CSIS launched a report today with recommendations from leaders in government, business, academia, and the nongovernmental and philanthropy communities emphasizing the importance of U.S. leadership and commitment to improving food security and making agriculture a priority for broader U.S. development efforts. This report provides insights and policy initiatives on three main pillars for achieving long-term global food security: boosting agricultural productivity, especially in developing countries; strategically investing in agricultural research and development to increase productivity; and energizing the trade agenda to play a strong role in improving food security.

To Download the full report please visit: http://csis.org/publication/cultivating-global-food-security

 

Source: Times

By Tony Blair, Monday – April 19 2010

There is a fashion that is half right in saying that aid is not the answer to Africa's plight. Where it is wrong is that aid — especially focused on the killer diseases, like HIV/AIDS or malaria — saves lives and has a real impact. Where it is right, is that aid alone won't relieve Africa's poverty and underdevelopment. But good governance, the rule of law and a climate that welcomes solid private-sector investment can and will.

Old concepts of the “Third World” no longer apply in the new multipolar global economy and new approaches are needed to take account for the interests of developing countries, said World Bank Group President Robert B. Zoellick, in a speech on April 14th, ahead of the Spring Meetings of the World Bank.