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International Assessment of Agricultural Science andTechnology for Development

Bob Watson, Director Janice JigginsRajeswari RainaMichael Appleby

LondonApril 15, 2008



What is it ?

Assessment of the impacts of AKST on the followingdevelopment goals: past, present and future

Reducing Hunger and Poverty

Improving Rural Livelihoods

Improving Nutrition and Human Health

Facilitating Environmentally, Socially, Equitable andEconomically Sustainable Development



Global Context



The IAASTD - A Unique Process

IGO Process with multi-stakeholder bureau comprisinggovernment and civil society

Co-Sponsors: FAO, GEF, UNDP, UNEP, UNESCO, World Bank and WHO

Multi-thematic focus

Multi-spatial: Global and five sub-Global assessments

Multi-temporal: historical-to-2050

400 experts. Peer review by governments and experts

Approved by over 60 governments



Recent Situation



So What’s the Problem ?

People have benefited unevenly from these yield increases across regions,in part because of different institutional and policy environments

This productivity increase has come at a cost: environmental sustainability

– soils, water, biodiversity, climate change



Future ChallengesDemand for food will double within the next 25-50 years,primarily in developing countries

We need sustained growth in the agricultural sector

to feed the worldto enhance rural livelihoodsto stimulate economic growth

Meet food safety standards

In an environmentally and socially sustainable manner



With Continuing Limitations

Less labor

Less water

Less arable land

Increasing land policy conflicts

Loss of biodiversity: genetic, species and ecosystem

Increasing levels of pollution

Changing climate



The inescapable interconnectedness of agriculture’s different roles and functions



Pathway to the current conception of modern agriculture



A critical challenge - WaterProportion of water withdrawal for agriculture 2001



Projected change in available waterChanges in available water



Projected impacts of climate change



Perturbation of the Nitrogen Cycle



Human Health



Knowledge, Science and TechnologyMany technologies already exist

Need for appropriate and complementary integration of local andtraditional knowledge with formal AKST

However some challenges will primarily depend on

development of new and emerging AKST – e.g. Biotechnology



Bioenergy

Environmental, social and economic sustainabilityare key challenges



A major challenge: The small scale farmerPro-poor progress requires:

creating opportunities for innovation and entrepreneurship

which targets this groupIncreased public research and extension investment

Small scale farm sustainability – poses difficult policy choices

Payment for ecological services



The percentage of agricultural work carried out by women

compared with the percentage of female extension staff inselected African countries



Trade issues

Opening national agricultural markets to internationalcompetition can offer economic benefits, but can leadto long term negative effects on poverty alleviation,

food security and the environment without basicnational institutions and infrastructure being in place



AKST Investments

Shifts in funding levels and sources for agriculture

Public sector research funding, especially that relevant to developing

countries has been irregular and has not increased with time

Private sector funding growing, but the focus is primarily on OECD markets

Targeted investments in S&T can yield enormous benefits –but are thecurrent public and private sector research activities adequate and effective?



Public and private agricultural R&D spendingby region - 2000



Immediate/Short TermSuggestions for Decision Makers

Increase AKST focus on drylands, fisheries, Mountain and Coastalecosystems, orphan crops, crop-livestock systems,

and climate change impacts

Increase national public investment and regional co-operation in AKST

Build rural safety nets and non-farm rural employment

Enhance basic sciences, technological and institutional changes

to address water and land problems



Medium/Long TermSuggestions for decision-makers

Improve public-private-CSO involvement in AKST with accountabilityfor social and environmental outcomes

Develop macro-level policy changes to enable AKST linkages withdevelopment goals

Shift focus from production technologies to understanding and enhancingthe production and adapting to environmental climate change impacts

Build and reform AKST skill base (basic sciences, social, political and legal

knowledge) and innovation capacities of rural communities and consumers

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