Agriculture is central to attaining the MDGs on account of its direct linkages with poverty reduction, access to food, and health. This session will focus on the kinds of initiatives required for the sustainable growth of this sector to strengthen this linkage. It will address issues related to infrastructural development, natural resource management, market access and nutritional aspects of crop choices, covering specifically areas related to investments, pricing and trade policies, research and development and its extension, and linkages with other rural development programmes and policies.

Left to right: Mr Henrique H. Ubrig, President - South Asia, E.I. DuPont India Private Limited, India; Dr Mruthyunjaya, Director, National Centre for Agricultural Economics & Policy Research; Mr Rajat M Nag, Director General, Mekong Department, Asian Development Bank, Philippines; Dr Vibha Dhawan, Executive Director,TERI, New Delhi; Dr S Nagarajan, Director, Indian Agricultural Research Institute, New Delhi; Dr (Ms) Usha Barwale Zehr, Joint Director of Research, Maharashtra Hybrid Seeds Company, India

Video		Dr Mruthyunjaya Director, National Centre for Agricultural Economics & Policy Research  'Natural disasters impact differently on different livelihood groups. The poor are the most vulnerable.'

Dr S Nagarajan Director, Indian Agricultural Research Institute, New Delhi 'Injecting both capital and technology in rain-fed areas will help achieve sustainable livelihoods.'		Video

Video		Mr Henrique H. Ubrig President - South Asia, E.I. DuPont India Private Limited, India 'Old assumptions are no longer valid; the key is innovation. There is no technological quick fix.'

This session will focus on issues that keep the technology gap open, addressing factors that are key in turning advances in new technologies into advances for mankind. It will examine issues related to identifying priorities for R & D in developing countries, promoting indigenous technological development, funding mechanisms apart from research subsidies, grants and tax-breaks to industry, and governance of technological development to promote innovation and knowledge sharing. In all of this, it will highlight how collaboration amongst industry, researchers, governments, regulators, media and civil society organization can be strengthened.

Left to right: Dr Klaus S Lackner, Ewing-Worzel Professor of Geophysics, Earth & Environmental Engineering, Columbia University, New York; Prof. Jong-dall Kim, Professor, School of Economics and Trade, Director, Research Institute for Energy, Environment and Economy, Center for Solar City Daegu, Kyungpook National University, Daegu, Korea; Prof. Sir David King, Chief Scientific Adviser to HM Government and Head of the Office of Science and Technology, UK; Mr S Sundar, Distinguished Fellow, TERI, New Delhi; Prof. Sir Chris Llewellyn Smith FRS, Director, The United Kingdom Atomic Energy Authority (UKAEA), UK;Dr Dave Griggs, Director - Climate Research, Hadley Centre for Climate Prediction and Research, UK; Mr Kiran Karnik, President, National Association of Software and Service Companies (NASSCOM), New Delhi, India

Video		Dr Dave Griggs Director - Climate Research, Hadley Centre for Climate Prediction and Research, UK 'During reconstruction in the wake of the recent tsunami, there is opportunity to take into account increased risks due to climate change.'

Prof. Sir Chris Llewellyn Smith FRS Director, The United Kingdom Atomic Energy Authority (UKAEA), UK 'If we can bring down the use of energy, we can save on the investment in producing capital to pay for energy.'		Video

Video		Prof. Sir David King Chief Scientific Adviser to HM Government and Head of the Office of Science and Technology, UK 'In West Africa, a new kind of polio is taking off. Given the current developments in science and technology, this is unnecessary.'