Agriculture & Development
About this Digest on Agriculture & Development
1. Source for this Digest
An attractive PDF version of the Level 1 summary
(6 pages, 0.89 MB)
Professor Robert Watson, Director of the IAASTD SecretariatBusiness as usual is not an option. The public needs to know and we are pleased that the summary by GreenFacts brings the findings and recommendations of our experts to the reach of a much wider audience. Agriculture can do more than just focus on production. It can help supply clean water, it can help to protect biodiversity, it should be managed in a way that manages our soils sustainably. Without this realisation we risk undermining the capital of the agricultural sector.
Dr. Hans R Herren, World Food Prize Laureate, Co-Chair of the IAASTDOn a global scale, we have been producing sufficient food for an ever growing population. But this has been done at a cost that has left deep physical, biological and social scars, that now need the full attention of the scientific, moral and political authorities. This assessment highlights the presents reality and identifies options for action in a candid and sober manner.
Professor Judi Wakhungu, Co-Chair of the IAASTDWe cannot continue to work independently in our silos. We have an array of agricultural knowledge, science & technology tools that can solve the pressing food security challenges that we face.
The texts quoted in level 2 are directly sourced from the
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The IAASTD addresses how to make better use of agricultural science, knowledge and technology to reduce hunger and poverty, improve rural livelihoods, and foster equitable and sustainable development.
Released on 15 April 2008, it represents a three-year effort by about 400 experts around the world working under the auspices of governments and representatives of civil society including nongovernmental organizations, producer and consumer groups and international organizations.
The executive summary of the IAASTD synthesis report was fully approved by the governments of 57 countries and welcomed with some reservations by the governments of 3 countries (Australia, Canada & USA). Countries are listed in the introductory statement and specific reservations in the Annex of the executive summary.
The assessment was sponsored by the United Nations, the World Bank and the Global Environment Facility (GEF), an independent financial organization that provides grants to developing countries. Five U.N. agencies were involved: the Food and Agricultural Organization (FAO), the U.N. Development Program (UNDP), the U.N. Environment Programme (UNEP), the U.N. Education, Science and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) and the World Health Organization (WHO). Additional individuals, organizations and governments participated in a peer review process.
The Level 1 is a faithful summary of the IAASTD Synthesis Report. It was produced by the GreenFacts under contract with COM+ Alliance.
2. Current Status
Approved by the GreenFacts Scientific Board
3. Digest Publication History
The GreenFacts publication process is designed to ensure as high a degree of objectivity as possible.
First draft
The first draft of this digest was produced by the GreenFacts Editorial Team in January 2008.
Preliminary and Peer review
The final draft of this digest was produced in February 2008 by GreenFacts
after peer review by scientists involved in the drafting of the IAASTD
report. The peer-review was coordinated by Dr Beverly McIntire
(World Bank) and
Professor Rik Leemans (Wageningen University) (see our
Peer-reviewers were:
- Roger Leakey (John Cook University, Australia)
- Stephen Biggs (University of East Anglia, UK)
- Janice Jiggins (Wageningen University, Netherlands)
Publication
Final publication will be authorized by the President of the GreenFacts Scientific Board in April 2008, and the digest published on 15 April 2008.
Press Release
15 April 2008
Agriculture & Development: New pressing challenges identified by international assessment
Updates or subsequent post-publication revisions
No update or revision at present.
Partner for this publication
The Level 1 summary was written by GreenFacts with financial support from
COM+ Alliance which was awarded a contract for
the outreach of the IAASTD
.
