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Seeds and Vegetables to Transform Smallholder Agriculture for Food and Nutrition Security

October 16, 2019
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Access to Seeds Foundation chair Ann Tutwiler participated in a panel discussion organized by FAO North America during the 2019 Borlaug Dialogue on building more robust seed systems that can deliver the seeds to smallholder farmers.

Background information:

Seeds are the source for human sustenance. Global food and nutrition security is entirely dependent on the seed security of smallholder farmers, who constitute most of the world’s food producers. To meet growing environmental challenges and address chronic hunger—which has increased for four consecutive years, now standing at more than 820 million people—we must make advances in plant breeding, develop improved varieties, and deliver high quality seeds to all food producers. Responsive seed systems, particularly for nutrient-dense vegetables, must be at the heart of efforts to improve global food and nutrition security.

Vegetable crops play a key role in addressing the triple burden of malnutrition (undernutrition, overweight and obesity) rapidly rising in many countries.  Yet, due to a lack of quality seed, the power of vegetables remains an under-utilized tool for curbing these alarming trends. Backed by a more robust seed system, smallholder farmers can produce safe, nutritious vegetables to promote healthy diets, generate rural employment, and develop sustainable businesses for themselves and their communities
Opening Remarks:

Vimlendra Sharan
Director, Liaison Office for North America
Food & Agriculture Organization of the United Nations
David Beckmann
President
Bread for the World and 2010 World Food Prize Laureate
Ambassador Kenneth Quinn
President
World Food Prize

Keynote Address:

Simon Groot
2019 World Food Prize Laureate

Panel Discussion:

MODERATOR
Rob Bertram
Chief Scientist, Bureau for Food Security
United States Agency for International Development (USAID)
Marco Ferroni
Chair, System Management Board
CGIAR
Josephine Okot
Managing Director
Victoria Seeds Ltd
Lindiwe Sibanda
Board Member
World Vegetable Center
Ann Tutwiler
Strategic Adviser, Transforming Agri-Food Systems, and Board Chair
Access to Seeds Foundation

Bridging the gap between the world’s leading seed companies and the smallholder farmer

The development of the Access to Seeds Index is supported by:


The Access to Seeds Foundation is an ally of the
World Benchmarking Alliance.

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