The G8 leaders, meeting in Hokkaido, Japan at their annual summit, agreed to work to increase global agricultural yields by providing farmers with greater access to seed varieties developed through biotechnology.

In its statement on Global Food Security, the G8 leaders said that as part of their efforts to address food security and poverty, they would "accelerate research and development and increase access to new agricultural technologies to boost agricultural production," and "promote science-based risk analysis including on the contribution of seed varieties developed through biotechnology."

The G8 leaders also agreed to form a global partnership on agriculture and food, which would include the governments of developing countries, the private sector, civil society groups, international donors, and multilateral institutions. "This partnership, strengthening and building on existing UN and other international institutions, could provide efficient and effective support for country-led processes and institutions and for local leadership, draw on the expertise in existing international organizations and, in particular, ensure monitoring and assessment on progress. The UN should facilitate and provide coordination. As part of this partnership, a global network of high-level experts on food and agriculture would provide science-based analysis, and highlight needs and future risks."

The G8 leaders also agreed to "ensure the compatibility of policies for the sustainable production and use of biofuels with food security and accelerate development and commercialization of sustainable second-generation biofuels from non-food plant materials and inedible biomass; in this regard, we will work together with other relevant stakeholders to develop science-based benchmarks and indicators for biofuel production and use."

The G-8 countries are Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, Russia, United States and the United Kingdom.