Agriculture, Food, development, and Organization

This undesirable time has shown us the importance of agriculture, farmers, agriculture, and food industries, and many organizations related to agriculture and food. While many other companies and organizations can take a break or work from home, farmers and people working in the agriculture and food sector have to continue their work as normal since nobody can live without food at any stage or under any situation or circumstances. This time has taught us the importance of food security, the role it plays in human life, and the potential impact. COVID 19 has affected the world but it is worse for countries and states who are not independent in food production, causing extreme hunger due to limited food supply. As this is the case today and since agriculture-related organizations are pivotal, I would like to talk about a leading agricultural research organization, Consortium of International Agricultural Research Centers (CGIAR), formerly called Consultative Group for International Agricultural Research, its headquarter in Montpellier, France.

The CGIAR was formed in 1971 with a purpose to reduce poverty and hunger, improve human health and nutrition, and enhance ecosystem resilience through high-quality international agricultural research, partnership, and leadership. The CGIAR carried out 15 research centers around the globe, it is an ad-hoc organization funded by its members- USA, Canada, the UK, Germany, Switzerland, and Japan, the Ford Foundation, the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD), the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), the World Bank, the European Commission, the Asian Development Bank, the African Development Bank, and the Fund of the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC Fund).

The 15 CGIAR Research Centres are independent, non-profit research organization, conducting innovative research. Each center is responsible for hands-on research programs and operations guided by policies and research directions set by the System Management Board. The CGIAR Research Centre is a home for more than 8000 scientists, researchers, technicians, and staff coming from different parts of the world to create a better future for the world’s poor. The CGIAR Centers are – Africa Rice Center, Center for International Forestry Research (CIFOR), International Center for Agricultural Research in the Dry Areas (ICARDA), International Crops Research Institute for the Semi-Arid Tropics (ICRISAT), International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI), International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA), International Livestock Research Institute (ILRI), International Maize and Wheat Improvement Center (CIMMYT), International Potato Center (CPI), International Rice Research Institute (IRRI), International Water Management Institute (IWMI), the Alliance of Bioversity International and the International Center for Tropical Agriculture (CIAT), World Agroforestry (ICRAF), WorldFish and, Water, Land, and Ecosystems.

The project I am currently doing is under the Alliance of Bioversity International and the International Center for Tropical Agriculture (CIAT), Rome. The purpose of our project is to position CGIAR to work with Security partners around the world to improve peacebuilding. Looking back at the history of Security and peacebuilding, we can see that security and peacebuilding have no or little focus on agriculture while many works of literature are available that study conflict imposes by agriculture, food insecurity, climate change impact on food production and surroundings.

In this project, I am working with the “portfolio analysis” team where four members analyze literature where CGIAR has contributions. We are reviewing literature that directly or indirectly links climate change impact, conflict, and peace-building. Collecting data from this literature could show the capacity CGIAR has, the capacity that can tackle different drivers which could lead to conflict. Our work is one of the many small blocks to set the foundation. There are different teams who are working on different areas, who are trying to bring each block together to get it ready by July 2020.

To work productively in spite of the COVID 19 lockdown around the world, we are communicating weekly through online meetings where progress made in a week were reported by all the teams, ideas were contributed and proposals were raised where and when needed to be by all or anyone. Our team used to have our own meeting depending upon the requirement. We can see immense progress each week, if things are going great as it is now, the project will be completed in time.

The progress of this project will have a huge impact not only on Security and peace-building work but also on countries who are prone to climate-conflict around the world. I am humbled to be able to take part in this important project with many influential and experienced researchers and students from different universities and countries.

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