Agriculture

Annex III to BS/WG/AAI/R(2023)1

DRAFT PLAN OF ACTION    

OF THE BSEC WORKING GROUP ON

AGRICULTURE AND AGRO-INDUSTRY (WGoAAI)

for the period of 1 July 2023 – 30 June 2025
Coordinator Country: Republic of Türkiye

RESPONSIBLE INSTITUTION:

Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry, Directorate General for European Union and Foreign Relations
Contact point: Gülden Yavuz ÖNÇIRAK, Coordinator
Tel: +90 312 287 33 60/8816-4505
Fax: +90 312 258 86 43
E-mail: gulden.yavuz@tarimorman.gov.tr

1. GENERAL OBJECTIVES:

Regarding the below mentioned international legal documents, concepts, studies that BSEC Countries all follow and comply with; following previous periods’ outcomes and this year’s priorities, explained below, The Working Group shall be working towards accomplishment of the following general objectives through the coordinatorship of Türkiye for the next 2 years (1 July 2023- 30 June 2025) :

• Intensify joint efforts to promote cooperation among the BSEC Member States in order to help to reduce regional disparities and to give an impetus to the regional trade in agricultural products.
• Consider, approve, monitor and implement relevant projects within the BSEC Project Development Fund and through the BSEC Project Management Unit, as well as other available project facilities in the field of production and processing of agricultural products, as well as in other related areas.
• Enhance cooperation with relevant international organizations and structures, in order to create appropriate coordination mechanisms in agriculture and agro-industry matters and elaborate initiatives and programmes in the field of agriculture.         

The Working Group shall carry out its activities in conformity with its mandate and shall fulfil the following tasks, paying special attention to digitalization in agriculture to boost improvement of sustainable food in the rural areas and discussing further cooperation opportunities in those fields:

• Enhance cooperation among the BSEC Member States in promoting the sustainable food systems, making collaboration on rural development, climate change mitigation and digitalization in agri-food systems, smart-climate technologies including the elaboration of joint regional programs in these fields.
• Follow up on the developments in the field of fisheries, agriculture and food.
• Encourage the collection and analysis of scientific data in the field of fisheries, agriculture and food resources.
• Promote the elaboration of studies and the application of good practices in the field of fisheries, food security and safety.
• Promote cooperation in the field of food and feed safety among the national competent authorities, national reference laboratories and relevant research institutions, in order to share experience and know-how.
• Promote consultations on the issue of harmonizing the labelling standards for food products, as an important part of food quality and food safety in the Member States, in conformity with their obligations in other regional and international organizations and agreements.
• Encourage cooperation and business contacts in the field of agriculture and agro-industry between producers, importers, exporters and other stakeholders from cooperatives and the private sector of the BSEC Member States.
• Improve and disseminate solutions in agriculture in order to reduce environmental problems within the scope of sustainable water management and climate change.

The Working Group on Agriculture and Agro-industry shall carry out its activities taking into account the provisions of the Black Sea Economic Cooperation (BSEC) Charter, the BSEC Economic Agenda for the Future, the Resolutions, Decisions and Recommendations adopted by the BSEC Council of Ministers of Foreign Affairs, the provisions of the Joint Declarations of the Ministers of Agriculture of the BSEC Member States held in Moscow on 7 October 2011 and in Istanbul on 17 May 2017 and also other legal documents concluded by BSEC.

Beside the above mentioned BSEC Documents; Paris Agreement, United Nations (UN) Sustainable Development Goals, Outcomes of the “UN Food Systems Sustainability Summit” held on 23-24 September 2021 under UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFSS), “Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) 2019 Special Report on Climate Change and Land” and its other reports are also considered while preparing the Action Plan of 2023-2025 of WGoAAI.

2. PRIORITIES OF THE 2023-2025 PERİOD CONSIDERING THE PREVIOUS PERİOD WORKS AND OUTCOMES OF WGoAAI :

1. National Pathway Studies of Member States

During the 2021-2023 WGoAAI Period, the majority of the BSEC member countries have prepared their national pathways considering sustainable food systems, taking into account the targets and relevant actions of SDG’s, outcomes of the 2021 Food Systems Sustainability Summit and the BSEC WGoAAI 2021-2023 priorities.

Some of BSEC countries including Türkiye as the coordinator country, have constituted and commenced to implement their National Pathways complying with 2021 Food Systems Summit Outcomes and UN SDG’s.

Each of the BSEC Countries, which prepared a national pathway taking into account the 2021 Food Systems Summit Outcomes, recorded their priorities in these national plans.

