week was also attended by the president of the Irish Farmers’ Association (IFA), Francie Gorman who used the event to “build alliances” with Rukwied.
Gorman also met with the president of the EU farmers representative body, Copa-Cogeca, Christiane Lambert, who both took part in discussions at the event, the IFA said.
Having met with farm leaders from all over Europe, Gorman said that the frustrations are the same as in Ireland – farmers feel that they have been “regulated out” of food production.
Referring to recent farmer demonstrations in the Netherlands, France and Berlin, he said that political leaders need to take note of what is happening on the ground with farmers.
Green Week
Part of the event is the Global Forum for Food and Agriculture, which has been addressed by Minister of State at the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine (DAFM), Martin Heydon.
He joined ministerial colleagues from over 60 countries at the Agriculture Ministers’ Conference at the forum which is hosted by the German Federal Ministry for Food and Agriculture.
Ireland is a “strong advocate” for the transformation to sustainable food systems, with sustainable food production being the basis for the transformation of global food systems, he said.
“Primary producers and society alike will benefit from a more environmentally, economically and socially sustainable food system.
“However, making our food systems fit for the future will require a combined approach globally,” Minister Heydon told his ministerial colleagues at the conference.
The conference under the theme “Food Systems for Our Future: Joining Forces for a Zero Hunger World” was chaired by Germany’s Federal Minister of Agriculture Cem Oezdemir.
Every tenth person goes to bed hungry, but instead of the international community moving even closer together, he said the world is in “danger” of splitting into separate factions.
“We will not be able to make the right to food a reality if we rely on increasing production alone, ignoring the climate crisis and the extinction of species.
“Both of these are already threatening the foundation of our agricultural sectors. The climate crisis is the greatest threat known to agriculture,” Minister Oezdemir said.
Agriculture ministers were joined at the conference by high-level representatives of eleven international organisations to discuss how the right to adequate food could be realised.
Key results of the 16th Berlin Agriculture Ministers’ Conference are:
- Adequate food must be available, accessible and affordable for all;
- Accelerate the transformation towards sustainable, local, site-adapted and resilient agriculture;
- Support regional cycles, regional supply chains and sustainable consumption;
- Equal participation, in particular for the young generation and for women, is of decisive importance;
- Functional structures to secure land tenure rights, access to high-quality seed and fair access to financing and rural infrastructure;
- Drastically reduce food losses and waste along the entire value chain by 2030;
- Strengthen sustainable fertiliser production and use in order to stabilise yields and avoid worldwide shortages.
At the opening ceremony of the Green Week, EU Agriculture Commissioner Janusz Wojciechowski said that farmers are at the heart of the vision for the future of EU agriculture.
He said the EU is at the “forefront” of global efforts to address food security as a major food exporter, and directing immediate humanitarian aid and long-term investments to over 70 countries.