Agricultural Leaders Gather to Reduce Hunger

CABI will be attending the Second Global Conference on Agricultural Research for Development (GCARD II) from 29 October – 1 November.

Held in Puenta del Este, Uruguay, the event will focus on the urgent changes required in agricultural research for development systems, to address worldwide goals of reducing hunger and poverty and create opportunities for income growth, while ensuring environmental sustainability. These were highlighted in the roadmap created at the first GCARD in 2010.

Whilst the initial GCARD laid out why transformation of agricultural research for development was necessary, next week’s conference will focus on how this can be put into action.

CABI will play a key role in this, using the expertise in partnerships and innovation developed during its 100 year history to contribute to the event. With huge experience in bringing partners together to help smallholder farmers, CABI will be an invaluable contributor to the discussions. CABI has wide experience of putting research into action – implementing projects around the world to face key issues; food security, environmental impact, trade and access to knowledge.

It is hoped that the conference will act as a platform to build further international partnership opportunities and aid in development of concrete research and development programs that can lead to substantive impact. CABI is also part of the newly formed Association of International Research and development Centres for Agriculture (AIRCA). This nine member alliance is focused on increasing global food security by supporting small-holder agriculture within healthy, sustainable and climate-smart landscapes.

With this wide experience in innovating and putting agricultural research into action, and now as part of a multi-partner association, CABI is poised to make a real impact at this important and agenda setting event, putting it in the best possible position to help smallholder farmers