The Group of 7 (G7) Agriculture Ministers Sunday agreed to assist Ukraine as it rebuilds its agriculture system and condemned Russia’s “war of aggression” on Ukraine.
The ministers stated:
We stand ready to support the recovery and reconstruction of Ukraine, including by sharing our experience, knowledge and expertise regarding demining of agricultural land, and by reconstruction of agricultural infrastructure such as irrigation, warehouses and food processing facilities destroyed by Russia.
The International Fund for Agricultural Development unveiled a plan to work with the Japanese Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries. The partners will invest in small-scale food producers who lack access to necessary resources which will help target world hunger and poverty. Additionally, the group committed to addressing climate change by opting for more sustainable farming practices such as crop rotation, eliminating pesticide use, and preserving diverse pastureland.
This announcement comes almost a month after the International Rescue Committee revived calls for humanitarian aid in Ukraine as the war continues.
The G7 is an international government assembly comprised of Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, the UK and the US, with the EU as a member without the right to host a convening. Russia was a member of the formerly-called G8 until 2014, after the US and other countries voted to suspend it over Russia’s illegal annexation of Crimea.
All member countries attended the multi-day event in Miyazaki, Japan, with invited organizations including the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, the International Fund for Agricultural Development, the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development, and the World Food Programme.