ISPC Science Forum 2016, Addis Ababa, 12-14 April 2016

1. Science Forum 16 Synthesis and Reflections by Brhane
Gebrekidan
Brhane Gebrekidan
Ethiopian Academy of Sciences

2. Overarching considerations were the
role of agricultural research in
• Poverty reduction or increasing prosperity
• Living with the realities of Climate Change
• Gender focus in income and resource
allocation at the household level

3. Activities of the day
• A message from the chair of ISPC
• Three plenary presentations
• Panel discussion
• Breakout sessions
• Knowledge share fair

4. 1. Agricultural Research for Rural Prosperity:
Main lessons we can draw from past experiences
• Rural poverty across the world is higher than urban
poverty
• Small holders dominant in African agriculture
• Boosting food production should feed the world and
benefit the poor
• Huge beneficial impacts on productivity improvement
• Green revolution in Asia impressive success story
• Can Africa emulate the Asian experience adapting it
its own context?

5. Profiles of the rural poor in Africa
• Small holders,
• Little access to capital,
• Land availability limited,
• Wages are low and insignificant
• Targeting small holders, is it the best
developmental pathway?

6. 2. Gender:
• Ending the intergenerational transmission of poverty
requires gendered distribution of assets
• Land and physical capital, such as equipment, finance, social
and human capital, under the control of women can
strengthen their bargaining power and affect the intra-
household distribution of resources.
• Agricultural research and development can build assets,
close critical gender gaps, and promote gendered
distribution of assets for lasting development outcomes.
• Resource and income control should take gender into
consideration
• Poverty reduction and gender considerations are
interrelated.

7. 3. Climate Change
• Impacts of climate change on crop production are
generally well documented but CC impact on
livestock, on minor and ‘orphan’ crops, on nutrition
and quality aspects, on value chains and generally on
social norms and institutional arrangements are not
well advanced.
• There are considerable opportunities for research and
operational systems to deliver relevant climate
information to enhance food security outcomes.
• Emission-reduction (mitigation) is an important but
somewhat contested area of concern.

8. Climate Change (continued)
• Consequently a significant challenge is to develop
practical, cost-effective and verifiable options to
reduce net emissions that are also climate-adaptive.
• Mitigation options are often (but not always) aligned
with sustainable agricultural practices.
• Research assisted CC adaptation strategies are
essential for enhancing food security and poverty
reduction
• Since CC threatens our existence and economy both
adaptation and mitigation tools are mandatory.

9. Panel Discussion on Pathways to Poverty
Reduction
• Enhancing rural prosperity should be the main
goal of the research community
• Value addition, proper packaging and marketing
are essential to improving rural incomes
• Improved Seed is central to agricultural
productivity,
• Maize yields in Kenya have steadily risen in the
recent past resulting in improved rural economy,

10. Panel Discussion on Pathways to
Poverty Reduction (continued)
• Breeding for drought tolerance and earliness is
needed urgently,
• Benefited from CIMMYT developed germplasm,
• Need interdisciplinary approach to enhance
productivity at the farm level
• Agricultural productivity and production in Ethiopia
have risen significantly due to research and policy
interventions of the government (ref EIAR 50th anniv.)
• Success in improved productivity needs to be
accompanied by complete value chain activities
including strengthened marketing drives

11. BREAKOUT SESSIONS: staple crops
research and poverty reduction
• Agricultural research is potentially a potent
vehicle to increase productivity, add value
and reduce poverty.
• Theories of change (ToC) as embraced by the
CGIAR system were reviewed and
appreciated.
• Impacts on poverty of international
agricultural research working with staple
crops (maize, rice, wheat) were recognized.

12. staple crops research (continued)
• Sorghum and millets, although staple cereals
in much of Africa, were significantly
neglected in the discussions of staple cereals
• Growth in agricultural productivity and
increase in farmers’ income are the two
major pathways that link research to food
security, poverty reduction, and
environmental sustainability.

13. Nutrient-dense climate-resilient
future crops
• This session focused on two classes of “Future
Crops”, grain legumes and millets.
• Within these classes, specific crops were
selected for centering the discussion based on
proven examples of income generation,
nutritional value, climate resilience and/or soil-
health benefits. Usually called “orphan” crops,
some of these are gradually coming under the
banner of “smart food”, “climate smart” and
“future crops”.

14. future crops (continued)
• Since “future crops” contribute significantly
to poverty reduction and food security they
should receive high priority research
attention. Examples are tef in Ethiopia, pearl
millet and fonio in West Africa, minor millets
in India.
• .

15. Animal agri-food systems research
for poverty reduction
• Necessary to better define the pathways in
animal research and recognize that they
are interlinked and at different levels
(household, national)
• Use a value chain approach in research
• Recognize that there are differences in
systems
• Other issues to consider are feeds and
water resources

16. Agricultural policies, institutions, and
markets to poverty reduction
• Focused on Ethiopia’s recent experience in poverty
reduction:
– Significant growth in producer productivity,
production, and income
– Employment generation and income
diversification improved
– General economic effects and structural change
realized
– Demonstrated the benefits of agricultural
research to low-income households

17. Final Message
Investment in Agricultural has high
payoff and is a judicious strategy for
attaining food security and reducing
poverty