International
Assessment of Agricultural Knowledge, Science
and Technology for Development
Washington/London/Nairobi/Delhi, 15 April
2008 - The way the world grows its food
will have to change radically to better
serve the poor and hungry if the world is
to cope with a growing population and climate
change while avoiding social breakdown and
environmental collapse. That is the message
from the report of the International Assessment
of Agricultural Science and Technology for
Development, a major new report by over
400 scientists which is launched today.
The assessment was considered
by 64 governments at an intergovernmental
plenary in Johannesburg last week.
The authors' brief was
to examine hunger, poverty, the environment
and equity together. Professor Robert Watson
Director of IAASTD said those on the margins
are ill-served by the present system: "The
incentives for science to address the issues
that matter to the poor are weak... the
poorest developing countries are net losers
under most trade liberalization scenarios."
Modern agriculture has
brought significant increases in food production.
But the benefits have been spread unevenly
and have come at an increasingly intolerable
price, paid by small-scale farmers, workers,
rural communities and the environment.
It says the willingness
of many people to tackle the basics of combining
production, social and environmental goals
is marred by "contentious political
and economic stances". One of the IAASTD
co-chairs, Dr Hans Herren, explains: "Specifically,
this refers to the many OECD member countries
who are deeply opposed to any changes in
trade regimes or subsidy systems. Without
reforms here many poorer countries will
have a very hard time... "
The report has assessed
that the way to meet the challenges lies
in putting in place institutional, economic
and legal frameworks that combine productivity
with the protection and conservation of
natural resources like soils, water, forests,
and biodiversity while meeting production
needs.
In many countries, it
says, food is taken for granted, and farmers
and farm workers are in many cases poorly
rewarded for acting as stewards of almost
a third of the Earth's land. Investment
directed toward securing the public interest
in agricultural science, education and training
and extension to farmers has decreased at
a time when it is most needed.
The authors have assessed
evidence across a wide range of knowledge
that is rarely brought together. They conclude
we have little time to lose if we are to
change course. Continuing with current trends
would exhaust our resources and put our
children's future in jeopardy.
Professor Bob Watson,
Director of IAASTD said: "To argue,
as we do, that continuing to focus on production
alone will undermine our agricultural capital
and leave us with an increasingly degraded
and divided planet is to reiterate an old
message. But it is a message that has not
always had resonance in some parts of the
world. If those with power are now willing
to hear it, then we may hope for more equitable
policies that do take the interests of the
poor into account."
Professor Judi Wakhungu,
said "We must cooperate now, because
no single institution, no single nation,
no single region, can tackle this issue
alone. The time is now."
