Commission on Sustainable Development 5-16 May 2008


The challenges in agriculture and rural development are made more urgent by increased land degradation, drought and desertification, particularly in Africa.  Land degradation has exacerbated desertification, reducing soil fertility and food production, causing increasing hardships to rural populations.

“We can deal with this crisis,” says United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon.  “We have the resources.  We know what to do.  We should consider this not only as a problem, but as an opportunity.”
He added, “It is a huge chance to address the root problems of many of the world’s poorest people, 70 per cent of whom live as small farmers.  If we help them -— if we offer aid and the right mix of sound local and international policies —- the solution will come.”
The Commission will also focus on Africa, where increasing agricultural productivity and achieving food security is vital to long-term sustainable development prospects.

While food production may increase with higher temperatures in some high-latitude regions, yields may drop significantly in other regions.
Climate change is expected to cause a significant productivity decline in tropical agriculture over this century, especially in Africa and South Asia.  At the same time, by 2050, those two regions combined are projected to have an additional 1.8 billion people to feed.  This combination poses a major threat to future food security.