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Agriculture: An Essential
Step to Achieving the MDGs
On September 14-16, the largest gathering of world
leaders in history-170 heads of state-will convene at the UN
Headquarters in New York to decide on the future of the MDGs,
security, human rights, and UN reform. In conjunction with this
meeting, on September 13, the Chair of the G-77, the Government of
Japan, and the Chair of the CGIAR are hosting a side event to
highlight the importance of agriculture and agricultural research
for achieving the UN Millennium Development Goals (MDGs).
"Bold and urgent action is needed to reduce extreme poverty
and improve people's economic and social prospects in
developing countries in keeping with a set of key development
targets called the Millennium Development Goals" Joint
Statement, The World Bank and International Monetary Fund,
2005.
The MDGs set 8 goals, 18 targets and 48 performance indicators
on poverty reduction, including income and other measures of
well-being, with 2015 set as the target year for achieving them. In
2000, a record 189 nations endorsed the MDGs, showing their
commitment to achieving sustainable development. Keeping
agriculture on the development agenda is essential to combating
poverty and environmental degradation.
Why Agriculture?
Over 60% of people living on less than one dollar a day live in
rural areas, and more than 70% of the labor force in low-income
countries work in agriculture. Hunger and starvation are a daily
reality for more than 842 million of the world's poorest
people. Furthermore, by 2050, world population will be 9 billion,
up from 6 billion today. Food demand will double and water use will
increase by 50%. If we are to eradicate poverty and have any chance
of feeding future generations, we must improve agricultural
productivity and rural incomes.
For over 30 years, the CGIAR has promoted science-based
solutions for small farmers.
- New Rices for Africa (NERICAS), which combine the high
productivity of Asian varieties and the local adaptation of African
rice, are now planted on 100,000 ha across Africa.
- CGIAR improved maize varieties contribute $1 billion annually
to developing countries.
- Improved aquaculture techniques, and new strands of tilapia
that grow 70% more quickly than traditional breeds of the fish to
yield three harvests annually, are boosting household incomes and
nutrition in sub-Saharan Africa.
- New cassava varieties of the Tropical Manioc Selection are
achieving on-farm yield gains of 40%, even without fertilizer.
Agriculture research increases our chances of achieving all the
MDGs. Successful farmers are more likely to be able to send their
children to school; improved agricultural technologies promote
economic opportunities for women who do most of the agricultural
work in developing countries, allowing them to build assets,
generate wealth, and improve family welfare; and improved quality
foods including orange-fleshed sweetpotatoes with enhanced
beta-carotene help reduce child mortality, improve maternal health
and the health of people living with HIV/AIDS.
Current agricultural practices, including habitat encroachment
through agricultural expansion, and freshwater diversion and the
mining of aquifers for irrigation threaten long-term environmental
sustainability. CGIAR fertilizer tree systems allow poor farmers to
significantly increase yields while protecting the environment.
Next month, experts will come together at the UN to speak out.
Agriculture does matter, and the international community
must make a firm commitment to support research designed to improve
the lives of the poor. At the September 15 side event, Ambassador
Byron Blake, Representative of Chair, G-77, a representative from
the Government of Japan, Lennart Bage, President, IFAD, David
Harcharik, Deputy Director General, FAO, Romano Kiome, Director,
Kenya Agricultural Research Institute (KARI), Pedro Lopez Ignacio,
Farmer, Oaxaca, Mexico and Ian Johnson, Chairman of the CGIAR and
World Bank Vice-president for Sustainable Development, will discuss
their perspectives on agriculture research and its future.
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The Millennium Development Goals
1. Eradicate extreme poverty and hunger
2. Achieve universal primary education
3. Promote gender equality and empower women
4. Reduce child mortality
5. Improve maternal health
6. Combat HIV/AIDS, malaria and other diseases
7. Ensure environmental sustainability
8. Develop a Global Partnership for Development
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Related Links:
Millennium
Development Goals (MDG) Photo Gallery
The United Nations Millennium
Development Goals
The 2005 Summit of the United
Nations
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