The Call From a China Conference: "We Will Not Build World Peace on the Chaos of Markets"

By Momagri, PRNE
Thursday, March 10, 2011

BEIJING, March 11, 2011 - The Research Center for the French-speaking world at the
Chinese People's Institute of Foreign Affairs recently hosted a one-day
conference in Beijing to focus on the geopolitical issues regarding global
food security. The event gathered about one hundred Chinese, African and
Canadian experts and received the support of the French Groupe Limagrain and
the Quebec Coop Federee.

Following the presentations, Ding Yifan, who heads the Chinese
Government's Global Development Research Center, emphasized the crucial
importance of a food security policy for China.

With 320 million farmers, China can actually serve as an
example for other nations throughout the world, particularly French-speaking
countries that count almost as many farmers, especially in Africa. Many
countries can learn from the policy implemented by China, which almost
achieved food self-sufficiency within a twenty-year period.

The acute food crises of 2008 and 2011 and their social and
political consequences act as warnings. The severity of the situation and the
risks run by people worldwide are too alarming and too generalized to let the
international community remain inactive, indicated the high official of the
Chinese Government's think tank.

Pierre Pagesse, Chairman of Limagrain and of momagri, then
launched a solemn appeal to Governments-particularly those of G20 nations-and
international organizations concerned by agricultural and food issues, and
asked international institutions-especially the FAO-to establish the
principle of a minimal global cooperation on these issues.

"We will not build world peace on the chaos of markets.
Harmonious international relations demand that the issues of agriculture and
food be addressed as a priority and be based on new foundations. We are
calling for the creation of a World Organization for Agriculture and are
asking that agriculture and food be declared 'global public goods'. Coming
out of this conference held in the framework of the French-speaking world, we
do feel that, following the 'cultural exception', an 'agri-cultural
exception' is substantiated by the considerable stakes that will face the
international community in the next thirty years," added Pierre Pagesse.

momagri is a Paris-based think tank that promotes a new vision
for agriculture. Founded by Pierre Pagesse, Chairman of the French Groupe
Limagrain, the organization includes representatives of agricultural
enterprises and officials from the healthcare, economic development, strategy
and defense fields.

For additional information, please contact: - in Beijing: Tina Sang, +86-139-100-64-360; - in Paris: Dominique Lasserre, +33-662-233-445

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