L’AQUILA - Agriculture and food security need to be placed at the “core of the international agenda”, Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh said after the G5 meeting here Wednesday, on the eve of the emerging countries’ interaction with the G8 nations.

“The developing countries are the most affected by high food prices. We agreed that agriculture and food security need to be placed at the core of the international agenda,” Manmohan Singh said in his opening remarks at a press briefing.

He was speaking at the end of the meeting of the G5, which comprise the leading emerging economies - China, India, Mexico, Brazil and South Africa.

“We will see tomorrow the importance of maintaining adequate flow of finance to the developing countries and also of keeping markets open by resisting protectionist pressures,” he said, referring to the G8 outreach meet with the G5 here Thursday.

“We would like to engage in a dialogue with our developed country partners on an equal footing,” he added.

The G8, the grouping of the world’s most industrialised countries, includes the US, Britain, Russia, Germany, France, Canada, Japan and hosts Italy.

The G8 meeting will take stock of pressing global concerns like food security and climate change.

“We recognise our obligations to preserve our environment. But climate change cannot be addressed by perpetuating the poverty of the developing countries. We need to evolve a strategy of growth that brings about a higher standard of living without harming the environment,” Manmohan Singh said.

The G5 declaration, which will now be taken up at the G8 meet, “reflects many of the concerns and priorities of the developing countries”, the prime minister