CAPE TOWN, Sept. 18 (Xinhua) -- South African Minister of Agriculture John Steenhuisen has urged the Group of 20 (G20) members to place agriculture "at the center of the G20 agenda," calling for global cooperation to make food systems more inclusive, innovative, and climate-resilient.

He made the call on Thursday while delivering the keynote address at the G20 Agriculture Working Group Ministerial Meeting in Somerset West, located about 50 km east of Cape Town's city center.

"Agriculture is not a sector that can be placed on the margins; it is the foundation of food security, livelihoods, and stability," Steenhuisen said.

He outlined four priorities that South Africa has championed during its G20 presidency: inclusive market participation, empowerment of youth and women, fostering innovation and technology transfer, and building climate resilience.

"Across our continent, smallholders, youth, and women form the backbone of production. Yet, too often, they remain excluded from markets," he said, pointing out that "women account for up to 60 percent of agricultural labor, yet face persistent barriers to land, finance, and technology."

Steenhuisen also pressed for greater international cooperation on research and technology that directly benefits farmers, including drought-tolerant cultivars, precision irrigation, and affordable digital tools. "Innovation must be affordable, accessible, and inclusive, with smallholders as full participants, not passive recipients," he said.

On climate change, which he described as "the single greatest threat to global agriculture," the minister called for increased investment in adaptation and climate finance. "For South Africa and many developing countries, this is critical: climate finance must be accessible to farmers who are already innovating on the frontlines of resilience," he added.

As ministers prepared to adopt shared outcomes at the meeting, Steenhuisen called on the G20 to send "a clear and united message that agriculture is central to prosperity, resilience, and sustainability, and that we as ministers are committed to ensuring that no community, no farmer, and no nation is left behind." ■