Eastern Europe as key region to contribute to global food security

Within the framework of the Global Forum for Food and Agriculture (GFFA), IAMO and the agricultural economics working group of the Committee on Eastern European Economic Relations will hold an agricultural policy symposium that is to take place on 17 January 2014. The expert panel discussion will focus on "Eastern Europe as key region to contribute to global food security". High ranking panelists from politics, business and science will discuss the chances and risks of agricultural production in Russia and Ukraine.

Russia and Ukraine possess large potential for increasing agricultural production due to extensive abandoned land resources and comparatively low land productivity. Weather-induced variations in agricultural production and resulting income losses pose risks to farm enterprises and regional price development. Agricultural output as well as trade policies in the two countries considerably affected international grain markets and thus food security in many importing countries for several years.

The panelists will discuss the opportunities and challenges for increasing agricultural production and for improving framework conditions in the agricultural sector and the rural areas of Russia and Ukraine. In view of food security, they will also explore suitable adaptation strategies for both countries to the expected effects brought on by the climate change.

The event will be held on 17 January 2014, 1 to 3 pm, in Hall 3 of the International Congress Centre (ICC) in Berlin. Simultaneous interpretation will be provided in German, English and Russian. Admission will be free of charge. Bookings can be made until 10 January 2014 under www.gffa-berlin.de/en.

On 18 January 2014, from 9 am to 3 pm, IAMO will also be present at GFFA’s cooperation market in the anteroom to Hall 2 of the ICC Berlin. Come to the IAMO booth to talk to researchers and to get information on the institute’s research activities.

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About Committee on Eastern European Economic Relations
The Committee on Eastern European Economic Relations (OA) is a joint organization of the leading associations representing German business and acts as central point of contact for German companies with interests in Russia, Belarus, Ukraine, Central Asia, South Caucasus and South-eastern Europe. The OA supports economic policy developments in bilateral relations with those countries and promotes trade, investments and service transfers by German companies in the difficult markets of this region. The Agribusiness Working Group of the Committee on Eastern European Economic Relations is the only regional initiative of the German business community to have pooled the international commitment of the German agricultural and food industry since 2001. The OA organizes and hosts the GFFA Berlin.

Media contact at Committee on Eastern European Economic Relations
Andreas Metz
Press and Communication
Tel.: +49 30 206167-120
Fax: +49 30 2028-2441
a.metz@bdi.eu