International Assessment of Agricultural Knowledge, Science, and Technology for Development

The International Assessment of Agricultural Knowledge, Science and Technology for Development (IAASTD) was a multidisciplinary and multi-stakeholder assessment by about 400 experts which had four primary goals: 1) to assess the effects of agricultural knowledge, science and technology policy and institutional environments, as well as practices, in the context of sustainable development; 2) to identify where critically important information gaps exist in order to more effectively target research; 3) to make the resulting state of the art, objective, analyses accessible to decision makers at all levels from small producers to those who create international policy; and 4) to further the capacity of developing country nationals and institutions to generate, access, and use agricultural knowledge, science and technology that promote sustainable development. The IAASTD was a useful experience at the nexus of politics and science. However, agricultural technology, with its complexity, diversity and politics, proved to be a bridge too far. The process itself was instructive and there is much useful information in the reports. However, the present review concludes that, for the substantial resources used, the program did not offer sufficient new knowledge or conceptual frameworks for decision makers.