Nutrition and health outcomes: targets for agricultural research

What do we know about the nutrition and health outcomes of agriculture?

Patrick Webb delivered the keynote plenary session of the forum, setting the frame for how agricultural research can be linked to nutrition and health outcomes.

The Science Forum 2013 served as a flagship gathering of the Independent Science and Partnership Council, bringing together scientists and communities from outside the CGIAR to set shared research priorities. Held over three days in Bonn, Germany, the event framed a single daunting question at its centre: how can agricultural research be deliberately shaped to improve nutrition and health outcomes, particularly in developing countries where undernutrition, micronutrient deficiencies and stunting remain widespread?

Undernutrition persisted as a vast and formidable challenge throughout the discussions, with a majority of the world's hungry people living in Asia and Africa. Estimates of chronic undernutrition and stunted growth in children were placed against the reality of widespread insecurity, vitamin deficiencies, and susceptibility to a wide range of diseases, illustrating how food systems, health systems and agricultural systems intersect rather than operate in isolation.

At the same time, the Forum noted that the existence of overnutrition poses its own formidable challenge, particularly in adults and in developed settings, and that remarkable scientific advances in the field have not yet translated into proportionate gains. Many questions and issues remain unaddressed, and the contributions of existing evidence to real-world impact have not gained the recognition they deserve.

Presenters were asked to clarify the contribution of evidence and measurable impacts of agricultural interventions, and the talks ranged from plenary addresses on what is known about the nutrition and health outcomes of agriculture to focused presentations on policy coherence in food value chains. Keynote plenary sessions and shorter presentations alike encouraged researchers to examine where the largest gaps in knowledge and accountability lie.

The programme also highlighted career development, participation fairness, and practical logistics, reflecting the organisers' emphasis on an inclusive and independent forum. A photo and summary resources section documented the meeting, including contributions from GAIN, whose work on hunger, malnutrition and improved nutrition outcomes in developing countries informed much of the debate on how policy, strategies and interventions can be aligned.

One of the key messages to emerge was the need for renewed global focus and the realignment of policies, strategies and interventions to accelerate progress. Rather than treating agriculture, nutrition and health as separate agendas, the Forum argued for sustained partnerships and clear targets that would allow research agendas in developing countries to respond directly to the burden of malnutrition, micronutrient deficiency and childhood stunting.

The Science Forum is hosted by the Independent Science and Partnership Council, the external body that provides advice to the CGIAR on the quality and impact of its research portfolio. Its meetings are designed to surface critical perspectives from outside the CGIAR system, and the 2013 edition in Bonn placed particular emphasis on science, evidence and the concrete pathways between agricultural research and improved human health.

For visitors seeking quick orientation, the site offers the full programme, the schedule, and a photo gallery, alongside sections for latest, popular and trending talks that make it easy to find keynote plenary sessions and individual presentations. Dedicated areas for organisers, resources and additional material allow readers to move from the introductory summary to deeper coverage of individual contributions.

Underlying the whole enterprise is a recognition that the world's nutrition challenges are not solvable through research alone, but require coordinated action across sectors and institutions. By convening scientists, policymakers and practitioners from around the world, the Forum sought to clarify priorities, sharpen targets and build the partnerships needed to convert promising advances into tangible gains for poor, undernourished and vulnerable populations.

Addressing NCD’s through policy coherence in food value chains

Slides from Corina Hawkes’ presentation on policy coherence across food value chains and noncommunicable diseases.

WHO’s perspective on diet, nutrition and prevention of NCDs

Slides from Chizuro Nishida’s presentation on diet, nutrition and the prevention of noncommunicable diseases.