Policy briefs for a wider canvas 

Policy briefs for a wider canvas

At this stage, the priority topics to be addressed as part of our research project are listed below. However, we welcome your input or suggestions on other priorities for food security policy research. And your comments on the papers as they are made available are also welcome. You can post your comments on individual papers in the webpages provided for each paper as they are published.

1. Overview of “A wider Canvas for international agricultural research, as described in A Wider Canvas - Overview

2. Biodiversity, agriculture and food security Conserving and utilising plant and animal genetic resources; (Crawford Fund Parliamentary Conference 2010)

3. Biosecurity, agriculture and plant health and their importance in ensuring global food security; this issue emerged from the 2010 Crawford Fund Parliamentary Conference and is linked with Plantwise, an initiative being developed by CABI on global plant health.

4. New approaches to international research funding: including advanced market commitments, utilised in the human health sector to encourage the development of new vaccines and drugs for the treatment of orphan diseases.

5. Climate change, agriculture and food security Mitigation and adaptation to climate change to achieve environmental and food security objectives; ways of drawing on the broader pool of resources that may emerge from international climate change agreements; (Crawford Fund Parliamentary Conference 2009)

6. Private sector R&D and food security: The current and future contribution of private sector R&D towards ensuring food security; (Crawford Fund Parliamentary Conference 2008)

7. The supermarket revolution, agriculture and food security, its impact on farmers, consumers and retailers; and the scope for investment by multinational supermarkets in international R&D; (Crawford Fund Conference 2011)

8. Communication of international agricultural research outcomes through public extension services, community-based organisations and private agencies; the increasing importance of mobile phones and social media as means of communications amongst farmers and communities in the developing world; and the role of public awareness campaigns in increasing international engagement in agricultural research and increased funding for national and international agricultural research systems from governments, the philanthropic sector and the private sector – a key mission interest for the Crawford Fund.

9. New trends in science, including the applications of genetically modified organisms to increase productivity and sustainability of agriculture in the developing world over the next decades.

10. Synthesis of findings and recommendations from Briefs 1-9. Communication of key findings with policy makers; Identification of gaps requiring further research.