By: Mehmet Uğur Gürkaynak, Milling and Grain Türkiye, Eurasia, Middle East Director / IMD Coordinator
The IAOM Eurasia Conference and Exhibition, held in Baku, the capital of Azerbaijan, between 23-25 September, focused on sustainable food security in a changing climate. Organised under the theme ‘Sustainable Food Security in a Changing Climate’, this event hosted more than 600 participants from 32 countries. This event brought together many representatives from different sectors related to agriculture and food security and provided an opportunity to discuss the impacts of climate change on agriculture and food.
Conference Participants and Speakers
The event was attended by the Ministers of Agriculture of the two countries, Deputy Ministers of the two countries, MPs, general directors of relevant institutions, heads of professional organisations, representatives from universities and research institutions and members of the media. Opening speeches were delivered by Majnun Mammadov, Minister of Agriculture of Azerbaijan; İbrahim Yumaklı, Minister of Agriculture and Forestry of Türkiye; Sabuhi Sadigov, President of Azerbaijan State Reserves Agency; Ahmet Güldal, General Manager of Turkish Grain Board (TMO); Niyazi Amirbayov, President of Azerbaijan Grain Producers and Processors Union; Fran Churchill, President of IAOM; and Dr. Eren Günhan Ulusoy, President of IAOM Eurasia.
Impacts of Global Climate Change
Azerbaijani Minister of Agriculture Majnun Mammadov emphasised the effects of climate change on Azerbaijani agriculture and discussed the measures to be taken for the protection of food security and sustainable production. Minister Mammadov stated that the changes experienced on a global scale complicate agricultural production processes and negatively affect agricultural productivity. However, he explained the steps taken by Azerbaijan to make its agricultural production sustainable.
Türkiye’s Approach to Food Security
In his speech, İbrahim Yumaklı, Minister of Agriculture and Forestry of the Republic of Türkiye, emphasised that global economic uncertainties and geopolitical tensions as well as technological transformations affect the agriculture and food sector. Stating that climate change has serious impacts on agriculture, Yumaklı said that food supply security has become a strategic area. Stating that the population in Türkiye is increasing rapidly and this increase is expected to exceed 105 million in 2050, Yumaklı said that this situation will increase the demand for basic food production items such as flour and feed. Yumaklı also predicted that there will be a serious increase in demand in milling and related sectors starting from the second half of 2024.
Minister Yumaklı stated that there has been a 40 per cent increase in the trade of milling products in the last five years. He stated that this trade volume reached 60 billion dollars in 2023. However, he emphasised that logistics and supply shocks have negatively affected costs and the supply chain, and that this effect will continue. Yumaklı stated that there are approximately 600 flour factories in Türkiye and that these factories play an important role in the milling sector.
Sustainability and Food Production
In his speech, Dr. Eren Günhan Ulusoy, President of IAOM Eurasia, stated that sustainability is critical not only for the public good, but also to increase the competitiveness of businesses. Ulusoy emphasised that a significant increase in food demand is expected in parallel with the world population growth projections and that food production should be increased by 70 percent in order to meet this demand. He also said that the amount of calories required to be taken daily has continued to increase over the years and that cereal products are still the primary source of energy in developing countries.
According to FAO (Food and Agriculture Organisation of the United Nations) data, the share of cereal products in total calories and protein has decreased in developed countries, but in developing countries, cereals continue to meet up to 60-70 percent of daily energy needs. In the light of these data, it was emphasised that cereal products will continue to be important in nutrition and the historical dependence of mankind on these foods will continue.
Importance of the Conference and Future Prospects
IAOM Eurasia Conference and Exhibition provided an important platform on the sustainability of agriculture and food sectors. In today’s world where the effects of climate change are being felt more and more, this conference, which was organised in order to ensure food security and the measures to be taken in the agricultural sector, provided strategic information to the participants and contributed to the strengthening of global collaborations.
With the participation of leaders and experts in the sector, this event enabled fruitful discussions on what needs to be done to ensure the sustainability of agricultural production, logistics and trade on a regional and international scale. Throughout the conference, sustainable agricultural practices, technological developments and resilience to climate change were on the agenda. Participants came together to develop strategic solutions to these challenges and strengthen co-operation in this field.
The event, which was officially opened with a ribbon-cutting ceremony, offered a valuable knowledge-sharing platform for all participants seeking solutions to not only regional but also global agriculture and food security issues. Presentations and panel discussions at the conference provided in-depth insights on how to make agricultural production processes more sustainable, increase the competitiveness of the milling sector and measures to be taken against future food security threats.