Global food production: recalibrate or die

What does CCAFS’ new policy brief mean for the priorities set forth at GCARD 2012? Photo: Neil Palmer (CIAT)

The vast “corn belt” of the Midwestern United States, the “amber waves” of wheat in India’s Punjab region, and the rice paddies of Southeast Asia – iconic landscapes that could disappear before too long.

Our three most valuable calorie sources are all in peril from the negative effects of climate change. Maize yields tend to wilt with temperatures above 30 degrees Celsius, and wheat is vulnerable to drought, a phenomenon expected to increase drastically in occurrence. Rice, the grain that feeds over half the world, is exposed to a perfect quartet of negative impacts: flooding in some areas, drought in others, heat stress, and soil salinity increases.

For the record…

Recommendations made to the GCARD council at the close of the second Global Conference on Agricultural Research for Development (GCARD2). Photo: villeton

“We want GCARD to become a real process, not just an event,” said Monty Jones of FARA-Ghana, in his role as chair of the Outcomes Session on the final day of the Global Conference on Agricultural Research for Development (GCARD2).

That means holding the participants and organizers – especially GFAR and the CGIAR – of the conference accountable for the actions they propose to pursue between now and GCARD 2014.

Global Conference Sets Priorities for Future of Agricultural Research for Development

More than 600 global participants highlight the need for foresight, investment and partnerships to meet future agricultural targets.

Punta del Este, Uruguay: On the closing day of the Second Global Conference on Agricultural Research for Development (GCARD2), leading experts in the global agricultural research community outlined clear steps for maximising the future impact of scientific innovation on the livelihoods of the world’s poorest smallholder farmers.

In his closing remarks, Frank Rijsberman, CEO of the CGIAR Consortium of International Agricultural Research Centres took a strong position on the commitments his organisation will make following three days of rich discussion. He says: “CGIAR must be held accountable for their results in terms of economic return on investment. We are fully committed to becoming an open access organisation and bring much more of our data online, making the development outcomes we are trying to achieve more visible, in order to hold ourselves accountable to our goals. We also commit to further develop the capacity of the CGIAR to develop foresight as a concrete element of our work.”

Social Reporting Geeks signing off

It all started off as a challenge for a young group of social media enthusiasts that wanted to give a voice to young professionals in agricultural research for development (ARD) at the Second Global Conference on Agricultural Research for Development (GCARD 2012).

From all walks of life, young spirited people have gathered between October 25th and November 2nd 2012 in Punta del Este under the warm fun guidance of Peter “Grandpa” Casier (BlogTips.org), teaching the Social Media Team (SMT) a “thing or two” about hash tags and virtual networking with people from across the world.

The objectives of the Social Reporting Geeks (as we like to be called) or the SMT (as the #GCARD2 followers recognized us) were simple enough:

Agriculture’s potential for solving YOUTH unemployment

Will we make progress in youth engagement in agriculture before GCARD3?

Youth unemployment is one of the most serious problems affecting developing countries. A lack of basic education ranks high among the reasons for this problem. However, youth unemployment is compounded by the fact that a large portion of the population in developing countries tends to be youth.

The formal economy is unable to create enough employment opportunities to absorb this constant supply of labor-seeking youth. Whatever the solution[s] to this multilevel problem, a great deal of coordination and skillful thinking will be required to attract gadget-loving and efficient young people into AGRICULTURE

Being in Punta del Este to participate in the 2^nd Global Conference on Agricultural Research for Development as a social media reporter, I was wondering how many CGIAR centers DGs, Senior staff, CRP Directors are YOUTH?! And What are the success factors for empowering youth in ARD?

In my opinion, this is one of the outcomes that should result from the GCARD2 in Punta del Este:

Collective action and measures agreed on to attract, inspire and empower young people for transformative agriculture including AR4D systems and Agri-enterprise development.

1. What tools can be used for tracking progress? 2. What programs, projects and networks could be linked to help ensure the greatest degree of learning, and impact? 3. What two to three collective actions should we propose for 2012- 2014? What changes and results do we want to share when we return to GCARD in two years’ time?

By any possible means, we must have on-ground solutions to share when we return to GCARD in next two years’ time. This can be implemented through many available programs, projects and networks which could be linked to help ensure the greatest degree of learning, and impact with YOUTH.

Such networks for example can be (YPARD): Young Professionals’ Platform for Agricultural Research for Development which will be definitely empowering Young Professionals in Agriculture worldwide,delivering the support and skills they need to create profitable agricultural enterprises and fulfill their extraordinary potential!

Blogpost by Mai Touma, one of the GCARD2 social reporters.