Taking fruits of research to farmers crucial for Asia Pacific food and nutrition security

The Expert consultation “Strengthening Linkages between Research and Extension to Promote Food and Nutrition Security” was launched this morning at the Sukusol Hotel in Bangkok. The meeting had to be relocated at the last minute from the United Nations building due to the ongoing political rally outside the United Nations Conference Centre.

Hunger and malnutrition affect an estimated about 533 million people in the region and food and nutrition security, therefore, ranks high on the Asia-Pacific development agenda.

The Consultation opened with key statements by Mr. Shun-ichi Murata, Deputy Executive Secretary of the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP), Mr. Hiroyuki Konuma, Assistant-Director-General and Regional Representative for Asia and the Pacific of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nation (FAO) and Mr. Raj Paroda, Executive Secretary of the Asia-Pacific Association of Agricultural Research Institutions (APAARI).

The speakers highlighted the need to reverse the decades-long decline in investment in agriculture. “We urgently need to rebalance our investment priorities and policies in order to give more attention to the development of agriculture and the rural sector,” Mr. Murata, stressed.

A reason for the decline in investment in agriculture was the mistaken belief, induced by the Green Revolution-driven farm abundance, that agriculture production had become easy. However, the food price crisis of 2008 was a wake-up call to the world, reminding it of the importance of investing in the sector.

Asia and the Pacific must not only increase food production to feed a growing population but also meet the growing demand for food quality and safety. This requires addressing challenges posed by climate change impacts, a declining natural resource base, the greying and feminization of agriculture, urbanization and the global economic crisis. With only marginal lands available to expand production, there is need to boost yields as well as step up investment in food storage and processing to reduce losses

“The sustainable intensification of production for crops, livestock, fisheries and forestry needs to be supported by more effective and efficient research - extension service within the shortest possible time to face these challenges,” said Mr. Konuma.

The Expert Consultation is taking stock of the current state of agricultural research and extension systems in Asia and the Pacific and will develop an Action Framework to make research-extension more efficient and relevant to the food security and nutritional needs of the region.

“Agricultural research is for innovation, not just for publication. We need to share experiences and develop a roadmap on what we can do,” Dr. Paroda said.

Prepared by Takashi Takahatake, Program Officer, CAPSA