22 June 2011 - Food Security, Water and Tropical Forests – Are we on the Right Track?
Seminar Report
Food Security, Water and Tropical Forests - Are we on the right track?
Wednesday June 22, 2011, 12.30 – 17.15 hrs
Conference Centre "De Reehorst", Ede
organized by Utrecht University, Wageningen University, Tropenbos International, Dutch Association of Tropical Forests (VTB), Ministry of Economic Affairs, Agriculture and Innovation and Ministry of Foreign Affairs
Why this seminar
The world faces major challenges – poverty, food security, energy, water, sustainable supply of commodities, climate change, financial crisis, conflicts –requiring action from policy makers and world leaders. In strategies to combat these challenges forests play a critical role. Most of these problems are interrelated, and require an integrated approach in addressing them. This broader perspective also applies to the role of forests. Once considered in isolation, and not well supported by sound information about their importance for maintaining other landscape functions, forests tend to become underrated as a policy priority.
Food security, water and tropical forests
The sustainable provision of food and water is an imminent global priority given a projected human population of 9 billion by 2050. This is why this seminar will focus on the links between food, water and tropical forests. Food security and water are at the core of the current international cooperation policies of the Netherlands. This seminar aims to increase our understanding of these policies and to identify the needs and possibilities for cross-sectoral coordination and integration of these agendas. Experts from the food security and water sectors will present the main issues at stake and strategies to address them and evaluate the role of forests and forestry in realizing the development priorities for food security and water.
Programme
Key notes
Professor Charles J. Godfray gave a keynote presentation on food security. Professor Godfray works at Department of Zoology and the Institute of Biodiversity at the James Martin 21st Century School, University of Oxford, UK. In this position Professor Godfray has been actively involved in the current discussions on food security, agriculture and biodiversity.
Professor Pieter van der Zaag of the Unesco-IHE Institute of Water Education addressed the seminar theme from the water angle. As a professor in integrated water resources management, he particularly focuses on the dynamic relationship between biophysical and social processes at different spatial scales.
Panel discussion
The key note adresses were by a panel discussion with contributions from the audience. Apart from the keynote speakers the panel consisted of Hayo Haanstra of the Ministry of Economic Affairs, Agriculture and Innovation, Marnix Becking of the ministry of Foreign Affairs, Gerard Soppe of Vitens-Evides International and Jane Madgwick of Wetlands International
The seminar was chaired by Professor Herman Eijsackers of Wageningen University.
| Programme | ||
| Final seminar report: download here | ||
| 12.30–13.15 hrs. | Registration and coffee | |
| 13.15-13.30 hrs. |
Welcome and introduction | Prof. Herman Eijsackers (chair) Wageningen University presentation (pdf) |
| 13.30-14.00 hrs. | Food security in the next four decades |
Prof. Charles J. Godfray University of Oxford, Dept. of Zoology abstract (pdf) | presentation (pdf, 2.7 Mb) |
| 14.00-14.30 hrs. | Water, forests and the thicket of Dutch development assistance |
Prof. Pieter van der Zaag Unesco-IHE, Institute of Water Education abstract (pdf) | presentation (pdf, 5.5 Mb) |
| 14.30-15.00 hrs. | Coffee/tea break | |
| 15.00-16.30 hrs. |
Interactive panel discussion |
Forum: Ir. Gerard Soppe Vitens-Evides International Jane Madgwick Wetlands International presentation (pdf) Ir. Hayo Haanstra Ministry of Economic Affairs, Agriculture and Innovation statements (pdf) Drs. Marnix Becking Ministry of Foreign Affairs |
| 16.30-16.45 hrs. |
Conclusion | Prof. René Boot Tropenbos International |
| 16.45-18.00 hrs. |
Drinks | |
Contact
For more information, contact Herman Savenije, Tropenbos International (herman.savenije
tropenbos
org)
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Challenges of tropical forestry A key challenge for tropical forestry is to contribute effectively to the solution of emerging global challenges and to sustainable development. Many forest-related problems extend beyond geographic borders, and most are closely interwoven with other issues beyond the forest sector. The increasing number of claims on forests – economic, social and environmental – and the diversity of stakeholders at all scales, with different and sometimes conflicting interests, values and vocabularies, complicate decision-making regarding forests. This requires an integrated approach across sectors. Many of the solutions to forest problems will have to be found in other sectors, society in general and political circles. Conversely, there is mounting evidence of the importance of functions that properly managed forests provide to society and of the costs of losing them, but this is rarely highlighted sufficiently. A real challenge for the forest sector lies in forging links with other sectors at multiple scales. Much is said about integrating forests into landscape approaches and into national policy, and about strengthening the relationships with other sectors that influence or are influenced by forests. Yet neither those in the forest sector nor those in other sectors have been able to give effective shape to this integration. |
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This seminar is the fifth in a series of annual events on Sustainable forest management in the tropics. Are we on the right track? It is jointly organized by Utrecht University (Prince Bernhard Chair), Wageningen University (Forest Ecology and Forest Management), Tropenbos International, Dutch Association of Tropical Forests (VTB) and the Ministries of Economic Affairs, Agriculture and Innovation and Foreign Affairs of the Netherlands. |