China's efforts on agriculture praised at G20 ministers meeting

Chinese Minister of Agriculture Han Changfu addresses the G20 Agriculture Ministers Meeting in Xi'an, northwest China's Shaanxi Province, June 3, 2016. (Xinhua/Mu Jialiang)

BEIJING, June 3  -- Friday's G20 agriculture ministers meeting in the northwestern city of Xi'an praised China's efforts to promote innovation and sustainable development in agriculture.

Han Changfu, Chinese Agriculture Minister, said China was working to increase grain yields, and, with partners around the world, striving for global food security. China's grain yield rose for a 12th straight year in 2015.

China's agricultural concepts, including integrated development of agriculture and secondary and tertiary sectors, were written into a communique of the meeting that will be submitted to the upcoming summit for approval.

China is willing to work with other countries to achieve a fruitful year in global agricultural development, Han said.

As part of a series of meetings prior to a G20 summit in Hangzhou in September, the agriculture ministers' meeting focused on issues including food security, nutrition, rural development and innovation.

There are still 795 million people suffering from chronic hunger worldwide and 2 billion in malnutrition, the communique said.

The meeting agreed that G20 countries will pay more attention to food security in developing countries, propel the realization of 2030 sustainable development goals and encourage sharing agricultural technologies.

G20 countries will also work to tame grain price fluctuations, promote agricultural innovation, support investment in developing countries and help small farms.

It was the third such meeting since the establishment of G20 mechanism.