The Honourable Lawrence MacAulay, Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food, concluded a mission to Berlin, Germany, where he participated in the 9th Berlin Agriculture Ministers’ Conference on January 21, and the G20 Agriculture Ministers’ Meeting on January 22. The theme of both events was “Agriculture and Water.”
At the Berlin Agriculture Ministers’ Conference, Minister MacAulay, along with Ministers of Agriculture from around the world, endorsed a communiqué that identified steps that countries can take in reducing agriculture’s impact on water quality and quantity, and increase access to water.
At the G20 Agriculture Ministers’ Meeting, Minister MacAulay voiced Canada’s commitment to develop and safeguard a clean and sustainable water supply, take action on antimicrobial resistance and share information and technology to give farmers the tools they need to increase production. Minister MacAulay signed a joint declaration with his G20 counterparts to strengthen food security and access to water by fostering sustainability and advancing innovation.
While in Berlin, Minister MacAulay met with the Director General of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), Dr. José Graziano da Silva, and announced a contribution of $1 million to support international bodies that develop the standards for food safety and plant and animal health. This new investment builds on Canada’s ongoing financial support to the FAO.
On the margins of this mission, Minister MacAulay also met with other key partners including Ministers of Agriculture from China, the European Union (EU), Germany, the United Kingdom and Austria, as well as the EU Directorate-General for Health and Food Safety Commissioner and the Deputy-Minister of Agriculture for Turkey.
Source : Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada