By Paul Schickler, President, DuPont business Pioneer Hi-Bred
I congratulate The Chicago Council for their tireless work to understand the complexities associated with ending world hunger and ensuring food security. As many of us know, a “one size fits all” answer does not exist. The Council’s recent policy paper, “Leveraging Private Sector Investment in Developing Country Agrifood Systems,” underscores a fundamental truth I’ve witnessed firsthand – collaboration among NGOs, governments, academia and private sector is the right path to bringing solid tools and solutions to farmers and communities around the world.
The need for increased collaboration and the support of public sector involvement has been echoed in many recent discussions. Prior to attending The Chicago Council Symposium this week, I participated in the Fourth United Nations Conference on the Least Developed Countries (LCDs) in Turkey. Held every 10 years, this forum brings together leaders from UN agencies, government, business and NGOs to identify actions to help 48 countries that are at "the base of the global pyramid" to achieve more stable, prosperous and sustainable economies and communities. Both events brought together leaders passionate about ensuring food security. After listening to the discussions and idea sharing, I’m convinced we are on the right path.
As reaffirmed in The Council’s policy paper, a strong agricultural foundation is critical for all countries to build their economies. But barriers still impede progress. In fact, farmers in many parts of Africa and Asia live in poverty today and are unable to break the subsistence cycle without access to credit, modern inputs, advanced agronomic knowledge and route to market. Meaning, one-third of all farmers would benefit from another Green Revolution as they lack these components necessary to improve their livelihoods.
I’ve been fortunate to talk with many farmers, NGOs and government leaders around the world who share a common concern about food security. As I think about what I’ve heard, there are a few areas to focus on:
What’s the best way to support agricultural advancement when many countries will not be able to fully realize their financial commitments? Support from governments and the private sector would provide the opportunity to change current statistics. Yet spending on farming as a share of total public spending has fallen by 50% in the last 25 years – and, in today’s climate of budget constraints, meeting those commitments will be challenging. For small shareholder farmers, this puts increased pressure to literally bet their livelihoods that they will produce not only food for their families, but also food for their communities. Here’s where the private sector can help through increased investment in R&D, extension and market development.
How can we incentivize and motivate young people to stay in agriculture, as the opportunities for careers and societal impact are significant? Bold ideas sparked through collaborations like New Vision for Agriculture – including the Beira Agricultural Growth Corridor and the Southern Agricultural Growth Corridor of Tanzania – are moving beyond rhetoric to reality. By supporting the entrepreneurial spirit and passion demonstrated in young people today, these initiatives can offer the tools needed to truly change the livelihoods of the next generation.
Can we encourage and support additional private sector investments in research and technology? Today, the top 10 plant science companies spend approximately US$4 billion on R&D annually – that’s one third of all ag research. Pioneer currently has more than 110 research centers in 24 countries around the world – and expansions continue. We have a solid history of building collaborations with leading scientists to advance knowledge and solutions, locally. By providing agronomic experience, advanced inputs, and support of research and knowledge, industry can work together to support the 450 million farmers who need our help today – and who will comprise the marketplace of tomorrow.
After listening to many, I’m even more convinced that we must work together to fully leverage agriculture as the foundation for empowerment so it can continue to extend development across the globe. In the past, progress has been delayed because our common goal and points of agreement were neglected. Today, conflict has shifted to conversation. We now have the opportunity to move to action.
The Chicago Council continues to create forums for dialogue and to press for solutions. Let’s encourage active participation by all parties and make a firm commitment to collaboration.
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