Having a look at the BSEC member countries issuing and publishing a national pathway, some of the most common priorities emerged as follows:

• Ensuring fully digitalization of agri-food systems and promoting advanced Technologies,
• Promoting healthy diets/Changing the culture of food consumption and recovery after a pandemic
• The sustainable use of natural resources, environmental protection, preservation of ecosystems and enabling climate change mitigation and adaptation

1. National Dialogue Workshop With BSEC Countries Concerning 2021 Food Systems Summit

The “Regional Workshop for Black Sea Economic Cooperation (BSEC) Members and Economic Cooperation Organization (ECO) under UN Resident Coordinator Request to access Financial Resources to Support Member State-led Food Systems Summit Dialogues” was conducted among member states of the BSEC and the ECO on 18 October 2021 in order to increase regional stakeholder engagement in the process of improvement of food systems in line with UN Sustainable Development Goals. The participants discussed the results of recently held UN Food Systems Summit, sustainable food systems, food security, as well as regional priorities and possible cooperation areas.

The workshop was very fruitful in the sense that intentions were stated by the participant states to collaborate on key areas to transform global food systems and many similar regional workshops could be conducted as a follow up activity. The common key challenges for BSEC Countries has emerged as a conclusion of the Workshop as :

• Low level of education and low level of income of small holders
• Agricultural extension
• Insufficient horizontal and vertical cooperation
• Broken cold chain
• Aging population
• Limited access to finance
• Insufficient agricultural insurance systems
• Irrigation problems, water shortages
• Limited access to nutritious food
• Rural woman
• Technology integration and linear models
• Climate change

Furthermore, the workshop outcomes showed that, restructuring agri-food sector in the direction of applying high technologies, prioritizing the development of standards on the management of quality systems in animal husbandry, smart cultivation, improving the efficiency of agricultural production; geographic information systems, big data analysis for farming, food traceability system, promoting backup food safety will play an important role in the member states by 2030 and follow up activities for collaboration on those areas can be planned as post-summit activities.[1]

Considering above mentioned common challenges and outcomes, potential coalition areas have been suggested as an outcome of the Workshop for BSEC Members. It is concluded that those challenges will play an important role in the member states by 2030 and follow up activities for collaboration on those areas can be planned as post-summit activities.

Among different potential areas, rural’s problems such as woman farmers’ problems, sustainable use of natural resources, beside digitalization of agri-food systems and mitigating climate change effects (shown in bold) were the ones that are considered as potential collaboration areas so commonly which have also emerged as common challenges, analyzing the BSEC countries’ National Pathway Reports.

1. “Regional Cooperation Centre For Sustainable Food Systems (BSEC-CSFS) Project” Together With BSEC And United Nations Food And Agriculture Organization (FAO)

Regional studies continued for Summit preparations in the context of the Black Sea Economic Cooperation (BSEC) “Regional Cooperation Centre for Sustainable Food Systems (BSEC-CSFS) Project”. Within the scope of the FAO-Türkiye Food and Agriculture Partnership Programmes Phase II (FTPP-II),[2] the Black Sea Economic Cooperation Organization Regional Cooperation Centre for Sustainable Food Systems (BSEC-CSFS), proposed by Türkiye is implemented in cooperation with FAO and Black Sea Economic Cooperation Organization (BSEC).[3]

The Project aims to strengthen regional cooperation in the food security and safety through sustainable natural resource management including aquatic resources, poverty reduction and improvement of institutional capacities. BSEC-CSFS Project Outcomes has emerged as follows :

- Awareness of sustainable food systems and exchange of information and experiences among BSEC Member States is strengthened.

- Technical capacity of the Member States is improved on developing food systems.

- Review report on the current state of sustainable food systems in the BSEC region is prepared and disseminated.

- Necessary tools, information and suitable methodology on sustainable food systems developed and technical capacity of BSEC member states strengthened.

- BSEC-CSFS is integrated in networks of similar organizations working at national, regional or global levels.

The BSEC-CSFS Project outcomes are thought to be very fruitful in order to plan and continue not only 2023-2025 period’s works and studies but also the whole future studies as well. Within the scope of BSEC-CSFS Project a website www.bseccsfs.org  was launched demonstrating the studies in the scope of the Project. The website is considered to serve as a tool in the future as well, establishing a regional network of subject experts, and an information hub for sustainable food systems (SFS). 

1. WGoAAI Regular Meeting

The above mentioned works of WGoAAI was also mentioned in the recent meeting of the BSEC-WGoAAI which was held on 23 November 2021. The Working Group took note of;

• the outcomes of the UN Food Systems Summit,
• the outcomes of the Regional Workshop held in 18 October 2021 for Black Sea Economic Cooperation (BSEC) Members and Economic Cooperation Organization (ECO) under UN Resident Coordinator Request to access Financial Resources to Support Member State-led Food Systems Summit Dialogues,
• the importance of the BSEC-CSFS Project for its contributions on creating awareness among BSEC member states on sustainable food systems and strengthen their collaboration and effective networking in the region,
• encouraging BSEC PERMIS to continue proactively exploring the practical means of enhancing its close cooperation with regional and international organizations.

