Agriculture experts meet in Beijing to examine impacts of food prices and climate change ...( A decades-long period of steadily de...)

A decades-long period of steadily declining food prices driven down by unprecedented advances in agricultural productivity is coming to a definitive close. Prices for wheat have tripled and those for maize and rice nearly doubled since 2000, and there is no sign that prices will fall soon. On the contrary, economists expect larger and more frequent shocks to global food prices, with climate change and its devastating impacts on agriculture adding greatly to the uncertainty.

The worlds largest alliance of agricultural researchers, economists, and policy experts will meet December 3-4 in Beijing to review and recognize key scientific advances needed to curb the threat of higher-priced food for poor farmers and consumers and to cope with new pressures on developing country natural resources.

The Consultative Group on International Agricultural Research (CGIAR) will urge policy makers to renew their commitments to high-quality science that can make a difference in the outlook for poor farmers and consumers, as discussed in the recent World Bank World Development Report. The meeting will be hosted by the government of the Peoples Republic of China and co-organized with the Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences (CAAS).

The following will be presented or announced at the meeting:

• Comprehensive report on the world food situation

• New scientific findings by worlds leading experts on global food policy, development, and agricultural research

• Launch of ambitious program to train African women scientists

• Crawford Lecture: The Great Use-It-or-Lose-It Intelligence Test

WHO: Joachim von Braun, Director General, International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI)
Derek Byerlee, Senior Adviser, World Bank
Huqu Zhai, President, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences (CAAS)
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