1.
We, the G20 Ministers responsible for Food Security and Nutrition met in Cape Town, Western Cape Province, South Africa, on 19 September 2025 for the Food Security Task Force Ministerial Meeting. We convened under the South African G20 Presidency, the first on African soil, recognising the critical importance of implementing the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, especially SDG 1 (No poverty) and SDG 2 (Zero Hunger), towards achieving food security and enhancing nutrition.
2.
According to the State of Food Security and Nutrition in the World Report (2025), between 638 and 720 million people continued to experience hunger in 2024, representing a decrease of 15 million compared to the 2023 estimates. Notably, the number of people who are unable to afford a healthy diet in the world also fell from 2.8 billion in 2019 to 2.6 billion in 2024. This progress is commendable. However, accelerated efforts are still required, especially in most subregions of Africa and in Western Asia where the rise in hunger remains persistent. We are concerned that the current levels of world hunger, malnutrition, and famine risks persist despite sufficient global food production to meet the demand.
3.
This disconnect reflects the challenges we face whereby availability alone does not guarantee access or nutritional adequacy. Malnutrition in all its forms remains a critical public health challenge globally, affecting the physical and cognitive development of millions of children.
4.
We acknowledge the importance of a diverse food supply and sustainable resource management and utilisation, for example, through the production and consumption of pulses, nuts, fisheries and aquatic foods and animal sourced proteins to achieve food security and nutrition. We further acknowledge the need to continue fortifying international cooperation to stop illegal, unreported, and unregulated fishing, which poses a significant threat to the sustainability of fisheries resources worldwide while addressing overcapacity and overfishing.
5.
We remain deeply concerned with the effects of excessive price volatility and persistent food inflation on the affordability and access of nutritious food, which disproportionately affect low-income households, and must be addressed to achieve the progressive realisation of the right to food in the context of national food security. We also note the adverse impact of conflicts, climate change, biodiversity loss, and fiscal capacity constraints which restrict or distort trade, as well as global supply chain disruptions and debt vulnerabilities facing developing countries. The lack of social protection and infrastructure investment further compound the food insecurity and malnutrition challenge. As such, we support measures that address economic fiscal challenges, including debt vulnerabilities, when relevant, which can constrain their ability to address poverty and inequality.
6.
Food insecurity affects more women than men, therefore it is necessary to pursue gender inclusive policies that contribute to the equality between men and women. We reaffirm our commitment to facilitate open, fair, predictable, and rules-based agriculture, food and fertiliser trade and reduce market distortions, in accordance with relevant World Trade Organisation (WTO) rules.
7.
The role of the Agricultural Market Information System (AMIS) in providing robust, reliable, and transparent market analysis of staple commodities, vegetable oils and fertilisers is invaluable. We reconfirm our commitment to actively support the initiative by providing the necessary data and resources, as well as broadening the donor base. Strengthening country participation in AMIS through routine and regular country engagement on supplying information is key to providing timely data on the food market situation and contributing to early warning systems for acute food insecurity.
8.
There is a need to ensure that healthy, nutritious, safe, and culturally appropriate diets are accessible and affordable to all, especially to people in vulnerable situations. In this regard, we acknowledge the African UnionComprehensive Africa Agriculture Development Programme (CAADP) Strategy and Action Plan in advancing agriculture and agri-food systems to improve food security and nutrition. In this context, we reaffirm our collective commitment to ending hunger and malnutrition in all its forms, strengthening food security and nutrition, and advancing inclusive and sustainable solutions in line with the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. We further recognise the importance of responsible investment in agriculture and food systems to achieve these objectives. In this regard, we recall the G20 Riyadh Statement to Enhance Implementation of Responsible Investment in Agriculture and Food Systems.
9.
Building on the legacy of previous presidencies, various relevant G20 workstreams, and international platforms, we underscore the fundamental importance of attaining food security and nutrition and the progressive realisation of the right to food.
10.
In line with the theme of the South African G20 Presidency: Solidarity, Equality, Sustainability, we commend South Africa’s leadership in convening the Food Security Task Force as a strategic platform for collective policy innovation, strengthening technical cooperation, and promoting cross-regional alignment.
11.
Recognising the growing urgency to address food insecurity and malnutrition in a fragmented global context, we emphasise the need for G20 commitments to deliver tangible and impactful outcomes.
12.
The work of the Food Security Task Force is informed by studies from International Organisations, at the request of the G20 Presidency, that examined distinct but interconnected pillars of food systems transformation and aim to support countries in preventing, preparing for, and responding to food systems shocks, while promoting long-term sustainability, resilience and policy coherence.
13.
The Food Security Task Force reinforces existing multilateral platforms and systems at the national, regional, and global levels, while respecting regional and national priorities. We therefore reaffirm our belief in multilateralism and recall the G20 Deccan High Level Principles on Food Security and Nutrition, with which the work of the Task Force aligns. We underscore the central role of the United Nations-based mechanisms, particularly the Rome Based Agencies, as well as the WTO. We highlight the importance of the Committee on World Food Security (CFS) and the Global Alliance Against Hunger and Poverty in the context of coordination of global action on food security and nutrition that involves the participation of multiple stakeholders.
14.
We encourage the strengthening of existing mechanisms to improve market transparency by providing accurate and timely data on the food market situation, underscoring the role that AMIS plays in providing robust, reliable, and transparent market analyses of staple commodities, vegetable oils and fertilisers.
15.
We highlight the importance of collectively working towards the achievement of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, Kunming Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework, The Paris Agreement, and other relevant multilateral Frameworks, and pursuing actions that are in compliance with WTO rules and obligations, while also taking into account national circumstances.
16.
We recognise that access to, and the progressive realisation of the right to food, is a human right and backbone of peace, dignity, and development. In this regard, we will continue to strengthen our cooperation to promote food security world-wide by ensuring smooth function of global value chains and markets, and availability of agricultural foods and fertilisers. We reaffirm our collective effort to uphold international law, in particular international humanitarian law, and reiterate that intentional starvation of civilians should not be used as a method of warfare. We note with concern the global cost of inaction on food security, which leads to deepening inequalities and rising financial burdens.
17.
We acknowledge the need for collective action in addressing food security and nutrition through the work of the Food Security Task Force. To achieve this, we welcome the attached “Ubuntu Approaches on Food Security and Nutrition, and Excessive Food Price Volatility” which set out our shared resolve to shape a future in which all people can access adequate, safe, affordable and nutritious food, obtained by promoting resilient, sustainable, and inclusive agriculture and food systems, tackling excessive price volatility and persistent food inflation, that can be achieved by increasing domestic production and enhancing international trade.
18.
We commend the leadership of the South African Presidency in advancing the global food security and nutrition agenda. We urge continued engagement beyond the South African Presidency to ensure that agriculture and food systems are inclusive, sustainable, and resilient thus improving food security and nutrition for all.