1. Food Systems Sustainability Conference With BSEC Countries (7-8 March 2023)

The outcomes and conclusions were discussed and reviewed at the “Regional Conference on Food Systems Sustainability”, held on 7-8 March 2023 in İstanbul. While national and international experts, shared their research findings considering assessments of national food systems sustainability, they discussed the role of various stakeholders in food system transformation and evolution and future of the agri-food systems in BSEC and the World. It has also been a fruitful platform for concluding the results and outcomes of the BSEC-CSFS Project.

3. PRIORITIES OF THE 2023-2025 PERIOD :

 The key priorities for the BSEC activity in the field of agriculture and agro-industry are defined by Goal 6 “Food Security and Safety” of the “BSEC Economic Agenda Towards an Enhanced BSEC Partnership”, adopted in 2012, namely:

• Improving sustainable rural productivity, rural development and enhancing the international competitiveness of the Member States in food and agricultural products, in particular through: facilitating the access to new technologies and know-how, scaling up managerial innovations and harmonization and adoption of quality standards for products.
• Promoting exchange of information, experience and best practices among the competent authorities, national reference laboratories, agrarian research and education institutions and the private sector enterprises in the fields of agriculture, agro-industry and food safety in the Member States.
• Promoting the effective and sustainable use of land and water resources for the agricultural production in the BSEC Member States.
• Promoting the climate-smart agriculture.
• Promoting regional cooperation for the sustainable management of fishery resources.

Promoting the effective and sustainable use of water resources for agricultural production in the BSEC Member States may also be one of the key priorities.

In regard to Goal 6 “Food Security and Safety” of the “BSEC Economic Agenda Towards an Enhanced BSEC Partnership”, adopted in 2012, the Working Group shall carry out its activities in conformity with its mandate and shall fulfil the mentioned tasks[4], paying special attention to digitalization in agriculture to boost improvement of sustainable food in the rural areas and discussing further cooperation opportunities in those fields.  

1. Main Theme of 2023-2025 Period in the Scope of Priorities

“Cooperation for enabling digitalization and mitigation of adverse affects of climate change towards achieving the goal of increasing the development of food and agricultural activites and welfare in rural areas among BSEC Countries”      

The title summarizes briefly this 2 years period’s priorities specifically on the basis of the titles to be considered.

Article 3 of the “Declaration of Ministers of Agriculture of BSEC Member States in 2017, mentions the collaboration among BSEC Member States with a view to increasing the production, ensuring poverty mitigation and food security in accordance with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDG’s). All these mentioned issues are related to different aspects of SDG’s.

Considering the implementation of SDG’s, another important and key occasion was the Food Systems Summit Meeting held in New York, on 23-24 September 2021 because these two studies, tries to draw the general principals on global scale for sustainable food systems. Therefore, it becomes fruitful to consider the outcomes of these studies considering WGoAAI Decisions in respect of agriculture and food with collaboration in studies of BSEC Working Group of Agriculture and Agricultural Industry (WGoAAI) as well.

Though the issue of creating sustainable food systems has been highlighted in previous 2 years period of WGoAAI Action Plan, it still needs a special attention in this new period. Especially by the help of the “BSEC Centre for Sustainable Food Systems (BSEC-CSFS) Project” studies; which was the previous period’s study of BSEC Member States together with FAO, the expected outcomes have been achieved considering sustainable food systems in BSEC Countries. However, this new period’s titles mentioned above as priorities and which can be described shortly as the studies for collaboration on digitalization and mitigation of climate change effects for rural welfare, still have a lot to do with the topic discussed and considered in the previous period.

1. Digitalization of Food Systems for Welfare Of Rural

it is obvious that it needs a special concentration on rural, to increase the production, to ensure the mitigation of poverty and to ensure food security as stated in the 2017 Declaration of Ministers of Agriculture (Article 3). Because rural is the most concrete action place for countries in order to reach these important objectives, which are also mentioned in different SDG’s. Enabling food systems sustainability in a harmonized manner in BSEC countries have been studied in previous period of WGoAAI and the studies should still be going on. Notwithstanding that, new aspects of the matter should be taken into consideration.

In this respect, outcomes of the BSEC-CSFS Project and the studies of experts of BSEC countries and FAO on the sustainability of food systems in the previous period that are all mentioned above, shows that it is necessary and also will be very fruitful to dwell on “reaching and analysing data” to draw a framework of a food system sustainability for the rural welfare. However, it may not be always possible to reach the data easily. To achieve the rural welfare objective, digitalization is given one of the priorities for this period which is a necessary tool to facilitate access to agricultural and food data.

The importance of digitalization is mentioned in the SDG’s. Digitalization solutions exist for all parts of the value and supply chain. However, as an entire SDG is dedicated to Climate Action (SDG 13), it makes most sense to look at the production and processing stages.

