Brussels, 16/10/2012 (Agence Europe) - It is urgent to “strengthen the coordination of agricultural and food policies at global level in order to fight against world hunger, and to continue to implement the priorities of the French G20 presidency”, Stéphane Le Foll, French Minister for Agriculture, said on Tuesday 16 October (our translation). France calls in particular for: - AMIS (Agricultural Market Intelligence System) to be strengthened, including successful conclusion of the Geo-Glam harvest monitoring project by satellite monitoring; - emergency food supplies projects to be multiplied in developing countries and especially in West Africa; - international research coordination to be strengthened in the areas of agriculture and food so that it responds to future needs, particularly on wheat.
On World Food Day, Le Foll chaired an international ministerial level meeting at the headquarters of the FAO (the Food and Agriculture Organisation of the United Nations) with his director general, Jose Graziano Da Silva. Three important subjects were tackled: - how to improve transparency and international coordination; how to respond to the growing increase in food demand; and how to limit the effects of excessive price volatility for the most vulnerable. (LC/transl.fl)