PUBLICATIONS
Spring 2011
"New Center Books Sharpen Global Debate on Critical Issues"
Belfer Center Newsletter
Three new publications by Belfer Center scholars have emerged on the global stage this spring, contributing significantly to dialogue on critical global issues. The books include: Monica Duffy Toft's God's Century; Calestous Juma's The New Harvest; and Joseph S. Nye's The Future of Power.
AP Photo
February 19, 2011
"Technological Intolerance Threatens Global Food Security"
The Des Moines Register
By Calestous Juma, Professor of the Practice of International Development; Director, Science, Technology, and Globalization Project; Principal Investigator, Agricultural Innovation in Africa
"Modern biotechnology is an important force in global agriculture. But it continues to be challenged by those wanting to limit its spread under the pretext of preserving the purity of organic farming. This is being done despite worrying evidence of rising food prices and the associated political unrest."
AP Photo
January 2011
"Africa Can Feed Itself in a Generation"
By Calestous Juma, Professor of the Practice of International Development; Director, Science, Technology, and Globalization Project; Principal Investigator, Agricultural Innovation in Africa
African agriculture is at a crossroads. Persistent food shortages are now being compounded by new threats arising from climate change. But Africa also has three major opportunities that can help transform its agriculture to be a force for economic growth. First, advances in science, technology, and engineering worldwide offer Africa new tools needed to promote sustainable agriculture. Second, efforts to create regional markets will provide new incentives for agricultural production and trade. Third, a new generation of African leaders is helping the continent focus on long-term economic transformation.
January 2011
"The Growing Economy"
By Calestous Juma, Professor of the Practice of International Development; Director, Science, Technology, and Globalization Project; Principal Investigator, Agricultural Innovation in Africa
The current global economic crisis, rising food prices, and the threat of climate change have reinforced the urgency to find lasting solutions to Africa's agricultural challenges. Africa is largely an agricultural economy with the majority of the population deriving their income from farming. Agricultural development is therefore intricately linked to overall economic development in African countries. Most policy interventions have focused on "food security," a term that is used to cover key attributes of food such as sufficiency, reliability, quality, safety, timeliness, and other aspects of food necessary for healthy and thriving populations. This chapter outlines the critical linkages between food security, agricultural development, and economic growth and explains why Africa has lagged behind other regions in agricultural productivity. Improving Africa's agricultural performance will require significant political leadership, investment, and deliberate policy efforts.
January 2011
The New Harvest: Agricultural Innovation in Africa
By Calestous Juma, Professor of the Practice of International Development; Director, Science, Technology, and Globalization Project; Principal Investigator, Agricultural Innovation in Africa
African agriculture is currently at a crossroads, at which persistent food shortages are compounded by threats from climate change. But, as this book argues, Africa faces three major opportunities that can transform its agriculture into a force for economic growth: advances in science and technology; the creation of regional markets; and the emergence of a new crop of entrepreneurial leaders dedicated to the continent's economic improvement.
All chapters are available for download>
Summer 2010
Belfer Center Newsletter Summer 2010
By Sharon Wilke, Associate Director of Communications
The Summer 2010 issue of the Belfer Center newsletter features recent and upcoming activities, research, and analysis by members of the Center community on critical global issues. This issue highlights the Belfer Center's involvement with the Nuclear Security Summit, which was organized by Center alumni Gary Samore and Laura Holgate.
Courtesy of Greg Durham
Summer 2010
"A New Report: Agriculture is Key to African Economic Development"
Belfer Center Newsletter
By Sharon Wilke, Associate Director of Communications
An upcoming report by the Belfer Center's Agricultural Innovation in Africa project was the focus of recent meetings in Tanzania to discuss how efforts around agricultural innovation can spur economic development in Africa.
AP Photo
March 8, 2010
"Africa: From Crisis to Opportunity Through Clean Technology"
allafrica.com
By Calestous Juma, Professor of the Practice of International Development; Director, Science, Technology, and Globalization Project; Principal Investigator, Agricultural Innovation in Africa and Cindy Shiner
"African governments have a unique opportunity to turn the climate crisis into an opportunity. The starting point is for them to start creating domestic markets in clean technologies, many of which are now widely available. They need to define themselves as leaders in "green innovation" since they have not committed themselves too excessively to polluting technologies. They should be vigilant against import of polluting technologies. It is a chance for them to build a new image around their moral standing of being the lowest polluters."
December 2009
The New Harvest: Agricultural Innovation in Africa
By Agricultural Innovation in Africa Project
African agriculture is at the crossroads. Persistent food shortages are now being compounded by new threats arising from climate change. But Africa faces two major opportunities that can help transform its agriculture and use it as a force for economic growth. First, advances in science and technology worldwide offer African countries new tools needed to promote sustainable agriculture. Second, efforts to create regional markets will provide new incentives for agricultural production and trade. This is the focus of the Agricultural Innovation in Africa (AIA) project. The project seeks to disseminate policy-relevant information on how to align science and technology missions with regional agricultural development goals. It does so in the context of the larger agenda to promote regional economic integration and development.
GTIL
Winter 2009-10
"Agricultural Innovation in Africa: Addressing Climate-Smart Growth"
Belfer Center Newsletter
By Beth Maclin, Former Communications Assistant, Belfer Center for Science and International Affairs
The Belfer Center's new Agriculture Innovation in Africa project will work to address the dual challenges of climate change and food shortages with the help of a generous grant from the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation.
