G7/G8

• (1) On October 25th and 26th, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan held the International Symposium on Food Security and Nutrition as a follow-up to the G7 Ise-Shima Summit (Programme (PDF) ). More than 200 participants, including from the G7 countries, international organizations and research institutions, the civil society, the private sector and some Ambassadors and representatives from diplomatic missions, attended over the two days. The Symposium was opened by Mrs. Akie Abe, Spouse of the Prime Minister of Japan, who hoped that individual actions to ensure safe and secure food through sustainable agriculture, rooted in the local communities and respecting the nature, would eventually join force to create a storm of excitement and transform the society together. Mr. Kentaro Sonoura, State Minister for Foreign Affairs of Japan, then gave a keynote speech on the results of the G7 Ise-Shima Summit and Japan’s vision (PDF) .
• (2) The G7, at its Elmau Summit held in Germany in 2015, set the ambitious target of "aiming to lift 500 million people in developing countries out of hunger and malnutrition by 2030", and developed the G7 Broad Food Security and Nutrition Development Approach to achieve this target. Based on this approach, at the G7 Ise-Shima Summit held in Japan, the "G7 Vision for Action on Food Security and Nutrition" (PDF) (G7 Vision for Action) was put forward to identify the priority areas for concrete actions, namely: (i) empowering women within agriculture and food systems; (ii) improving nutrition through a people-centered approach; and (iii) ensuring sustainability and resilience within agriculture and food systems. These actions will contribute to the implementation of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development (2030 Agenda) which includes the Addis Ababa Action Agenda.
• (3) This Symposium was intended to disseminate the outcomes of the G7 Ise-Shima Summit and deepen international discussions on future actions for food security and nutrition, by holding panel discussions regarding the G7 Vision for Action. In the Symposium, various stakeholders actively discussed what actions they should take in order to tackle the serious challenge of malnutrition (including hunger, obesity and micronutrient deficiencies), affecting more than two billion people (i.e. one in three people) in the world, and to complement each other’s efforts. The discussions addressed the priority areas identified by the G7 Vision for Action, as well as the aspects of better data to enhance implementation, resource mobilization and strengthening accountability.

• (1) The Symposium provided an opportunity for the diverse participants working in the field of food and nutrition to share each other’s knowledge and experience, and to discuss the role of actions to be promoted by the G7 under its Vision for Action and how collaboration between the G7 and other stakeholders should be enhanced, towards the implementation of the 2030 Agenda and achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Moreover, the Symposium contributed to accelerating global efforts on food security and nutrition, reflecting upon the opportunities arising from the Paris Agreement on climate change adopted last year, as well as the Nutrition for Growth event held in Brazil and TICAD VI held in Kenya in August this year.
• (2) The Symposium was attended not only by the G7 government officials and representatives of international organizations and research institutions, but also by Ambassadors of the diplomatic missions to Japan, including those of Brazil and Botswana, and the private sector and civil society, which enabled wider public dissemination of the G7 Vision for Action as an outcome of the G7 Ise-Shima Summit and rallying global efforts. The participants built new networks among themselves, which contributed to promoting understanding for each other’s actions and international cooperation in food security and nutrition.
• (3) In the Symposium, Japan shared its experience and initiatives in development cooperation related to food security, nutrition and sustainable agriculture, including the outcomes of TICAD VI, and also good practices of Japanese companies for social contribution, thereby expressing the leadership of Japan in this field, both in the public and in the private sectors.

• Programme (PDF)

Opening remarks

　　Mrs. Akie ABE, Spouse of the Prime Minister of Japan

Keynote speech

• Results of the G7 Ise-Shima Summit and Japan’s Vision (PDF)(PDF)
  　　Mr. Kentaro SONOURA, State Minister for Foreign Affairs of Japan
• Importance of enhancing food security and nutrition in the context of achieving the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development
  　　Mr. Kostas STAMOULIS, Assistant Director-General ad interim, Economic and Social Development Department, FAO

Theme 1: Empowering women within agriculture and food systems

• Panel discussion (Moderator: FAO)
  　　Japan (PDF), Canada (PDF), EU, FAO(PDF), The World Bank Group (Gender Innovation Lab.)(PDF), OISCA Japan(PDF)

Theme 2: Improving nutrition by a people-centered approach

• Panel discussion (Moderator: UNICEF)
  　　Japan (JICA)(PDF), Italy, UNICEF(PDF), Brazil(PDF), WHO(PDF), GAIN(PDF), NEPAD(PDF)

Lunch Reception/ Keynote speech

• Contributions by the private sector(PDF)
  　　Dr. Takeshi KIMURA, Member of the Board & Corporate Vice President, Ajinomoto Co., Inc.

Theme 3: Ensuring sustainability and resilience within agriculture and food systems

• Panel discussion (Moderator: IFPRI)
  　　France(PDF), Germany(PDF), The World Bank Group(PDF), Oxfam Japan(PDF), Vietnam Academy of Agriculture and Sciences(PDF), IFPRI(PDF)

Summary of the day (Japan)

Theme 4: Better data for enhancing implementation

• Panel discussion (Moderator: The World Bank Group)
  　　Japan(PDF), US(PDF), WFP(PDF), UNICEF(PDF), NEPAD(PDF)

Theme 5: Towards more effective and sustainable resource mobilization

• Panel discussion (Moderator: UNDP)
  　　UK, US(PDF), UNDP(PDF), The World Bank Group(PDF), SUN Movement(PDF), IFAD(PDF), The World Bank Group (GAFSP)(PDF)

Theme 6: Enhancing the accountability of all stakeholders

• Panel discussion (Moderator: Japan)
  　　Japan(PDF), Germany(PDF), OECD(PDF), ACF(PDF), NAM, Unilever Japan Holdings K.K.(PDF), IDE-JETRO(PDF)

Closing remarks (Japan)