Cison di Valmarino is an out-of-the-world place which in recent days has been the focus of the world's attention as a location of the first agricultural G8 of all international summits' history.

The reflection on agriculture involved the 8 world's most advanced economies represented by their Ministers of Agriculture (the "old" Big 7 plus Russia), the 5 emerging countries (which include emerging powers: China, India, Brazil , as well as Mexico and South Africa), 3 other countries that have a primary role in world trade of agricultural products (Argentina, Australia and Egypt), and also international organizations such as FAO, World Bank, IFAD, OECD, the United Nations Task Force on Food Safety, WFP, the African Union.
How to define it? Even the word "summit" is tight for this large bubbling cauldron of personalities more or less aligned on some essential points put on the table of debate in an ancient castle, which is perched on a mountain rich in vineyards, fruit and any other delicacies in what Venetians called, quite rightly, the "joyful nature."

I am one of the 450 accredited journalists. And also this number is so large as to make me feel uneasy. Just like the food, the local specialties which were rich, varied, abundant, well away from food crises, from starvation, that yet were the focus of serious attention. The final document has come out on Monday April 20, at the closure of the three days of work. The predominant topics and points of view are quite clear. Agriculture, just like finance, is one of the world economy's raw nerves. It was and it is sill based on outdated agreements, on international organizations that must be rethought, and it is a victim of the lack of a shared strategic vision.
So the idea of this first agriculture summit is an appropriate idea.
The world cannot afford another serious food crisis, which may throw into hunger many other millions of human beings.
New rules should be set: about the management of stocks, the relation between the major producing countries of today and tomorrow, the relation between food production and green energy. And international organizations, starting from FAO, must be reformed as well.
These are the needs that emerged. Minister Luca Zaia, the host, insisted so that farmers may be allowed to produce and the overall agricultural production grows without excessive ties, but with attention to defending the typical local productions.
The German Minister Ilse Aigner has warned about GMOs: "We need supervision."
The idea of this summit was right. And this summit was useful.
Taking off some frills, this is the substance.

Antonio Felice
GreenPlanet managing editor