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Posted 2:41 PM by Tevita

The International Assessment of Agricultural Science and Technology (IAASTD)

From : Institute of Development Studies

Joanna Glyde –16 April 2008

The International Assessment of Agricultural Science and Technology (IAASTD) has published a report that proposes a fundamental re-thinking of our approach to agricultural knowledge, science, and technology.

The IAASTD is the latest in a line of high-profile global assessments, others include the Nobel prize winning International Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) and the less well known Millennium Ecosystem Assessment (MA). However the conflicts that led to the report’s publication suggest that major global collaborations on these crucial issues need to change.

John Thompson, IDS Research Fellow has taken an indepth look at these conflicts at The Crossing, the blog for the STEPS Centre. Below is an extract.

‘In recent years, global assessments have become the focus of considerable international scientific interest and the mobilisation of vast institutional, technical, human and financial resources. These frequently attempt to combine ‘expert-driven assessment’ with processes of ‘stakeholder engagement’ to address critical issues of major international importance. They are often presented as transparent, objective exercises where the politics of knowledge and debates about the legitimacy, credibility and salience of different points of view are set aside in favour of building a consensus towards scientifically informed policy making.

But what happens if the fundamental differences between conflicting visions of the right course of action remain? Can papering over the cracks allow diverse voices and sometimes clashing perspectives to reach agreement on vital issues of global concern? Or do we have to leave behind the exclusivity given to scientifically produced rational knowledge and acknowledge and address the elemental divisions, the positionality of the different players, and the framings that drive their agendas and privilege some viewpoints over others from the very start of these assessment processes?’

Read the article in full at The Crossing, the IAASTD report was also covered in The Guardian’s Change in farming can feed the world.

Joanna Glyde is Communication Officer at IDS

Image: Sean Sprague/ Panos



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DIVA-GIS	Tuesday, April 22, 2008 Posted 2:41 PM by Tevita The International Assessment of Agricultural Science and Technology (IAASTD) From : Institute of Development Studies Joanna Glyde –16 April 2008 The International Assessment of Agricultural Science and Technology (IAASTD) has published a report that proposes a fundamental re-thinking of our approach to agricultural knowledge, science, and technology. The IAASTD is the latest in a line of high-profile global assessments, others include the Nobel prize winning International Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) and the less well known Millennium Ecosystem Assessment (MA). However the conflicts that led to the report’s publication suggest that major global collaborations on these crucial issues need to change. John Thompson, IDS Research Fellow has taken an indepth look at these conflicts at The Crossing, the blog for the STEPS Centre. Below is an extract. ‘In recent years, global assessments have become the focus of considerable international scientific interest and the mobilisation of vast institutional, technical, human and financial resources. These frequently attempt to combine ‘expert-driven assessment’ with processes of ‘stakeholder engagement’ to address critical issues of major international importance. They are often presented as transparent, objective exercises where the politics of knowledge and debates about the legitimacy, credibility and salience of different points of view are set aside in favour of building a consensus towards scientifically informed policy making. But what happens if the fundamental differences between conflicting visions of the right course of action remain? Can papering over the cracks allow diverse voices and sometimes clashing perspectives to reach agreement on vital issues of global concern? Or do we have to leave behind the exclusivity given to scientifically produced rational knowledge and acknowledge and address the elemental divisions, the positionality of the different players, and the framings that drive their agendas and privilege some viewpoints over others from the very start of these assessment processes?’ Read the article in full at The Crossing, the IAASTD report was also covered in The Guardian’s Change in farming can feed the world. Joanna Glyde is Communication Officer at IDS Image: Sean Sprague/ Panos * Comments: Post a Comment	Archive October 2002 November 2002 December 2002 January 2003 February 2003 March 2003 April 2003 May 2003 June 2003 July 2003 August 2003 September 2003 October 2003 November 2003 December 2003 January 2004 February 2004 March 2004 April 2004 May 2004 June 2004 July 2004 August 2004 September 2004 October 2004 November 2004 December 2004 January 2005 February 2005 March 2005 April 2005 May 2005 June 2005 July 2005 August 2005 September 2005 October 2005 November 2005 December 2005 January 2006 February 2006 March 2006 April 2006 May 2006 June 2006 July 2006 August 2006 September 2006 October 2006 November 2006 December 2006 January 2007 February 2007 March 2007 April 2007 May 2007 June 2007 July 2007 August 2007 September 2007 October 2007 November 2007 December 2007 January 2008 February 2008 March 2008 April 2008 May 2008 June 2008 July 2008 August 2008 September 2008 October 2008 November 2008 December 2008 January 2009 February 2009 March 2009 April 2009 May 2009 June 2009 July 2009 August 2009 September 2009 October 2009 November 2009 January 2010 RSS Feed Alternative feed Contact Tevita Something new: Agrobiodiversity Weblog: For discussions of conservation and sustainable use of the genetic resources of crops, livestock and their wild relatives. 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