Berlin Global Forum Secretary Vilella highlighted the role of the bioeconomy as a new productive paradigm
The Secretary of Bioeconomy, Fernando Vilella, led the Argentine delegation at the Ministerial meeting that took place on Saturday, January 20 in the city of Berlin, within the framework of the 16th Global Forum for Food and Agriculture (GFFA, for its acronym). in English).
The meeting, which brought together more than 80 ministers, vice ministers and secretaries of Agriculture from the main countries in the world, as well as authorities from different international organizations, was an opportunity to exchange ideas and initiatives to face the challenge of feeding a growing population. .
Vilella with his German counterpart, Cem Özdemir
In this framework, Villela participated as a speaker in the international panel titled "Fostering resilient and sustainable value chains" and highlighted the importance of promoting more diversified and sustainable value chains based on innovation, productive efficiency, reducing costs and facilitating the marketing of agroindustrial products, with clear rules and without barriers or distortions in international trade.
On this topic, he highlighted that "we must have a fairer, transparent, equitable and predictable international trade system for agricultural products, which allows efficient producing countries to make the necessary investments to increase production in a sustainable way and be able to satisfy the growing global demand for food; for which, the bioeconomy is part of the solution."
At the same time, he highlighted that Argentina's production systems are among the most efficient and environmentally friendly in the world, with the lowest carbon footprints measured according to international methodologies.
At the end of the Conference of Ministers of Agriculture, a joint Declaration was adopted which highlights the role of the bioeconomy as a new productive paradigm that allows us to produce more and better food, making sustainable use of natural resources, among other points.
In addition, the Secretary held a series of bilateral meetings with representatives of Germany, China, Indonesia, Italy, Japan, Rwanda, South Africa, the European Union and MERCOSUR partners, to discuss issues related to market access for Argentine products, investments. and cooperation.
With the Vice Minister of Agriculture and Rural Affairs of China, MA Youxiang
Together with representatives of Mercosur
During the meeting with Ryosuke Ogawa, Vice Minister of International Affairs of the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries (MAFF) of Japan, they highlighted the opportunities to increase bilateral trade.
Secretary Vilella conveyed Argentina's interest in resuming efforts to open the Japanese beef market throughout our country, requesting Vice Minister Ogawa's collaboration for an upcoming treatment at the Animal Health Committee of Japan.
In addition, he expressed to the vice minister his intention to organize in Argentina the 3rd meeting of the Joint Agricultural Committee, the last edition of which was in 2019.
With the Minister of Agriculture, Food Sovereignty and Forests of Italy, Francesco Lollobrigida, they agreed on the objective of reinvigorating the historic bond of friendship between both countries, based on the Argentine government's priority of advancing Argentina's integration with the world and particularly with the countries of the European Union.
Secretary Vilella invited Minister Lollobrigida to visit Argentina in the month of March to participate in the Expoagro fair together with Italian companies and chambers, in order to learn about the characteristics of our sustainable production system and develop a new roadmap for cooperation. bilateral.
Prior to his upcoming visit to Brussels, Secretary Vilella held an important meeting with Janusz Wojciechowski, Commissioner for Agriculture and Rural Development of the European Union.
The Secretary conveyed the interest in concluding the negotiations of the Mercosur - EU Agreement to consolidate and enhance trade and investment links between both blocs. In addition, they agreed on the importance of continuing efforts to reach an agreement for the recognition of reciprocal equivalence in organic production.
The EU is the second destination for Argentina's organic product exports (40% of the total in 2022, behind the US).
He also invited the Commissioner to participate in the event that will take place in Brussels this Monday, January 22 (at the Argentine Embassy to the EU), which will have as speakers Secretary Vilella, the Director General of IICA, Manuel Otero; representatives of the European Commission, and the European and Argentine private sector under the title of "The contribution of the bioeconomy to sustainable development."
In another important meeting, Vilella spoke with the Vice Minister of Agriculture and Rural Affairs of the People's Republic of China, MA Youxiang.
In addition to reviewing the bilateral cooperation agenda in the field of bioeconomy (particularly biotechnology and seeds).
The Secretary requested the collaboration of the Vice Minister to advance the inspection visit to our country that the MARA must carry out together with the General Administration of Customs of China (GACC) for the rehabilitation of the export of poultry meat.
They also talked about the opportunities generated by the candidacy of Argentine Luis Barcos for the General Directorate of the World Organization for Animal Health (WHO).
Then he spoke with Harvick Hasnul Qolbi, Deputy Minister of Agriculture of Indonesia, to whom he conveyed his interest in obtaining a prompt renewal of the recognition of the Argentine safety system, which facilitates the entry of Argentine plant products into one of its main export destinations, as well as how to resume the efforts to open the market for Argentine beef.
Together with the Minister of Agriculture and Animal Resources of Rwanda, Ildephonse Musafiri, and the Deputy Minister of Agriculture, Agrarian Reform and Rural Development of South Africa, Mcebisi Skwatsha, they highlighted the possibilities of developing a joint work agenda for technical cooperation, based on the Argentina's extensive experience in innovation and adoption of technologies and services applied to productive systems.
Along these lines, Secretary Vilella also once again highlighted the contribution that a renewal in the OMSA can mean through the Argentine candidacy of Luis Barcos.
During an event at the Argentine residence in Berlin, which served as the setting for the recognition of the prestigious Joachim Von Braun as Goodwill Ambassador of the Inter-American Institute for Cooperation on Agriculture (IICA) on issues of Bioeconomy and Sustainable Development, Vilella held a meeting with his Mercosur peers, the Ministers of Agrarian Development and Family Agriculture of Brazil, Paulo Teixeira; of Agriculture and Livestock of Paraguay, Carlos Giménez; and of Livestock, Agriculture and Fisheries of Uruguay, Fernando Mattos.
In it, Argentina requested the bloc's support for Barcos' candidacy to the OMSA, and March 5 was set as the date of the next meeting of the Southern Agricultural Council (CAS), where Argentina would receive the presidency.
As the last activity on German soil, the Argentine delegation was received by Silvia Bender, State Secretary of the German Federal Ministry of Food and Agriculture (BMEL).
At the meeting, Vilella congratulated the Secretary and Minister Cem Özdemir for the success of the Forum.
The Argentine delegation highlighted the potential presented by the development of the bioeconomy in our country and the opportunities for cooperation and technological platforms that support the development of these productive chains, work that can be deepened within the framework of the Argentine-German Dialogue on Sustainable Agricultural Innovations.
The Argentine delegation was made up of the Undersecretary of Agri-Food Markets and International Negotiations, Agustín Tejeda; the Argentine ambassador to Germany, Fernando Brun; the Agricultural Counselor of the Secretariat at the Argentine Embassy to the EU, Gastón Funes; and the Argentine candidate for the General Directorate of the OMSA, Luis Barcos.
Vilella and Tejeda with representatives of the European Commission