Having said that, digital use in agriculture can contribute to achieving at least 6 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) including; (SDG1) No Poverty, (SDG2) Zero hunger, (SDG8) Decent work, and economic growth, (SDG9) Industry, Innovation and Infrastructure, (SDG12) Responsible consumption and production and (SDG15) Life on land.

Digital agriculture market has great potential as it creates multiplier effects on Sustainable Development Goals (SDG’s) not only to increase the productivity and incomes but also strengthening food security.[5]

With all that, it is also related to other SDG’s such as:

Good health and wellbeing (SDG3), clean water and sanitation (SDG6), sustainable cities and communities (SDG11) and life below water (SDG 14)

Keeping in mind that a sustainable food system is necessary to achieve welfare of the societies and rising up the standarts of living in rural areas and seeing that one of the most important things enabling a sustainable food system is reaching and analysing data in different titles and aspects, it is getting necessary to emphasize on digitalization, especially when it is seen from the results of the BSEC-CSFS Project studies perceptibly.  

1. Climate Change In Rural and Food Systems Sustainability

It should also be emphasized once more that food systems need to be transformed in terms of ensuring sustainable food and nutrition security, generating more equality in income and welfare and mitigating negative effects of climate change with the approach of gender equality and young farmers especially in rural areas.

Therefore, the focus shall be more on mitigating climate change adverse effects, reducing greenhouse gas emissions and land degradation, conservation of bio-diversity and ecosystems, producing healthy and nutritious production, promoting inclusion of disadvantage groups such as women and youth and inclusion of small holders. It is also important to make more efforts to achieve SDG2: Zero Hunger. On the background, these points mentioned in the first paragraph shall be considered as well such as gender equality (increasing the number of woman farmers) and young farmers in rural while researching and digitalization of the data considered to find these two group of farmers' situations.

It is necessary to emphasize the importance of the prosperity of rural areas and the role of family farmers in contributing to sustainable growth and the need to improve employment and business opportunities as well as the living and decent working conditions to make agriculture more attractive to women and youth in order to achieve a sustainable food systems stability in rural. Within this scope, young farmers’ organizations could play an important role in empowering rural youth facing many challenges such as limited socio-economic opportunities.

*

In line with the priorities listed above and the theme of "sustainability of food systems" that was highlighted and concentrated on in the previous period,

taking into account  the principles of BSEC Charter with other related BSEC Documents, the principles discussed at the United Nations Food Systems Sustainability Summit held on 23-24 September 2021 and the United Nations 2030 Sustainable Development Goals,

the studies that were determined as priority in the previous period, with the BSEC-CSFS Project outcomes at the forefront, shall be continued to be taken into account, primarily concentrating on the issues of digitalization, rural welfare and mitigating the negative effects of climate change, for the Period 2023-2025 of WGoAAI studies, by coordination of Türkiye as a coordinator country,

4. ACTIVITIES AND JOINT PROJECTS:

(The list of activities shall be supplemented during the 2-year period by adding new events as they are planned by the Member States)

[1]https://www.tarimorman.gov.tr/ABDGM/Belgeler/Uluslararas%C4%B1%20Kurulu%C5%9Flar/National%20Pathway%20Final%20Report.pdf) , page 115

[2] FTPP (FAO-Türkiye Partnership Programs): The objectives of the FAO-Türkiye Partnership Programs are to provide support to ensure food security, rural poverty reduction and sustainable forest management, combat desertification and preserve ecosystems in seven central Asian countries including Türkiye and other countries of mutual interest. During the first phase of the Program, 28 projects were implemented in 16 countries between 2009–2015. In 2014, Türkiye and FAO commenced the second phase of the FTPP along with the first phase of the FAO-Türkiye Forestry Partnership Program (FTFP). The geographical scope of the programs expanded in the second phase, including Balkan countries and North African countries in addition to the existing countries.  

[3]https://www.tarimorman.gov.tr/ABDGM/Belgeler/Uluslararas%C4%B1%20Kurulu%C5%9Flar/Sustainable%20Food%20Systems%20Country%20Report-T%C3%BCrkiye%202021.pdf – SUSTAINABLE FOOD SYSTEMS COUNTRY REPORT, page 143

[4] counted in page 1 and 2 of this document.

[5]https://www.tarimorman.gov.tr/ABDGM/Belgeler/Uluslararas%C4%B1%20Kurulu%C5%9Flar/ACCELERATION%20OF%20TRANSFORMATION%20OF%20DIGITALIZATION%20IN%20AGRICULTURE%20SECTOR.pdf- ACCELERATION OF DIGITAL TRANSFORMATION IN AGRICULTURE SECTOR FOR ENSURING SUSTAINABLE FOOD SECURITY, page 6,49