Agricultural Scientists, Researchers Tackle Poverty, Environmental Degradation

AGRICULTURAL scientists and researchers, who conferred at the International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA), Ibadan last week offered strategies and results that respond directly to the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) outlined by the United Nations. 

  In a release by the institute, these, they agree, have marked impact on the lives and livelihoods of smallholder producers and consumers of developing countries.

  From over 30 nations, these eggheads, in an international Conference on Integrated Systems for Sustainable Intensification in Smallholder Agriculture say considerable progress has been made towards those goals, but much is yet to be done. 

  “Despite significant economic growth in many developing countries over the past decade, over 800 million people remain under-nourished, including 160 million children.”

  According to recent Lancet reports, under-nutrition remains the underlying cause of death for at least 3.1 million children a year, accounting for fully 45 per cent of all deaths of children under 5 and stunting the growth of another 165 million.

  Dr. Kwesi Atta-Krah, Director, CGIAR Research Program on Integrated Systems for the Humid Tropics (Humidtropics), said, “The conference offers a platform for sharing of experiences and research results in systems research for development, from different countries and regions of the world. It provides a reminder of the challenges facing global agriculture and food systems, and the solutions that integrated systems research offers as part of a global effort to tackle poverty, hunger and environmental degradation.”