{jathumbnail off}The economic, social and cultural contexts of agriculture are changing fast, as evidenced by significant shifts in the patterns of food production and consumption. An increasingly globalised world also means that there is now greater access to fast-evolving communication and media technology, which improves information flows and adds to the feeling that the world is getting smaller. However, development and growth processes still move at different speeds in different locations, even within countries.These inequalities are increasingly visible to people living in remote rural areas, often characterised by under-investment and slow growth.

Lessons from the International Assessment of Agricultural Science and Technology

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.

Momentum for investments and action to promote an African Green Revolution are gaining ground, with African Governments (individually and through CAADP), with international and bilateral donors, with private donors, with farmer organisations, and with the private sector (see: http://www.agra-alliance.org/ and http://www.yara.com/). This is very exciting, and the agenda is moving forward rapidly in many different ways and at different levels – on farmers fields, in agricultural businesses, in national and sectoral programmes and changes, in public private partnerships, and in international policy development and support. Development of African smallholder agriculture and an African Green Revolution is critical for poverty reduction, economic growth and welfare in Africa.

Ethiopia celebrated the start of its third millennium on 11th of September 2007. This seems an appropriate moment to take stock of the state of smallholder agriculture - the sector in which over 80% of the population derives their livelihood, as they have done for centuries past. Greater agricultural development is the key for reducing high levels of poverty and hunger in Ethiopia, and policy makers have accordingly devoted a high priority to its advancement.