Food Systems Transformation: A Worldwide Response to Multiple Crises
The BMEL is hosting the 15th Global Forum for Food and Agriculture (GFFA), expecting the participation of around 80 ministers of agriculture from throughout the world
The year 2030 is only eight harvests away. There is not much time left to reach the 2030 Agenda’s goal of ending global hunger. The number of people affected by hunger is continuing to rise. In addition to the climate crisis, the extinction of species and the COVID-19 pandemic, Russia's war of aggression against Ukraine further exacerbates the global food crisis.
“Food Systems Transformation: A Worldwide Reply to Multiple Crises” will therefore be the main topic of the 15th Global Forum for Food and Agriculture (GFFA), which will be hosted by the Federal Ministry of Food and Agriculture (BMEL) from 19 to 21 January 2023. At this unique platform for multilateral exchange, around 2,000 stakeholders from industry, science, civil society and politics will conduct discussions in expert panels, high-level panels and other public events to identify solutions to realise the right to adequate food on a global scale.
The Berlin Agriculture Ministers' Conference is the climax of the GFFA; on 21 January 2023, Cem Özdemir, Federal Minister of Food and Agriculture, will welcome around 80 agriculture ministers from across the globe and more than ten delegations from international organisations to Berlin. The ministers are expected to adopt a joint communiqué at the conference.
The GFFA will place special focus on the following questions:
- How can we create crisis-proof food systems?
- How can we create climate-friendly food systems?
- How can we preserve biological diversity?
- How can we improve collaboration for sustainable global food systems?
Media representatives are cordially invited to attend the GFFA and the Agriculture Ministers’ Conference:
Berlin Agriculture Ministers' Conference, Saturday, 21 January 2023
Federal Foreign Office (Entrance: Unterwasserstraße 10)
08:00 hrs Press statement
- Cem Özdemir, Federal Minister of Food and Agriculture
- Josefa Sacko, Commissioner for Agriculture, Rural Development, Blue Economy, and Sustainable Environment of the African Union Commission (tbc)
- Mykola Solsky, Minister of Agrarian Policy and Food of Ukraine
08:30 hrs Welcome by Federal Minister Özdemir upon the Delegations’ arrival (photo op)
09:00 hrs Start of the Berlin Agriculture Ministers’ Conference
(livestream at gffa-berlin.de and in the press lounge)
11:00 hrs Group photo of ministers (photo op)
14:00 hrs International press conference, featuring
- Cem Özdemir, Federal Minister of Food and Agriculture
- Janusz Wojciechowski, EU Commissioner for Agriculture and Rural Development
At around 10:00 hrs Federal Minister Özdemir will meet representatives of the “Wir haben es satt!” initiative (“We've had enough!”)
in front of the Federal Foreign Office (Werderscher Markt 1) and accept a resolution.
Information for press representatives: For the Agriculture Ministers’ Conference we urgently request you to apply for accreditation by 16:00 hrs on 19 January 2023 to: pressestelle@bmel.bund.de.
Please provide the following details:
• First name and surname
• Date and place of birth
• News organisation/editorial office
• Telephone number
• E-mail addressAccreditation will not be possible after this deadline. Press representatives can be accredited for the entire event or, optionally, only for the international press conference.
Please ensure you are at the venue at the Foreign Office at least 30 minutes before the beginning of the event. Please bring a valid press pass and a personal ID card with photographic identification to all events; personal ID is obligatory at the Federal Foreign Office. There is a security check at the entrance. No large items of luggage may be brought in with you. The press entrance to the Federal Foreign Office is via the conference entrance at Unterwasserstraße 10. Please note that the entrance is unfortunately not accessible to the disabled.
Other events carried out during the GFFA (CityCube Berlin, Messedamm 22, 14055 Berlin)
Thursday, 19 January 2023
12:30 to 17:30 hrsStart of the Innovation Forum, CityCube, level 02
Opening by the Parliamentary State Secretary to the Federal Minister of Food and Agriculture, Dr Ophelia Nick, followed by a tour of the Innovation Forum. More than 20 companies, associations, authorities and start-ups will present their innovative projects that can contribute to the transformation of global food systems.
14:00 to 15:30 hrs GFFA Kick-Off Event, CityCube, room A1
Official opening by the Parliamentary State Secretary to the Federal Minister of Food and Agriculture, Dr Ophelia Nick. Panel guests include:
• Jason Clay, Senior Vice President, Markets, World Wildlife Fund US
• Michael Fakhri, UN Special Rapporteur on the Right to Food
• Estrella Penunia, Secretary General of the Asian Farmers’ Association for Sustainable Rural Development
• Josefa Sacko, Commissioner for Agriculture, Rural Development, Blue Economy, and Sustainable Environment of the African Union Commission
16:00 to 17:30 hrs Expert panels, CityCube M rooms, click here for more information
16:00 to 17:30 hrs High Level Debate, room A1
“Redirecting Agriculture Policies and Support to Address Climate Change“, organised by the World Bank, the UK’s Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office and the BMEL.
Friday, 20 January 2023
09:00 to 16:00 hrs Innovation Forum, see above
9:30 to 11.00 hrs and 11:30 to 13:00 hrs Expert panels, CityCube M rooms and room A1, click here for more information
13:00 to 14:00 hrs Tour of the Innovation Forum by Federal Minister Cem Özdemir, CityCube level 01
Media representatives should register separately for this event at pressestelle@bmel.bund.de. Keyword: Innovation Forum
13:30 to 15:00 hrs High Level Panel, CityCube, room A1
“Agriculture in the “New Normal”:Future-proofing food systems for a changing world“, organised by the European Commission.
14:15 to 15:45 hrs Science Slam, Messe Berlin , hall 23a
Candidates seek to win the audience’s favour with entertaining speeches on the central topic “transformation of global food systems”. Five slammers will present their scientific research topic. Federal Minister Cem Özdemir will host the award ceremony from 15:30 to 15:45 hrs. Further information is available here.
Media representatives should register separately for this event at pressestelle@bmel.bund.de. Keyword: Science Slam Important note: For the Science Slam, you also need press accreditation for the IGW.
15:30 to 17:00 hrs High Level Panel, CityCube, room A1
“Coherent policies, efficient actions: How to address the global food crisis“, hosted by the Committee on World Food Security and UN-Nutrition.
To participate in any of the events above (with the exception of the tour of Federal Minister Özdemir), you will need a general accreditation for the GFFA events. Please register at pressestelle@bmel.bund.de by 18 January 2023, 18:00 hrs. Please provide the following details:
• First name and surname
• Date and place of birth
• News organisation/editorial office
• Telephone number
• E-mail addressPlease bring a valid press pass and a personal ID card with photographic identification to all events.
For more information, please visit the GFFA website, where you will also find a digital press kit.
