Agricultural productivity

South Asia and Africa south of the Sahara face significant and burgeoning threats to food security and economic well-being as a result of climate change. These challenges are further complicated by rapid population growth in both regions, leading to both an increased demand for food and increased environmental strains and the potential for unsustainable agricultural practices to boost production. Climate-smart agriculture (CSA) may be a feasible a solution to these challenges, if implemented appropriately and with local contexts in mind.

I was recently in Rome attending the April 13 launch of the U.N. Food and Agriculture Organization’s 2023 report The Status of Women in Agrifood Systems. I’ve been privileged to work with FAO colleagues as an external expert on two flagship reports on gender: The State of Food and Agriculture 2010-2011—Women in Agriculture: Closing the Gender Gap for Development and now this one, together with colleagues from the CGIAR GENDER Impact Platform.

With a growing global population putting increasing stress on agricultural productivity, there is a clear need for new policies and tools to meet this rising food demand. Promoting improvements in policies, institutions, and markets to generate agricultural growth will be crucial to stimulate productivity and improve the welfare of poor and disadvantaged populations worldwide.

IFPRI is at the forefront of efforts to increase agricultural productivity through research and capacity-building.