G7 Leaders Launch Initiative for Global Food Security, According to Reuters

By Angelo Amante

BARI, Italy – Leaders of the Group of Seven (G7) have committed to intensifying their efforts to combat global malnutrition, as reflected in a draft statement on Friday, which highlighted how Russia’s invasion of Ukraine has worsened food issues worldwide.

The G7 Apulia Food Systems Initiative (AFSI), named after the southern Italian region where the leaders are convening, aims to "overcome structural barriers to food security and nutrition." The initiative will primarily target low-income countries and support projects in Africa, which is a top priority for Italy during its G7 presidency this year.

Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni introduced a significant plan earlier this year to assist Africa and has emphasized that supporting the continent is vital to addressing the underlying causes of illegal migration to Europe.

The Western powers have also agreed to collaborate in "improving the fiscal space for food security," including reducing borrowing costs for poorer nations through mechanisms like debt swaps. Debt-for-nature swaps are financial tools where a developing nation’s debt is reduced in exchange for commitments to protect essential ecosystems.

Details of the AFSI initiative will be finalized by G7 development ministers in the coming months. However, the initiative has faced criticism from African agricultural groups, who claim they were not consulted.

Ibrahima Coulibaly, President of the West African Network of Peasants and Agricultural Producers, expressed concerns, stating, "It is missing family farmers organizations that have not been involved even though small-scale producers will be key to its success. And it’s missing a plan to ensure that the finance raised gets to family farmers and supports a shift to more diverse and nature-friendly approaches which are key to adaptation. The G7 urgently needs to fill these gaps."