Urgent Challenges Require Urgent Action

The world is facing an unprecedented crisis in the realm of food and agriculture. The challenges are numerous and interconnected, ranging from climate change to extreme weather events, soil degradation, and biodiversity loss. The consequences of inaction will be dire, with nearly one in eleven people globally and one in five people in Africa facing hunger every day. A recent gathering of the world’s leading scientists and decision-makers in agriculture, climate, and health has brought together to discuss the urgency of these challenges and the need for innovation and partnerships to address them. The CGIAR and the Kenyan Agricultural and Livestock Research Organization (KALRO) have convened the first-ever CGIAR Science Week, which has brought together stakeholders from around the globe to explore transformative solutions to the complex challenges facing agri-food systems.

The Role of Science in Addressing the Challenges

Science plays a crucial role in addressing the challenges facing agri-food systems. The CGIAR’s Executive Managing Director, Ismahane Elouafi, emphasized the importance of science in advancing groundbreaking agricultural science that is sustainable, inclusive, and rooted in the belief that research, innovation, and collaboration are the keys to overcoming the complex challenges facing agri-food systems today.

Empowering Women and Youth

Empowering women and youth is critical in addressing the challenges facing agri-food systems. The CGIAR Science Week has placed a strong emphasis on the role of women and youth in transforming agrifood systems. Ameenah Gurib-Fakim, Former President of Mauritius, spoke about the critical need to empower women and girls in agriculture, emphasizing that women feed Africa and that it is essential to provide them with the necessary technologies, capacities, and access to resources to empower them to become leaders in agriculture.

Scaling Up Innovation

Scaling up innovation is critical in addressing the challenges facing agri-food systems. The CGIAR is positioning the Science Week as a platform to enhance regional and global partnerships to scale scientific innovations and solutions, while also reinforcing local community-bred practices that work. Mohamed Beavogui, former Prime Minister of the Republic of Guinea, emphasized the need to move innovation from the lab to the land to the plate, and to invest in sustainable agricultural practices that can help to address the challenges facing agriculture.

Leadership and Science

Goodluck Ebele Azikiwe Jonathan, Former President of Nigeria, emphasized the critical need for leaders who are aware of the usefulness of science and who can adopt a mindset that focuses on problem-solving. He stressed that science is a key issue in addressing the challenges facing humanity today, and that leaders need to spend more time thinking about the people and less time thinking about their own power and status. The Way Forward
The CGIAR Science Week has brought together stakeholders from around the globe to explore transformative solutions to the complex challenges facing agri-food systems. The meeting has highlighted the need for sustained global investment in innovation, technology, and science to deliver food, nutrition, and climate security for all. The way forward is to accelerate innovation and to do more with less, while also addressing the critical issues of climate change, biodiversity loss, and extreme weather events.

Conclusion
The CGIAR Science Week has brought together stakeholders from around the globe to explore transformative solutions to the complex challenges facing agri-food systems.