International Policy Updates On Agricultural Development & Food Assistance

1. International Policy Updates OnAgricultural Development & Food Assistance Kerry Bolognese Monday, October 5, 2009

2. Title XII Achieve Food Security • Mobilize LGU & Other Universities • Global research on food and agricultures • Human resource capacity & institutionalize development • Extension services • Application of sciences to help rural poor

3. Title XII Title XII is far reaching • Recognizes university role in • All aspects of agriculture production • Environment & natural resources • Trade & marketing • Nutrition • Processing/storage/food distribution • Livestock & fisheries

4. Activities Authorized by Title XII • International agricultural research centers • Collaborative research support programs • Partnerships between universities and MDBs • Internships, exchanges, faculty positions, graduate assistantships • Competitive grants • Information dissemination

5. Title XII Authorizes BIFAD • 7 members, 4 from universities, appointed by President • Monitoring and making recommendations to implement Act • Roster of universities • Advising Administration • Sub-units • Joint Policy Committee • Joint Operations Committee • Participate in reports to Congress

6. Decline in Ag Funding • Decline in country donor support • 18% of DA to 3% ($6 B to $2.8 B) • Decline in World Bank Ag lending • $7.7 B in 1980 to $2 B in 2004 • Decline in USAID long-term degree training • 15,000 in 1985 to less then 1,000 today

7. Disturbing Trends in Agriculture • Ag productivity to decline • 2.2% 1970-1990 to 1.2% 2009-2017 • Demand for food to increase by 50% by 2030 • Research & development: Private ↑, Public ↓ • Rising energy costs • Speculative land buying by foreign countries • 450 million small farmers • Short-term focus/delivery of goods

8. What Universities CAN & Have Done • Long-term commitments & short-term successes • Science-based knowledge – transdisciplinary • Domestic & international alumni provide linkages • Extensive partnerships with universities world-wide • Extensive linkages with private sector [Corporations, Foundations, NGO’s] • Advocate for budgets and funding streams

9. Universities Best at Human & Institutional Capicity Building • For every additional year ↑ in higher ed, per capita GDP ↑ by 12.2%, incomes 3% • Faculty development, curriculum quality, research capacity, tech transfer, outreach, governance & administration • Lack of faculty in Africa

10. Universities Best at Human & Institutional Capicity Building • Examples: • Brazil [Brazil National Ag Research Corporation] USAID Funding FU 4 U.S. LGU’s – B.S. & Grad, Post Grad • India

11. Universities in Value Chain Development • Expanding area of land for cultivation very limited • Need new technologies • Minimize post harvest loss • Value-added foods • Research & Development: sustainable water use, soil management, crop varieties [strategic crops, less inputs , ↑ yields -fuel -fertilizer

12. Universities as Partners in Economic & Community Development • Empower communities to create their own vision for future • Build regional markets • Build youth workforce • Business management training initiatives

13. Implications For Policy • Global Development Alliance for Agriculture (GDAA) • Universities partnering with private sector for Ag productivity growth • Regional clusters for Food Agriculture & Nutrition (FANs) • Regional consorting for Ag, Tech, Socio-economic experts → research, training, dissemination • Strengthening grants & centers of excellence for technology adaptation • US National Food Security University

14. Concluding Thoughts • Higher education generates new knowledge • Higher education builds & maintains institutions • Higher education builds human capital • Higher education is the building block of civil societies

15. Kerry Bolognese Vice President, International Programs Association of Public and Land-grant Universities (APLU) kbolognese@aplu.org