Global Forum on Food Security and Nutrition (FSN Forum)

Re: What are the barriers and opportunities for scientists and other knowledge holders to contribute to informing policy for more efficient, inclusive, resilient and sustainable agrifood systems?

Dear FSN Moderators, 

Thanks for inviting more comments. Kindly find some barriers and suggestions to overcome the same in research systems under the following head.

Analysis of the complexities and practical problems associated with science-policy interfaces

  • Do you have an understanding of how agrifood systems policy is enacted in your country or at the regional or international levels?

The policies are enacted in legislative assemblies, located at the federal level. Enabling policies and their implementation strategies are refined at the administration level. In addition, the National Institute for Transforming India (NITI) develops policies at the national level. The Directive Principles of State Policy of India are the guidelines to be followed by the government of India for the governance of the country. The Policy Maps have been designed to provide meaningful insights for various government functions with a special focus on Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The maps for SDGs provide detailed insights into how India is faring in the achievement of the 17 SDGs.

  • Are you aware of opportunities to contribute science, evidence, and knowledge to policy at national, regional, or global levels?

Science plays an important role in policymaking as policymaking is evidence-based. However, scientists have a limited role in that. Therefore, neither the policies are updated, nor the scientists are updated about the emerging policy-making instruments and strategies.

  • What kind of knowledge and evidence is privileged in such processes?

Biophysical sciences (seed, feed, market, etc. in agriculture) are given more privilege in such processes. However, the role of social sciences (project formulation, producer organization development, etc.) is yet to be acknowledged.

  • What are the strengths and weaknesses of the processes you are aware of?

The biophysical sciences have a field network to transfer the production and marketing-related hardware. Along with that resource-poor farmers and fishers need mobilization, mentoring, and monitoring strategies for their entrepreneurial, empowerment, and environmental restoration frameworks. This may be worked out by strengthening the social sciences of universities and further linking them with farmers, fishers, and entrepreneurs.

  • What opportunities and challenges have you faced for drawing from sustainability science, interdisciplinarity, and transdisciplinary to inform policy?

The research is conducted in basic, applied, and social sciences. Basic sciences have the advantage of having access to instruments and desk research. Hence they are able to publish better to achieve higher positions and then further support their juniors. The applied sciences need fields to work. Such vast fields are rarely available. Therefore, they come out with lesser publications and have lesser chances to be promoted to an authoritative position and support their juniors.  The social sciences have to work outside their campuses with the fishers, farmers, field professionals, etc. They are not supported by transportation and data collection facilities. Therefore, they remain at the lower level of the power structure.

Regards