Forums

Global Agricultural Productivity & Hunger: Are We Doing Enough?

National Press Club, 529 14th Street NW, Washington, D.C.

This Forum brought together a panel of experts on Nov. 19, 2019 in Washington, DC, to focus on the findings of two complementary reports outlining challenges and solutions towards achieving food security and poverty reduction around the world.

The 2019 Global Agricultural Productivity (GAP) Report by Virginia Tech finds that agricultural productivity is not growing fast enough to achieve global goals for environmental sustainability, food security and nutrition, and reducing poverty.

The 2019 State of Food and Agriculture Report by the UN Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) shows how reducing food loss and waste is vital to improving efficiency in the food system, food security and nutrition, and environmental sustainability.

Panelists included:

• Vimlendra Sharan, Director of the United Nation’s Food and Agriculture Organization Liaison Office for North America; View presentation
• Ann Steensland, GAP Initiative Coordinator and GAP Report Author, College of Agriculture and Life Sciences, Virginia Tech University: View presentation
• Jay Sehgal, Executive Vice President of the Sehgal Foundation; View presentation
• Anna-Marie Ball, Director of External Affairs at HarvestPlus View presentation

View two-minute speaker videos

Additional readings:

2019 Global Agricultural Productivity (GAP) Report
HarvestPlus Evidence Brief, which summarizes 15 years of research on biofortification
HarvestPlust Annual Report provides background on HarvestPlus