A recent international conference: 'Global Climate Change - Imperatives for Agricultural Research and Development’, co-organized by the Asia-Pacific Association of Agricultural Research Institutions (APAARI) and the Japan International Research Center for Agricultural Sciences and co-sponsored by GFAR, has released an important Declaration that commits each sector in the agricultural world to pledge their support to mitigating the effects of climate change.The “Tsukuba Declaration on Adapting Agriculture to Climate Change” was formulated during the conference from 21 to 22 October 2008 in Tsukuba, Japan.
During the conference 158 participants from 30 countries discussed the vulnerability of the Asia-Pacific region which sustains almost half of the global population, has a high rate of population growth as well as staggering poverty. These participants re-affirmed the IPPC’s assertion that the developing countries of the Asia-Pacific region, especially the megadeltas of Asia, are extremely vulnerable due to their predominance in agriculture and over-exploitation of natural resources.
Prominent constituencies vowed to take the necessary steps to enhance water efficiency, increase food security through boosting local food production, further agricultural research for genotypes more tolerant to the stresses of climate change, and increase investment in severe weather early warning systems.
To find out more the acknoledgements and pledges for support in the Tsukuba Declaration, please click here.