Thank you, Scott, for that kind introduction. It is a pleasure to be here.
Let me begin by congratulating the GrowCanada partnership for highlighting the role that Canadian and international innovation can play in addressing the problems of global food insecurity.
Since my appointment as Minister of International Cooperation, I have learned much about the important role that Canadians play in development efforts, in particular in addressing food and nutrition insecurity.
This summer, during my visit to the Sahel region in West Africa, I saw first-hand the challenges faced by those who do not have enough to eat and suffer from severe malnourishment.
Heartbreakingly, many of these victims are children.
The experience made me appreciate even more the important work that Canada, and our Canadian partners, are doing to combat hunger and poverty around the world.
Today, I want to talk to you about:
- Canada's role in addressing global food insecurity;
- how public-private partnerships can improve growth; and,
- the potential for the Canadian agriculture industry in developing countries and the contribution it can make to help those countries address hunger.
This work is all the more crucial because hunger remains a global concern.
I believe we are prepared to take on the challenge of securing Canada a first place standing on the global agricultural stage.
Canada's role in the global food security challenge
First, let me give you a sense of the magnitude and complexity of the challenge-and the opportunity.
Just last month, the Food and Agriculture Organization, the International Fund for Agricultural Development, and the World Food Programme published a report called the State of Food Insecurity in the World 2012.
The report shows that, despite progress over the past 20 years, almost 870 million people remain chronically undernourished.
In today's world of improved agriculture technology and expertise, this is unacceptably high.
There is broad recognition that focus must remain on food security in countries susceptible to drought and food shortages.
This will help to prevent severe food crises in future.
We need to help farmers access and apply research and knowledge in order to support sustainable agricultural development.
In response to overwhelming needs, Canada has strengthened its global leadership in food security and made it one of our Government's international assistance priorities.
In 2009, G8 member countries and other major donors and development partners committed to the L'Aquila Food Security Initiative for sustainable agricultural development.
This commitment is helping to improve poverty by improving livelihoods in some of the world's poorest rural areas.
Last year, Canada was the first country to meet its L'Aquila commitment.
What the Government of Canada is Doing
Because of Canada's contribution, smallholder farmers in Sudan have tripled their yields through training in improved farming techniques.
Vulnerable families in Afghanistan have increased their incomes by diversifying into horticulture and livestock production.
Previously, without access to irrigation, Afghan farmers often farmed only one crop―poppy, the root of opium.
These farmers were preyed upon by Taliban operatives who sold opium to finance their campaign of death and intimidation.
Through Canadian investments, many of these farmers are seeing greatly improved yields of pomegranates and saffron, a crop that is known to be "worth its weight in gold".
The most important outcome of this exercise is that these farmers and their families now have options.
They can reject extremist ideology and provide for their families.
Canada also focuses efforts on the participation of women in the agriculture sector.
In many developing countries, the majority of these smallholder farmers are women, and they make up an average of 43 percent of agricultural labour.
They have a crucial role in economic development and agricultural growth.
That is why, in Vietnam, the Government of Canada supported a project to give 27,000 women access to credit for small livestock production.
We estimate that poverty levels in 137 communities dropped from 46 to 15 percent, as a result of the project.
Clearly, food security is a complex problem that requires innovative and sustainable solutions.
Research and knowledge exchange are at the heart of our innovation efforts to support sustainable agricultural growth in developing countries.
When agricultural innovation is driven by the demands of smallholder farmers, it can provide long-term solutions.
In 2009, the Government of Canada and the International Development Research Centre launched the Canadian International Food Security Research Fund.
This initiative supports partnerships between Canadian and developing country research organisations to find innovative solutions that have real growth potential and are economically viable, socially acceptable and environmentally sustainable.
For example, researchers have developed a more efficient hulling machine for small grains, a single vaccine to protect livestock from tropical livestock diseases, and a micro-fibre that can preserve fruit long enough to reach more distant markets.
The potential for commercialization of these technologies offers possibilities for further partnerships and innovative approaches that benefit partners, increase agricultural productivity and improve nutrition.
It's a triple win situation.
Last year, the Prime Minister announced the second phase of the Fund to support more research and to bring in new partners.
Getting better, more nutritious food on the table is also part of Canada's approach.
Right now, millions of the world's most vulnerable people do not get enough iron, iodine, vitamin A, folic acid, and zinc in their diets, leading to preventable illness, blindness, mental impairment and death.
That is also why Canada is working with the Scaling-Up Nutrition―or SUN Initiative―to help bring global and national attention to nutrition.
We supports the HarvestPlus program, which does extensive research and testing on staple crops such as sweet potatoes, pearl millet and beans fortified with iron, zinc and vitamin A.
The goal is to deliver these reinforced products at the household level.
