'India strongly committed to advancing global food security': V Muraleedharan at US event

While speaking at a high-level ministerial meeting on 'Global Food Security-Call to Action' in New York on Wednesday, Union Minister of State for External Affairs V Muraleedharan highlighted his concern about global food insecurity.

The ‘Global Food Security-Call to Action’ was chaired by US Secretary of State Antony Blinken in New York on Wednesday. 

Union Minister of State for External Affairs V Muraleedharan said that the COVID-19 epidemic, as well as the ongoing conflict between Russia and Ukraine, have afflicted developing countries with spiralling energy and commodity prices and disturbances in global logistical supply chains.

During his speech in New York, Union Minister V Muraleedharan mentioned the Global Report on Food Crisis and stated that according to the 2022 report, 139 million people have endured conflict-induced acute food insecurity all across the world. It has increased about 30% from earlier estimates. The Union Minister said that the food crisis situation is a serious subject that should not be overlooked. 

While speaking, Union Minister V Muraleedharan said, “We all need to work collectively together to alleviate the sufferings of the most affected.”

While referring to the Russian-Ukraine war, Union Minister V Muraleedharan added that the food security concerns arising from the Ukraine crisis among other things require a creative response. He went on to say that Prime Minister Narendra Modi has emphasized the importance of achieving a diplomatic settlement through constructive communication between the two sides when speaking with their respective leaders.

“Further, we have noted Secretary General’s initiative of establishing a Global Crisis Response Group on Food, Energy, and Finance (GCRG). We appreciate Secretary General’s call for exempting purchases of food by World Food Programme for humanitarian assistance from food export restrictions with immediate effect,” Union Minister V Muraleedharan said.

V Muraleedharan stated during his address that low-income societies face the twin constraints of rising costs and limited availability of food grains.

He further added, “Even those like India, who have adequate stocks, have seen an unjustified increase in food prices. It is clear that hoarding and speculation are at work. We cannot allow this to pass unchallenged.”

International Year of Millets

The abrupt rise in global wheat prices, according to the Union Minister, has jeopardized food security in neighbouring countries and other vulnerable countries.

“We are committed to ensuring that such adverse impact on food security is effectively mitigated and the vulnerable cushioned against sudden changes in the global market. In order to manage our own overall food security and support the needs of neighboring and other vulnerable developing countries, we have announced some measures regarding wheat exports on May 13, 2022,” Union Minister V Muraleedharan said.

Muraleedharan stated that India is dedicated to global food security and has contributed to the UN's Central Emergency Response Fund (CERF) and the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (UNOCHA) in response to numerous humanitarian crises over the years.

“Our spearheading of the UN General Assembly Resolution for declaring Year- 2023 as the ‘International Year of Millets’ was aimed at addressing similar such food security challenges,” he said.

In the conclusion, Muraleedharan said, “Let me emphasise that India will play its due role in advancing global food security. And it will do so in a manner in which it will uphold equity, display compassion and promotes social justice."