NGOs urge Pawar to stress on food stability at the G20 summit

In a letter written to Pawar, Oxfam, a global NGO, along with the Centre for Budget and Governance Accountability (CBGA) and other NGOs have requested the minister to use the opportunity at G20 Agricultural Minister's Meeting to stress on sustainable growth in food production.

Agriculture ministers of G-20 nations will be meeting in Paris on June 22 and 23 to discuss challenges and issues being faced by agriculture. The countries are expected to debate on food price volatility and agriculture with the goal of improving global food security.

NGOs have urged Pawar to make decisive proposals to change the reality of hunger faced by 925 million people globally, Oxfam said in a statement. It also requests the minister to address the threat of extreme poverty, undernourishment and deprivation being faced by millions of others, the statement added.

According to these NGOs, this summit provides a great opportunity to bring forth the question of sustainable growth in front of the international community, it said. Through this summit a request can be made to the global community to commit themselves to long-term food production, public financing for agriculture and the stability of food prices, it added.