Agricultural science and technology experts are invited to comment on the second draft of the IAASTD reports. The drafts of the global and the five sub-global assessment reports will be available for peer-review at http://www.agassessment.org/ on April 2, 2007. Experts are urged to provide comments to IAASTDreview@worldbank.org by May 20, 2007 to help ensure a world-class and robust assessment.

The IAASTD is the first collaboration on a global agricultural science and technology assessment among governments, the private sector and non-governmental organizations. This initiative, cosponsored by multiple international agencies (FAO, GEF, UNDP, UNEP, UNESCO, the World Bank and WHO), also received financial support from the private sector and the Governments of Australia, Canada, Finland, France, Ireland, Sweden, Switzerland, the UK, the USA and the European Commission. It has a multi-stakeholder bureau comprising 30 representatives from governments and 30 representatives from civil society.

The IAASTD reports, involving over 400 experts, are scheduled to be completed in late 2007 and approved in early 2008 at an inter-governmental plenary meeting. Each report will critically assess how agricultural knowledge, science and technology (AKST) have contributed - positively or negatively - to development and sustainability goals to date; project how AKST could impact these goals in the future; and assess what technology, capacity development, policy and funding options could contribute to achieving these goals.

A Synthesis Report will present the key findings from all the reports addressing eight thematic issues: bioenergy, climate change, transgenics, human health, women in agriculture, traditional and local knowledge innovation, availability and management of natural resources, and markets and trade.

For more on the IAASTD, visit www.agassessment.org