The Des Moines Declaration:
A Call for Accelerated Action in Agriculture, Food and Nutrition to End Poverty and Hunger
DOWNLOAD THE DES MOINES DECLARATION (PDF) | LAUREATE MAINPAGE
Gathering in Iowa, the birthplace of Dr. Norman E. Borlaug, Nobel Peace Prize Laureate and Father of the Green Revolution, who is celebrating his 90th birthday in 2004; and
Assembled in Des Moines, on the occasion of the Presentation of the
2004 World Food Prize as we celebrate the International Year of Rice; and
Observing October 16 as United Nations World Food Day, and
World Food Prize Day in America:
We the undersigned Laureates, Founders and Council Members of The World Food Prize do hereby address this joint declaration to the governments of the world, the leaders of major international organizations and to all involved in the struggle against hunger, poverty and disease in the world.
More Attention to the Millennium Development Goals
We reiterate our support for the Millennium Development Goals resulting from the Summit Declaration adopted by the heads of government of the world assembled at the United Nations in September 2000 to reduce hunger, poverty and disease still afflicting half the population on our planet. Progress to move forward must be based on realistic plans, and immediate action must be taken.
We recognize that adequate and available food and nutrition are essential to achieving most of these goals and important for all of them. We also recognize that improved nutrition is directly related to success in approaching and reaching population stabilization.
Hundreds of millions of poor people are left hungry in a world of food abundance because they lack access to adequate food and nutrition. It is essential that we close this gap between hunger and food availability.
More Food - Increased Productivity to Improve the Lives of People and Protect Biodiversity in Our Environment
Agriculture is the main source of income for poor people living in rural areas. As such, a boost in agricultural productivity in the rural areas of developing countries will greatly enhance earning potential as well as produce more food. However, agricultural production increases will not generate adequate gains in employment, and additional steps must also be taken to increase employment in agro based value added rural enterprises.
In addition, food productivity must be increased to improve the lives of people and protect biodiversity in our environment. With close to a billion people still suffering from hunger, malnutrition and food insecurity and with the population of our planet projected to grow by 50% by the middle of the 21st century, either we must produce more food on the land and in the water now available to us, or people will be forced to cut down precious forest areas and cultivate marginal lands to grow the food necessary to fuel our escalating demands. It is crucial that new agricultural innovations and technologies be developed.
More Nutritious Food – The Best Medicine
We emphasize that the nutritional quality as well as the quantity of food must be improved. Poverty, hunger, and ill-health are all interrelated. The hidden hunger of micronutrient deficiencies is particularly damaging to current and future generations. Nutrition needs to be improved to reduce the devastating effects of diseases that are keeping the hungry and malnourished from being productive members of society.
We call special attention to the fact that The World Food Prize Foundation is devoting its 2005 International Symposium to the issue of nutrition.
More Available Food – Increased Prosperity to Counter Terrorism
We believe that reducing poverty and hunger around the world is one of the most important means of reducing the terrorism that the world is confronting. Global political security can only be attained though an enhanced commitment to addressing global food security. Providing hope, progress and increased prosperity in these same areas can be the single most effective means to achieve stability and tranquility.
More equitable income and land distribution needs to be achieved by inclusion of the poor and the disadvantaged in sustainable economic activities that ensure remunerative return for their material, labor and capital contributions. This will help to ensure purchasing power in the hands of the poor and the disadvantaged, making more affordable food available without compromising human dignity.
Role of The World Food Prize Laureates
Since its inception in 1986, The World Food Prize has been awarded to Laureates from a wide variety of disciplines and countries. Regardless of background or discipline, we have devoted our lives to striving for achievements that will eradicate hunger and uplift all humankind. Based on our experience, we believe that the steps below are crucial to the implementation of the Millennium Development Goals, and the abolishment of hunger in our world.
Accelerated Action to Defeat Hunger in the World
Considering that in order to attain further breakthroughs in combating poverty, hunger, malnutrition and famine, we recommend that governments of the world and international organizations urgently undertake the following steps:
- Significantly increase funding for pro-poor agricultural and nutritional research conducted by an integrated system of national, international and private sector research organizations.
- Give higher priority to investment in public goods that would facilitate agricultural development, including those mentioned below.
- Increase funding for the construction and improvement of roads, with a particular emphasis on rural roads.
- Increase investment in rural infrastructure to facilitate the processing, storage, transport and marketing of agricultural products in low income developing countries.
- Encourage the provision of micro-credit facilities for farming communities.
- Develop programs to ensure adequate nutrition.
- Increase programs supporting education for all with special emphasis on women and girls.
- Develop research and technologies for more sustainable use of natural resources and promote access to energy sources in rural areas, with emphasis on renewable energy.
- Provide sufficient and clean water to support the human needs and develop and implement technologies for better water conservation and utilization in agriculture.
- Maintain and increase support for the delivery of humanitarian assistance to those facing hunger, starvation and death.
We transmit this statement to the leaders of the international community in order to emphasize crucial, life sustaining issues.
The Following World Food Prize Laureates, Founders, and Council of Advisors Support The 2004 Des Moines Declaration:
Dr. Norman E. Borlaug
Prof. Yuan Longping
Dr. Monty P. Jones
Ms. Catherine Bertini
Dr. Pedro A. Sanchez
Dr. Per Pinstrup-Andersen
Dr. Surinder K. Vasal
Dr. Evangelina Villegas
Badrinarayan R. Barwale
Dr. Perry L. Adkisson
Dr. Henry M. Beachell
Dr. Gurdev S. Khush
Dr. Hans R. Herren
Dr. Muhammad Yunus
Dr. Nevin S. Scrimshaw
Dr. John S. Niederhauser
Dr. Verghese Kurien
Dr. M.S. Swaminathan
A.S. Clausi
Robert D. Havener
Dr. Gregory Geoffroy
Michael G. Gartner
Jonathan F. Taylor
Dr. Pekka Linko
Dean R. Kleckner
Ambassador Kenneth Quinn
