SARD Initiative Themes

Activities highlighted by the Initiative will result in concrete and measurable improvements in the livelihoods and living conditions of the rural poor, thus contributing to the implementation of Chapter 14 of Agenda 21 and achievement of the Millennium Development Goals.

Focusing on areas deemed essential to accelerate SARD and make more rapid progress toward the Millennium Development Goals of eradicating extreme poverty and hunger (MDG 1) and ensuring environmental sustainability (MDG 7), this voluntary process of action-oriented commitments by civil society, governments and intergovernmental agencies addresses these three thematic areas:

• Improving people’s access to genetic, technological, land, water, market and information resources;

• Fostering fair conditions of employment in agriculture and rural development; and

• Promoting good practices for SARD.

"Many of the [Hunger] Task Force’s recommended interventions depend on building national and local capacity. Donors and national governments will need to make long-term commitments to strengthening human, technical, managerial, and institutional capacity at all levels. Capacity building, one of the key entry points, needs to start immediately.
- UN Millennium Project Task Force on Hunger 2005.

Emerging Issues

Work on other important issues that emerge in the course of the SARD Initiative’s activities may also be promoted if there is sufficient interest and resources permit.