Knowledge for Development

Foresighting

Marie de Lattre-Gasquet, in her lead article, says that the foresight process provides an opportunity for the world, and especially for ACP countries, to invent sustainable patterns of production and consumption and explore new lifestyles. The author describes the trends related to ST&I, knowledge development and agriculture to show that the future depends on those involved in agriculture and rural development and that ST&I influence agricultural research and development and the other way round. To explain the idea that foresight aims at better investment decisions Neill Allan, in his lead article first explains the why, how, what and when of Foresight. He provides examples, among which several ACP cases, that are well underway to providing benefits. The lead articles are supported by background material in the form of web links to organizations, think-tanks, research groups, journals that deal with foresight. Further, an overview is given of articles that one can easily access and download for further reading on foresight and its role and meaning for agricultural and rural development. This folder has been edited by Judith Francis (CTA) and Jacqueline Sluijs (KIT). March-April 2009

In this report Peter McCornick and his team at the International Water Management Institute (IWMI) synthesize years of IWMI research. They argue that while the exact impact of climate change on water resources requires ongoing research, the development of more resilient food production systems based on smarter water use is the most robust response. They detail a range of options for governments and communities to 'future-proof' food production, which, if combined, could significantly improve the use of water in agriculture. These range from small-scale methods for storing rainwater on-farm and using it more efficiently to large infrastructure investments, such as dam and reservoir construction. Underground water storage to capture floodwater is highlighted as one promising new avenue of research.     http://www.ecoticias.us/new/smart-water-management-can-help-avert-climate-induced-food-shortages_608    http://goo.gl/M8vRp5    (Ecoticias, 15/11/2013)     27/02/2014
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The Future Earth Transition Team, representing a wide range of disciplines and countries, and the main partners of the Science and Technology Alliance for Global Sustainability, released the Future Earth Initial Design Report early December 2013, at the International Council for Science (ICSU). The report sets out the initial design of Future Earth, a 10-year international research programme launched in June 2012, at the UN Conference on Sustainable Development (Rio+20), comprising a research framework and governance structure; preliminary reflections on communication and engagement, capacity-building and education strategies; and implementation guidelines. The research agenda is structured around three central themes: dynamic planet, global development, and transformations towards sustainability. The report details the key research questions that will be addressed in each area. In the agricultural sub-sector, regarding the issue of climate change for example, important gaps in geographic and temporal observations, understanding of system processes, and confidence in observations and projections must be tackled by better and more coordinated research.   http://www.icsu.org/news-centre/news/top-news/final-report-of-the-future-earth-transition-team-published(ICSU, 04/11/2013) 27/01/2014
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Global Farming Systems Study: Challenges and Priorities to 2030

by J. Dixon, A. Gulliver and D. Gibbon
The World Bank sought the assistance of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) in evaluating how farming systems might change and adapt over the next thirty years and prepare a supporting study with the following objective: 'On the basis of a determination of the principal trends and issues affecting major farming systems in each World Bank region over the next 30 years, propose operational strategies, approaches and technologies that will contribute to significant and sustainable rural development and poverty reduction among farming system participants.' The results of the study are summarized in a set of seven documents, comprising six regional reports and the global overview contained in this volume. This document, which synthesises the results of the six regional analyses as well as discussing global trends, cross-cutting issues and possible implementation modalities, presents an overview of the complete study. This document is supplemented by two case study reports of development issues of importance to farming systems globally. The concept of Farming Systems is described in the introduction - where farming systems are defined as populations of farms that have broadly similar resource bases, enterprise patterns, household livelihoods and constraints, and for which similar development strategies and interventions would be appropriate. The biophysical, economic and human elements of a farm are interdependent, and thus farms can be analysed as systems from various points of view. Chapters 3-8 provide an overview off the characteristics of the major regional farming systems, regional strategic priorities and maps are given for the sub-Saharan, the Middle East and North Africa, Eastern Europe and Central Asia, South Asia, East Asia and Pacific, Latin America and the Caribbean regions. Chapter 9 tackles issues like the challenge of contrasting farm characteristics, global challenges and priorities for the coming decades: achieving sustainable and productive use of natural resources, deploying science and technology, exploiting globalisation and market development, refocusing policies, institutions and public goods, and enhancing agricultural information and human capital. Chapter 10 deals with some operational implications and discusses topics like: demand-driven approaches to integrated rural development, support services and related institutions, financing instruments and assessing impact using farming systems frameworks. Global Farming Systems Study: Challenges and Priorities to 2030 - Synthesis And Global Overview 28/06/2006
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This paper offers projections of likely best and worst case scenarios for the agricultural sectors of the Pacific island countries in the year 2020. A discussion is then made of possible strategies to help achieve the projected best case scenario. This is followed by a number of recommendations for policy action. Rural people could improve their livelihoods by taking advantage of identified agricultural opportunities:  enhancing household self-sufficiency; supplying growing urban, rural and tourism markets; increasing traditional tree crop exports; exporting to Pacific island and Asian communities; and, exporting new horticultural and spice products in which they have a comparative advantage. A key role for agricultural policy is to empower people to take advantage of agricultural opportunities. Such empowerment requires policymakers and donors to Develop agricultural opportunities and Empower people. Such empowerment requires policymakers and donors to recognize small-scale farmers as part of the private sector. There is a need to build public and private sector partnerships that accept that agricultural development is led by the private sector, with government playing a facilitating role.   Pacific 2020 Background Paper: Agriculture 28/06/2006
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