A message from the Executive Director, Dr Sheila Obim
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| The Alliance for Science has been at the forefront of science communication efforts across Africa and Asia, bringing together science advocates from around the world, who are applying frontier biotechnologies to global challenges. A new partnership with Michigan State University (MSU) and Farming Futures Bangladesh (FFB) has now been formed to extend advocacy activities across a broader range of interconnected issue areas, food security, climate change, and global health – our new Expanded Mandate – to accelerate the uptake of critical biotechnology products across the global south.
TO PROMOTE SCIENCE AND INNOVATION
Innovations in science and technology are the heart of transforming food insecurity. And yet uptake of cutting-edge agricultural biotechnology products can often be hindered by resistance to new ways of doing things, myths, taboos, and cultural norms. Across the Global South, which forms over 80 percent of the world’s population, access to adequate food remains elusive for billions.
FOR POOR COMMUNITIES IN THE GLOBAL SOUTH
According to the latest State of Food Security and Nutrition in the World (SOFI) report, in 2023, over 864 million people experienced severe food insecurity, going without food for an entire day or more at times. This number has remained stubbornly high, despite innovations that have applied genomic technologies to produce improved varieties of many staple crops. Yet in Africa, over 58 percent of the population is moderately or severely food insecure and Asia is home to more than half of those facing hunger worldwide.
JOIN US TO ACCELERATE TRANSFORMATION
This new partnership was created to amplify Global South voices advocating for faster uptake of innovations and products, which could alleviate hunger and poverty in vulnerable communities. The cost of delay is measured in lost lives, livelihoods, and economic progress. |
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Alliance for Science enters a partnership with Michigan State University and Farming Future Bangladesh
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| From Left: Md Arif Hossain Executive Director of Farming Future Bangladesh, Callista Rakhmato, Dr Sheila Obim, Executive Director of the Alliance for Science, Prof. George Smith, Director of AgBioResearch, Senior Associate Dean for Research and Prof. Karim Maredia, Assistant Dean and Director of International Programs for the College of Agriculture and Natural Resources, Michigan State University. |
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The information gap between the Global North and South is not just about technology; it’s also about the unequal distribution of knowledge and resources. Information is asymmetric, certain communities have abundant access to data, while others are left in the dark.
This has resulted in pockets of people and regions that remain disconnected from the global dialogue, leading to inequalities in everything from healthcare and education to climate adaptation and economic development.
On the sidelines of the World Food Prize 2024 event held in Des Moines, Iowa, USA, the Alliance for Science got into a partnership with Michigan State University and Farming Future Bangladesh to form the Alliance for Science Global Consortium. This partnership will address global sustainable goal disparities by bridging the knowledge gap and democratizing access to scientific data.
By combining expertise from both the Global North and South, the consortium will create better communication tools, resources, and platforms that can help people across different social spectrums ask the right questions, understand complex scientific data, and make more informed decisions. |
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Arif Hossain, Director of Global Cooperation
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Food is essential not only for sustenance but also for our identity, well-being, and social connections. As the future of food security evolves, the focus is shifting from crisis relief to long-term resilience, driven by innovative agriculture, climate-smart solutions, and support for smallholder communities. The goal is to build sustainable food systems that provide nourishment for generations to come while creating a stronger, healthier global food network.
As a 2015 Fellow of the Alliance for Science (AfS), I gained valuable training and global exposure that helped shape my work as an advocate for science communication. What began as a local effort in Dhaka has evolved into a global mission through AfS, where I’ve built capacity, expanded my network, and promoted science-based solutions for agriculture, climate change, and global health.
I founded Farming Future Bangladesh (FFB), an organization focused on creating an enabling environment for scientific solutions to sustainable development. FFB works to improve lives, empower communities, and contribute to a world without poverty through science and innovation.
Today, my focus has expanded to food security challenges across the Global South, where issues like climate change and misinformation threaten progress. Through FFB and AfS, we advocate for science-driven solutions, combat misinformation, and build capacity within communities to create a new generation of science advocates. Our goal is to ensure all communities have access to better livelihoods, regardless of their location or socioeconomic status.
Looking ahead, we are launching Farming Future International, a global initiative to scale our impact. By engaging grassroots communities and advocating for policy change, we aim to tackle food security on a broader scale and empower local leaders with the tools needed for sustainable innovation and resilience. My mission extends beyond Bangladesh to the entire Global South, ensuring a future where food security, innovation, and opportunity are accessible to all. |
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Climate Action and Food Systems Transformation in South Asia Forum
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Climate change presents a major threat to agriculture in South Asia, a region of over 2 billion people, many of whom are dependent on farming for their livelihoods. South Asia is particularly vulnerable to extreme weather events like heat waves, droughts, floods, and cyclones. The South Asia Regional Forum on Climate Action and Food System Transformation, held in Dhaka, Bangladesh from April 16-18, 2024, brought together over 60 experts from across the region and the US to discuss the escalating impact of climate change on food security and livelihoods. The forum aimed to explore climate adaptation and mitigation strategies in agriculture, promote cross-border knowledge-sharing, and inspire policy reforms.
Key forum highlights included presentations from country representatives on national climate challenges, panel discussions on early warning systems, research collaboration, policy pathways, and capacity building. Site visits to agricultural research institutes in Bangladesh showcased innovations addressing climate change. The forum emphasized the need for continued education, training, and capacity strengthening. Recommendations included expanding climate-smart technologies, fostering regional collaborations, aligning national policies with regional strategies, developing early warning systems, and integrating traditional knowledge with modern practices. Participants stressed the importance of collective efforts to build climate-resilient food systems through regional and international cooperation. |
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