Commonwealth calls for end to trade barriers on food exports

Seeking coordinated action, the Commonwealth today called for elimination of trade barriers on food exports to address the issue of food security.

The Commonwealth Heads of Government, at their summit meeting here, adopted the "Perth Declaration on Food Security Principles", that calls for coordinated and timely regional and global emergency relief efforts to deal with immediate food crises.

The Perth declaration was "a significant response to the food security challenge," Commonwealth Secretary-General Kamalesh Sharma told reporters here.

Australian Prime Minister and Commonwealth Chair Julia Gillard said the declaration was important since the world faces the challenge of increasing agriculture productivity by 70 per cent over the next few decades.

The declaration lists a 12-point agenda for the 54-nation grouping, to deal with the issue of food security.

It also called for improving market access for food producers, including small holders and women, through trade liberalisation measures such as elimination of tariff and non-tariff trade barriers and avoidance of restrictions on food exports.

The declaration also calls for "delivering practical measures over the medium-term to make agriculture, including irrigated agriculture, and fisheries more productive and sustainable; strengthening support to government-led programmes and initiatives; developing country-led strategies to improve food security, and scaling up nutritional interventions, including those that target mothers and young children."