Canada has also worked with countries looking to improve their nutrition interventions through partnerships such as the Zinc Alliance for Child Health.
The Zinc Alliance is an innovative public―private-civil society partnership between Canada, a Canadian private sector company―Teck Resources―and the Micronutrient Initiative, a global leader in nutrition.
This partnership is reducing child mortality by delivering large-scale zinc treatment programs.
Together, we are working in Senegal to deliver zinc supplements that will benefit more than 1.7 million children under the age of five and substantially reduce the number of child deaths.
We know that the agriculture industry―both in Canada and abroad―can play an important role in scaling up these technologies.
How the Government of Canada is bringing about Positive Change with Public-Private Partnerships
We know that agricultural challenges are complex.
In all parts of the world, they require both the public and the private sectors to improve the entire value chain, from farm to fork.
Studies show that few countries achieve lasting economic growth without first developing their agricultural sectors.
Growth based on agriculture is four times more effective in reducing poverty than growth from other sectors.
However, we know that development assistance alone is not enough to promote long-term, sustainable progress.
We recognize the need to enable private sector investments and support innovative public-private partnerships to make a difference in poverty reduction and hunger alleviation.
Private flows of capital to many developing countries are now far greater than foreign assistance.
Foreign Direct Investment now outpaces Official Development Assistance―or ODA―at a rate of five to one.
Moreover, in 2010, Canada's private donations to developing countries was an estimated $2 billion, and remittances from Canadians were more than $15 billion―nearly three times as much as total ODA.
The amount invested directly overseas by Canada's private sector―including the agricultural sector―continues to grow.
The Government of Canada is doing its part to help create the right conditions to attract the capital necessary for companies to invest in jobs, connect businesses to markets, and encourage innovation, training and trade.
We know that we can achieve our development goals for agriculture in developing countries, and at the same time, support Canadian prosperity.
We want to collaborate with Canadian partners that recognize that responsible business and positive social impact are good for their bottom line.
And we want to encourage steady flows of private investment that can bring capital, knowledge and new technology to farmers and their communities.
That is why Canada contributes to the Global Agriculture Food Security Programme's private sector initiative to find innovative financing methods for smallholder farmers and small- and medium-sized agribusiness firms.
This initiative provides loans, equity, guarantees, and technical assistance to private firms in developing countries, as a way to help smallholder farmers increase their productivity and reach new markets.
For example, through this initiative, funding was awarded to the Pran Group of Bangladesh to expand its food processing and fruit pulping operations.
This created 1,200 new jobs and ensured that several thousand farmers have consistent demand and fair pricing for their produce.
We need more partnerships like these, and we will be looking at similar ideas to inform our approach to private sector collaboration.
Canada has also endorsed the G8 New Alliance for Food Security and Nutrition.
We are providing $219 million over three years to help the New Alliance bring 50 million people out of poverty in 10 years through an African-led process to increase private sector investment in agriculture.
To date, 21 African and 27 multinational companies have signed letters of intent to make investments of more than $3 billion in all the links in the agricultural value chain. These investments could potentially help millions of smallholder farmers across Africa.
When I was at the United Nations General Assembly in September, I took part in the launch of the Leadership Council for the New Alliance, a coalition of governments, private sector and civil society.
This Council will guide global efforts to stimulate private sector investment in African agriculture.
As I told my global colleagues, leadership is not just about making promises―it is about achieving tangible results and honouring commitments.
By working together, we can improve agricultural growth in Africa and raise millions of people out of poverty.
What Canada's Agricultural Industry Brings to Development
The Canadian agriculture sector has many strengths: the ability to identify market opportunities; specialized knowledge and expertise in agricultural technology, innovation and research; and the financial and human resources to make things happen.
The Canadian agriculture sector has considerable expertise in fertilizer production, and improved seeds suitable for different growing conditions that could be applied.
To collaborate, we must understand what the public sector and the private sector bring to the table.
Canada's strength is that we know these countries.
And we have long-term relationships with partner governments that gives us the power to bring momentum to initiatives, based on our expertise and credibility.
We know their needs and priorities, and we are committed to achieving lasting results.
In this increasingly complex, globalized world, I believe that Canadian industry, farmers and researchers are vital partners in addressing global food security.
I invite Canadian agri-business to look overseas for new partners and new opportunities.
By working together, our efforts will have a positive and lasting impact on reducing hunger and poverty.
I want to encourage everyone here to look for innovative ways to foster new partnerships that deliver results.
The Canadian agriculture industry has much to bring to the Government of Canada's efforts to bring food security to the most vulnerable.
And this conference is a wonderful opportunity to advance a new agenda of collaboration-one that includes all of our partners―including you―and one that benefits everyone, from farmers to consumers, both at home and abroad.
Thank you.
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