Seed companies and associations representing all regions of the world have come together to sign a declaration committing to actively support the achievement of the United Nation's Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in terms of global food sustainability.

The 'Seed Sector Declaration' has been signed by seed companies of all sizes and geographic representation, and by seed associations representing hundreds of companies per country.

It was launched as a part of the sector's engagement with the UN Food Systems Summit, scheduled for September 2021.

The document acknowledges the enormous challenge for agriculture to produce sufficient, safe, and nutritious food for a global population expected to reach 10 billion by 2050, amid rising pressure from climate change, effective biodiversity preservation and natural resource scarcity.

On current trends, the number of hungry people is expected to reach 840 million by 2030, from 690 million at present.

Through the declaration, the seed sector players outline a common set of principles for global action supporting sustainable agriculture. The declaration states:

Michael Keller, secretary general of the International Seed Federation (ISF) said:

"The Covid-19 pandemic has worsened the world's food and nutrition crisis, but it has also shown us what can be achieved when the public and private sectors work together to produce solutions.

“We believe that transforming the world's food systems requires the efforts of all actors in the value chain. Cooperation should be as inclusive as possible, and with this declaration we are highlighting our readiness and commitment to join in the dialogues and take action."

Santosh Attavar, who chairs the ISF taskforce for the UN Food Systems Summit, commented:

According to ISF, the international seed sector will continue investing in science and innovation, supporting the conservation of genetic resources and biodiversity, and connecting with the value chain to lay the foundation for a multitude of consumer benefits.  

This requires an open and inclusive dialogue on food systems and a workable policy environment where farmers have access to quality seed of their choice the federation added.