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Agriculture Ministers’ focus on water issues at the Global Forum for Food and Agriculture
From 19 – 21 January 2017, the Global Forum for Food and Agriculture (GFFA) was held in Berlin, Germany, bringing together Agriculture Ministers’ to focus on “Agriculture and Water – Key to Feeding the World”. It is the largest conference of agriculture ministers in the world and gives impetus to international debates at the beginning of every year. 83 states attended the Berlin Agriculture Ministers’ Conference on the subject as well as high-level representatives of international organisations such as the European Commission and the FAO. Together they adopted an ambitious communiqué and committed to a sustainable stewardship of water.
February 6, 2017 - Last update: February 10, 2023
From 19 – 21 January 2017, the Global Forum for Food and Agriculture (GFFA) was held in Berlin, Germany, bringing together Agriculture Ministers’ to focus on “Agriculture and Water – Key to Feeding the World”. It is the largest conference of agriculture ministers in the world and gives impetus to international debates at the beginning of every year. 83 states attended the Berlin Agriculture Ministers’ Conference on the subject as well as high-level representatives of international organisations such as the European Commission and the FAO. Together they adopted an ambitious communiqué and committed to a sustainable stewardship of water.
In relation to the theme, the forum provided the forum for discussion on:
- What role agriculture, as a large user of water, can play worldwide in the sustainable stewardship of water as a valuable resource and in maintaining water quality
- How it can be ensured that agriculture has access to water, and hence can provide the global population with food, given the increasing competition over water usage
- How agriculture can contribute its considerable potential regarding the use of water towards political processes at international level
The GFFA is an international conference that focuses on central questions concerning the future of the global agri-food industry. It is held during the International Green Week (IGW) and gives representatives from the worlds of politics, business, science and civil society an opportunity to share ideas and enhance political understanding on a selected topic of current agricultural policy within the context of food security. The GFFA is organised by the Federal Ministry of Food and Agriculture (BMEL) in cooperation with the Senate of Berlin, Messe Berlin GmbH and GFFA Berlin e. V.
The final communiqué of the 9th Berlin Agriculture Ministers’ Conference can be downloaded at: GFFA-Kommunique_2017_EN
Learn more about the event: German Federal Ministry of Food and Agriculture
Read the related IFPRI blog: Food for all: Why better nutrition is a collective task
