21 September 2012
The governments of the UK and US hosted an event titled MDG Countdown 2012 during the United Nations General Assembly, in New York on 26th September.
MDG Countdown 2012 showcased innovative projects and programmes, and highlighted how coordinated development work is making a real difference. With only three years to go until the target of meeting the Millennium Development Goals, such projects and programmes are vital in order to help millions around the globe.
The event featured speakers and panellists from the field, explaining how development work is helping people on the ground. Delegates also heard from Justin Greening, UK Secretary of State for International Development, and Raj Shah, Administrator, U.S. Agency for International Development, as well as Amina Mohammed, the UN Secretary-General’s Special Adviser on Post-2015 Development Planning.
The event highlighted case studies that touch on all of the eight MDGs which were done through three distinct themes:
Maximising the role of business in development
Support for public private partnerships have helped reduce poverty, whilst improving food security, nutrition and health. Strategic alliances with agricultural research organisations have facilitated scientific advances to build resilience to hunger and climate change through practical measures, especially in the Horn of Africa.
In Africa, where the main staple crop is maize, a new drought tolerant variety has been designed to take advantage of whatever little water it receives at the critical times of germination and flowering.
In Asia, millions of people depend on rice cultivation for their livelihoods. Large areas of major rice-producing countries like India and Bangladesh, are flood-prone and although rice thrives in wet conditions, it cannot survive if the whole plant is completely submerged. A new variety of 'scuba rice' becomes dormant when submerged in water, saving energy until floodwaters recede and it can grow again.
These innovative maize and rice varieties have been given to smallholder farmers in sub-Saharan Africa and Asia, empowering them to cope with climate change impacts on their livelihoods and food security.