The Minister of Agriculture (Mapa), Tereza Cristina, participated on Wednesday (16), a round table to debate about insumos. In her speech, the minister advocated that the fertilizers stay for the sanctions imposed on Russia after invasion of Ukrainian territory. "I believe that excluding fertilizers from the sanctions regime is an example of what happens to food," said the Brazilian representative.

The minister, who is also president of the Inter-American Board of Agriculture, explained that these products are essential for global food security. "The reasons are simple: cracking down on trade affects field productivity, reduces food availability, reinforces the inflationary trend of major commodities, and, as a final consequence, threatens food security especially in more vulnerable countries."

It has also put in place at least two measures that can help in the long run in reducing dependence on these agricultural products. "We must increase the exchange of information on global agricultural markets [...]. It would also be important to intensify scientific research in search of technological innovations that allow strengthening the efficiency and sustainability of agriculture", he presented.

Also present at the meeting, the Director General of the Inter-American Institute for Cooperation on Agriculture (IICA), Manoel Otero began the speech talking about the concern about the threat to world peace, which, according to him, "affects the equation of world security". For Otero, further cooperation between American countries is needed so that everyone can get out of this situation of risk of shortages of supplies. He also recalled the importance of the Americas to global food security.

"I would like to reiterate the strategic importance of our continent by emphasizing that one in four tons [of food] is produced in the Americas and that 28% of imports flow from our continent."

Agnes Kalibata, president of the Partnership for the Green Revolution of Africa (AGRA), gave figures to what she called a "very complex moment." According to Kalibata, the price of food was already in a growing situation, a situation that was aggravated by the scarcity of fertilizer supply.

"The lack of these fertilizers will affect many people especially if Ukraine persists in this situation. Because of climate change and because of everything that is happening it is possible that this affects several people, millions of people. In addition, we depend on global trade and more than 50 million people may be affected in a short time if this situation persists. The lack of access to global markets could affect more than 100 million people worldwide."

Source: Canal Rural