IITA-CGIAR launched a new knowledge-sharing platform, DG’s Talk, a webinar series designed to strengthen internal communication, enhance transparency, and promote engagement among IITA staff and stakeholders. This initiative, hosted by the IITA Director General, Dr Simeon Ehui, aims to foster dialogue on critical agricultural research and development issues.
This inaugural edition of DG’s Talk expounded on the 2024 Global Agricultural Productivity (GAP) Report, which was officially launched on 3 October 2024. The report serves as a roadmap for accelerating agricultural innovation and ensuring farmers worldwide can access proven, appropriate technologies to improve productivity.
Dr Thomas Thompson, Director at Virginia Tech College of Agriculture and Life Sciences (CALS) and Executive Editor of the GAP Report, presented on the state of global agricultural productivity, emphasizing the urgent need for action to accelerate growth in the sector.
Thompson highlighted key findings from the 2024 GAP Report, noting that global Total Factor Productivity (TFP) growth—how efficiently agricultural inputs are transformed into outputs—has slowed significantly. Over the past decade (2013–2022), the global annual TFP growth rate averaged only 0.74%, falling far short of the required 2% annual growth rate to sustainably meet global food demand by 2050.
South Asia emerged as the regional leader in productivity growth due to strong public and private sector investments, research and development (R&D), mechanization, and ICT innovations. Sub-Saharan Africa contributed to global agricultural output growth, primarily driven by land expansion and input intensification. However, limited technological adoption and underinvestment in agricultural R&D slowed productivity gains in Sub-Saharan Africa. Thompson underscored the importance of powering productivity through scalable, high-impact agricultural innovations, particularly in regions with low productivity.
Thompson recognized CGIAR’s contributions to global productivity growth, particularly through its research and innovation efforts. However, he stressed that public and private R&D alone will not be enough to achieve the 2% target growth rate. Instead, a multi-stakeholder approach is necessary—one that integrates government policies, private-sector investments, and farmer-led initiatives.
He further advocated establishing a global advocacy platform to secure long-term commitments from donors, national governments, and investors. Strengthening partnerships and leveraging technology will be key to transforming global agriculture in the coming decades.
To make vital agricultural productivity insights accessible, Thompson shared a QR code linking to the GAP Report and the GAP Initiative at Virginia Tech. This initiative is committed to educating, advocating, and fostering collaboration to drive sustainable agricultural productivity growth.
Beyond the insights shared on agricultural productivity, the launch of DG’s Talk reflects IITA’s commitment to open communication and community building. DG’s Talk will be a key channel for fostering transparency, engagement, and knowledge sharing among IITA staff and stakeholders by providing a platform for timely discussions on critical topics.
With this successful launch, IITA looks forward to future editions of DG’s Talk, where experts will continue to address pressing issues shaping the future of agriculture and food security.
Contributed by Folake Oduntan
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