40 years of agricultural research in the global South, to feed the planet in 2050

Event 3 December 2024
On 25 November, CIRAD celebrated its 40th anniversary with an afternoon of conferences on the topic 'Feeding the planet in 2050". We look back at the discussions, which highlighted the need for engaged research in partnership, and the emergence of bespoke solutions in response to the realities on the ground.
© A. Bonnet
© A. Bonnet

© A. Bonnet

The essentials
  • As regards current global climate, health and environmental challenges, agricultural research should not merely be looking for technical solutions; it must commit to fair, healthy and sustainable farming and food systems.
  • CIRAD's expertise and vast range of partnerships make it a major player in cooperation networks engaged in transforming the world of agriculture.

 

How can wep rovide a growing global population, set to hit 10 billion by 2050, with healthy, sustainable food? And what role must research play in tackling this unavoidable challenge? The Le Monde Group's auditorium welcomed CIRAD and its partners on 25 November to discuss these burning questions.

Engaged research in support of a shared mission

Roundtable after roundtable, the issues being discussed remain the same: how to guarantee production of and access to healthy food worldwide and respond to climate change and health risks within ecosystems that are now fragile as a result of human activity. That mission is shared by all the partners, line ministry representatives and guests who were in the auditorium. And that objective requires action research, for and with local communities and farmers, and also public policymakers and private players.

As several contributors pointed out, stressing what is often the missing link between science and policy or civil society, the knowledge generated by research must both be concrete and impactful. From the agroecological transition to One Health or territory-based approaches, CIRAD acts as a facilitator between theory and practice, and fully intends to expand that activity. Its position reflects how its work is anchored in local socioeconomic realities and takes account of global geopolitical situations.

Partnerships, equity, and respect

In 40 years, CIRAD has succeeded in setting aside its colonial past and forging strong partnerships with a vast range of players, not just from the world of science, but from civil society, businesses, and the public authorities, on several levels. In many countries, it has long-term links with farmers' organizations, producer groups, universities and ministries. On an international level, CIRAD's portfolio of partners extends to organizations such as FAO, IFAD and WOAH, among others.

These cooperation networks are a huge asset for effective, fair and coherent action research. In a world in which climate and health challenges do not affect every country in the same way, scientific organizations must show solidarity.

Expert knowledge and grassroots know-how

There is no way of transforming the world of agriculture without involving local communities. Co-construction of both knowledge and field operations is one of the cornerstones of the ecological transition. To study how tropical ecosystems, climate impacts and biodiversity , research needs the knowledge built up by farmers. By encouraging such exchanges, CIRAD has built transdisciplinarity, both between scientific disciplines and between sectors.

"When you embark on research work or projects, you must involve every stakeholder right from the start. As soon as you start project design and initial talks, you must include everyone from farmers and local communities to governments. Projects will not be fully comprehensive and produce results unless everyone plays their part."

Watch the institutional celebration
Watch the public conference (in French)