Georgian Agriculture Minister discusses food safety in Berlin ministerial

Otar Shamugia, the Georgian Minister of Agriculture and Environmental Protection, discussed international food safety at the Global Forum for Food and Agriculture ministerial in Berlin between January 18-21, the Ministry said on Monday.

Bringing together up to 90 agriculture ministers and hundreds of representatives from international organisations, the event highlighted causes of the global food security crisis.

Naming the climate crisis, extinction of species, Covid-19 pandemic and Russia’s ongoing war against Ukraine as the “driving forces”, the gathering stressed the world was facing “the worst food crisis since World War II”.

The ministerial said the ongoing Russia-Ukraine conflict had become a new "driving force" for the international food crisis. Photo: Ministry of Agriculture press office. 

In his address, the Georgian official said provision of quality seed material, “appropriate” agricultural equipment, modern technology and “constant access” to modern knowledge and scientific achievements for farmers and entrepreneurs could resolve the challenges. 

Joint efforts are particularly important [...] [including] international cooperation in the medium- and long-term, which I am sure will definitely give us concrete, tangible results", Shamugia said.

While in Berlin, the Georgian official also visited the opening of International Green Week, a major international exhibition of agriculture and horticulture hosted in the capital between January 20-29.