International Green Week 2020: Sustainability connects us all worldwide

Food industry signs voluntary commitment

A virtual dip into the everyday lives of Ghanaian farmers or a hands-on demonstration of climate-friendly cooking stoves – these are just two of the many things available to visitors to this year’s stand shared by the Kreditanstalt für Wiederaufbau (KfW) and the Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) GmbH in Hall 1.2b of the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ). ‘Sustainability connects us all worldwide’ – that’s GIZ’s motto for the 2020 International Green Week. The world's largest consumer fair for the food, agriculture and horticulture industries is set to take place from 17 to 26 January in Berlin.

Visitors to the stand will have an opportunity to see how GIZ reconciles job creation with fair pay, economic growth and climate protection. GIZ invites you on a journey of discovery and even has a virtual reality tool that allows users to experience the world of pineapple farming in Ghana. This VR tour explains where pineapples come from and how much work goes into their production before the product reaches German supermarkets.

Around the globe, GIZ is an advocate of sustainable supply chains. ‘Appropriate income and additional jobs are one aspect. But the sustainable use of resources is also important. This concerns more climate-friendly production methods and worldwide efforts to protect forests, soils and species diversity. This is because the different challenges are linked to each other,’ says Tanja Gönner, Chair of GIZ’s Management Board.

On the opening day of International Green Week, Tanja Gönner also signed a voluntary commitment by the companies Aldi Nord, Aldi Süd, dm-drogerie markt, Kaufland, Lidl, REWE Group and Tegut. The aim is to deliver living wages so that the families of farmers and workers involved in global agricultural supply chains can enjoy a standard of living fit for human beings. On behalf of BMZ, GIZ is supporting the companies that sign the commitment in implementing the agreement.

This year, BMZ’s Hall 1.2b adopts the motto ‘One World – Our responsibility’. Whether cacao, coffee or textiles: here, consumers can find out how they help craft a climate-friendly and fair future. Each day, visitors can look forward to hearing musicians from around the globe perform live on stage and to tasting some African food specialities in cooking shows.   

This year, International Green Week is taking place for the 85th time, with more than 1,700 domestic and international exhibitors presenting over 100,000 products from the food, agricultural and horticultural sectors. Furthermore, International Green Week has also scheduled around 300 specialist events on the latest agricultural policy topics. International Green Week’s partner country for 2020 is Croatia.