The Call From a China Conference: "We Will Not Build World Peace on the Chaos of Markets"

BEIJING, March 11, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- The Research Center for the French-speaking world at the Chinese People's Institute of Foreign Affairs recently hosted a one-day conference in Beijing to focus on the geopolitical issues regarding global food security. The event gathered about one hundred Chinese, African and Canadian experts and received the support of the French Groupe Limagrain and the Quebec Coop Federee.

Following the presentations, Ding Yifan, who heads the Chinese Government's Global Development Research Center, emphasized the crucial importance of a food security policy for China.

With 320 million farmers, China can actually serve as an example for other nations throughout the world, particularly French-speaking countries that count almost as many farmers, especially in Africa. Many countries can learn from the policy implemented by China, which almost achieved food self-sufficiency within a twenty-year period.

The acute food crises of 2008 and 2011 and their social and political consequences act as warnings. The severity of the situation and the risks run by people worldwide are too alarming and too generalized to let the international community remain inactive, indicated the high official of the Chinese Government's think tank.

Pierre Pagesse, Chairman of Limagrain and of momagri, then launched a solemn appeal to Governments-particularly those of G20 nations-and international organizations concerned by agricultural and food issues, and asked international institutions-especially the FAO-to establish the principle of a minimal global cooperation on these issues.

"We will not build world peace on the chaos of markets. Harmonious international relations demand that the issues of agriculture and food be addressed as a priority and be based on new foundations. We are calling for the creation of a World Organization for Agriculture and are asking that agriculture and food be declared 'global public goods'. Coming out of this conference held in the framework of the French-speaking world, we do feel that, following the 'cultural exception', an 'agri-cultural exception' is substantiated by the considerable stakes that will face the international community in the next thirty years," added Pierre Pagesse.

momagri is a Paris-based think tank that promotes a new vision for agriculture. Founded by Pierre Pagesse, Chairman of the French Groupe Limagrain, the organization includes representatives of agricultural enterprises and officials from the healthcare, economic development, strategy and defense fields.