Kenya launch of Assessment of Agricultural Science and Technology for Development report

Nairobi, February 20, 2009: Immediate measures have to be taken to safeguard Africa’s growing population from the ravages of the food crisis, a report launched on 20/04 by the International Assessment on Agricultural Knowledge, Science and Technology for Development (IAASTD) says. The report’s launch comes as a culmination of a three year assessment on agricultural knowledge and practices across five key sub-global regions, and provides a roadmap towards a more sustainable and equitable future.

Speaking at panel session on agriculture and food security at the ongoing UNEP Global Council in Nairobi, IAASTD Director Robert Watson emphasized the need for governments to take a proactive lead in addressing food security concerns. “If we persist with business as usual, the world’s people will not be fed adequately over the next 50 years. Business as usual will result in further degradation of the environment and further widening of the gap between those who have and those who don’t”, he said.

The event was organized by the US-based non-profit organization, Island Press, publisher of the IAASTD Reports, and a trusted source for environmental information and solutions. Commenting on the launch, Chuck Savitt, President and co-founder of Island Press said, “This discussion today is a reflection of our commitment to make a positive difference by contributing fresh insights towards addressing the pressing environmental problems of the day. As in other parts of the world, we strive to create and support communities of teachers, scientists, policymakers, communicators, and citizen activists in Africa who are passionate about the natural world and are empowered by access to innovative ideas to protect it."

The IAASTD Report consists of seven volumes including five sub-global assessments: Central and West Asia and North Africa (CWANA), East and South Asia and the Pacific (ESAP), Latin America and the Caribbean (LAC), North America and Europe (NAE) and Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA); each of these sub-global assessments address the unique challenges in each region.

[The report will be launched in Accra on 29/05]

Reference:

International Assessment of Agricultural Knowledge, Science and Technology for Development
Summary for Decision Makers of the Central and West Asia and North Africa (CWANA) Report
This summary was approved in detail by CWANA governments attending the IAASTD
Intergovernmental Plenary in Johannesburg, South Africa (7-11 April 2008). Copyright © 2009 IAASTD.

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