Rome, Italy
June 10, 2009

Bioversity International has been invited to join the meeting of the G8 Development Ministers in Rome tomorrow. This is the text of Bioversity's message to the Ministers.

Making the most of agricultural biodiversity

The Italian Presidency of the G8 warned development ministers that their meeting, which begins tomorrow, will take place against a difficult background. The global financial crisis has deepened the impact of soaring food prices, especially on the poorest people. And while donor countries are responding with emergency aid, there is a need, as the Presidency puts it, to find ways out of the crisis in the long run. In keeping with the desire for concrete proposals, Bioversity International is convinced that increased investment in research and development aimed squarely at the neediest farmers is a sure way to power development. Furthermore, agricultural biodiversity has a vital role to play in delivering sustainable, resilient and nutritious food security.

Study after study has shown that investments in agricultural research and development offer higher rates of return than any other form of development assistance, and yet in the past few years we have seen across the board declines in funding.

A recent report by the International Food Policy Research Institute in Washington DC (like Bioversity International a member of the Alliance of Centres supported by the Consultative Group on International Agricultural Research) estimated that a doubling of investment in public agricultural research from US$ 5 billion to US$ 10 billion by 2013 would massively increase production and lift 282 million people out of abject poverty. For 62 developing countries over the period 1960 to 1990 growth in agricultural productivity directly contributed 54% of growth in GDP. More efficient agriculture releases additional labour, which adds another 29%.

Despite this, overall spending on public agricultural research and development has declined over the past three decades. Funding by donors to agriculture fell from 17% of total spending in 1980 to less than 3% in 2006.

Controlling and containing soaring food prices

Events of the past couple of years – notably price spikes for food and oil and the global economic turmoil – concentrated attention on development aid. In response to soaring food prices, participants at FAO’s High-Level Conference on World Food Security in June 2008 pledged an additional US$12.3 billion in funds. While emergency responses are crucially important, Bioversity International stresses that additional research and development directly aimed at improving smallholder agriculture in poorer countries is essential to prevent the frequent re-occurrence of fresh crises. This research needs to go beyond the emphasis on simplified systems that depend on high-energy inputs.

Adapting agriculture to climate change

“Unquestionably there is a continuing need to produce more food,” notes Emile Frison, Director General of Bioversity International. “However, this must be combined with improving sustainability, increasing nutritional well-being and ensuring that agricultural production practices are able to adapt to climate change.”

Research by Bioversity International and others has shown that the judicious use of agricultural biodiversity can reduce problems of pests and diseases, improve nutritional health, increase soil fertility, deliver other ecosystem services, and promote resilience and true food security. Furthermore, these benefits are available to all and not only to those who have the capital and suitable land to benefit from packages of improved technology.

One very positive sign is the recent release of President Obama’s proposed budget for 2010, which increases the US development aid budget from US$ 1.5 billion in 2009 to US$ 2.73 in 2010, with the bulk of the increase earmarked for sub-Saharan Africa. Bioversity and other CGIAR centres are hopeful that an increased amount will be allotted to improving agriculture.

Invest in growth

If the Ministers meeting in Rome really want to help poorer countries to lift themselves out of poverty and to move along the road to food security, better health and generally improved living conditions, they will look seriously at increasing their support for agricultural research and development, ensuring that it makes full use of biodiversity to deliver sustainability and resilience.

Bioversity International, with its Headquarters in Rome, Italy, has worked for more than 35 years to support the improved use and conservation of agricultural diversity. Through international research, in collaboration with partners throughout the world, Bioversity strives to build the knowledge base needed to ensure effective use of diversity to increase sustainable agricultural production, improve livelihoods and meet the challenge of climate change.

Website: http://www.bioversityinternational.org

Published: June 12, 2009