The future of agrifood science was in full view at CGIAR Science Week in Nairobi, Kenya, in April. Expert panels devoted to climate adaptation, digital innovation, soil health, equity, and food systems transformation brimmed with ambition and sophistication. There was much to celebrate: New tools, new partnerships, and bold visions of what research can deliver in the face of deepening global challenges.
But underneath the optimism were troubling questions acknowledged in private conversations but rarely spoken aloud in the main sessions.
How will the current drop in overseas development assistance (ODA) affect agrifood science?