As South Africa’s presidency in the G20 comes to an end, the country takes pride in the strides it has made in hosting ministerial meetings ahead of the major event in November. This is particularly notable, as agriculture minister John Steenhuisen stated that he was delighted that a declaration was agreed upon regarding food security.
During the recent G20 agricultural ministers meeting in the Western Cape, the delegates adopted a declaration that the Food Security Task Force developed under the South African G20 presidency. It embodies the principle “I am because you are”, reflecting a global commitment to ensuring that no one is left behind in the quest for resilient and sustainable food systems.
Steenhuisen said having a declaration agreed upon by global leaders in Africa was a milestone and a great achievement.
A goal to fight hunger
“The G20 ministers have recognised that our collective food security hinges on interdependence, dignity, agency, and solidarity,” he said.
Steenhuisen further highlighted that the agreements endorsed included practical tools that can assist farmers, stabilise markets, and ensure that every child has access to nutritious food. The ubuntu approaches and the ministerial declaration highlight several shared priorities:
- Combating food price volatility and persistent food inflation, which disproportionately affect low-income households;
- Investing in climate-smart and resilient agriculture, including drought-tolerant seed, efficient irrigation, soil-water analytics, and reduced post-harvest losses;
- Promoting inclusive, fair, and transparent food systems that strengthen smallholder and family farmers’ access to finance, inputs, and markets;
- Supporting social protection measures, such as school feeding and targeted transfers, to ensure dignity and nutrition for vulnerable communities; and
- Advancing sustainable resource use and diversification of diets, including fisheries, and the department of agriculture.
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Citing the State of Food Security and Nutrition in the World Report (2025), the declaration notes that between 638 and 720 million people experienced hunger in 2024, a decline of 15 million compared to 2023.
“Encouragingly, the number of people unable to afford a healthy diet has also decreased, from 2.8 billion in 2019 to 2.6 billion in 2024. While this progress is welcome, the declaration warns that urgent action is still needed, particularly in many African subregions and in Western Asia, where hunger continues to rise.
Impact of food inflation and climate change
“The declaration highlights a troubling paradox: global food production is sufficient to meet demand, yet millions remain hungry and malnourished. It stresses that availability alone does not guarantee access to nutritious food, and that malnutrition in all its forms continues to threaten the health, growth, and development of millions of children worldwide,” the statement said.
The department of agriculture said they were pleased that the Food Security Task Force expressed deep concern over excessive price volatility and persistent food inflation, which undermines affordability and disproportionately affects low-income households.
“They further noted the adverse impacts of conflict, climate change, biodiversity loss, fiscal constraints, supply chain disruptions, and debt vulnerabilities on global food systems. In addition, a lack of social protection and under-investment in infrastructure compound the challenge.
“Accordingly, the declaration supports measures to address these fiscal and economic pressures, including debt vulnerabilities, to enable developing countries to better tackle poverty and inequality,” the department said.
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Looking ahead to the G20 Leaders’ Summit in Johannesburg this November, Minister Steenhuisen emphasised that these commitments will be elevated into the global framework, ensuring that Africa’s priorities and perspectives are firmly embedded in the global fight against hunger, malnutrition, and food insecurity.
