# Presentation: 906797

## George H. Atkinson, Ph.D.

**Science and Technology Adviser to the Secretary of State**

**Science and Technology to Increase  Agricultural Productivity**

***INTEGRATING SCIENCE AND POLICY***

## S&T in U.S Foreign Policy

**The worlds of science and statecraft (policy) are often viewed as completely unrelated, especially with respect to foreign policy.**
**However, the separation is indicative of the different cultures in which scientists and policymakers operate rather than of the unimportance of S&T to the shaping of policy.**
**A strong case can be made that S&T advances now provide the intellectual and economic impetus for many international relations in a global community.**

**S&T in U.S Foreign Policy**

- Science and Technology
- Adviser to the Secretary

## S&T in U.S. Foreign Policy

**The U.S. did not begin its life as a nation by separating science from statecraft.  Two world-renowned American scientists contributed greatly to U.S. foreign policy in its infancy.**
**Benjamin Franklin**** and ****Thomas Jefferson****, both great Statesmen, were also accomplished scientists.**
**Benjamin Franklin**** was a pioneer in the then emerging field of electricity and ****Thomas Jefferson**** ****was an accomplished farmer and agricultural innovator.**

**S&T in U.S. Foreign Policy**

- Science and Technology
- Adviser to the Secretary

## S&T in 21st Century U.S. Foreign Policy 

** **
***“******The strong partnership between American science and American statecraft is more critical than ever in meeting the challenges of the 21******st****** century.  Whether the mission is supporting the President’s campaign against terrorism, implementing arms agreements, creating conditions for sustainable development, or stemming the global HIV/AIDS pandemic, the formulation of foreign policy must proceed from a solid scientific foundation.”***
**Secretary Powell – April 30, 2002 – U.S. National ****Academy of Sciences**

- Science and Technology
- Adviser to the Secretary

**S&T in 21****st**** Century U.S. Foreign Policy **

## Science and Technology Adviser to the Secretary (STAS)

**Science and Technology Adviser to the Secretary (STAS)**

- Science and Technology
- Adviser to the Secretary

**	****	****The position of ****Science and Technology Adviser to the Secretary of State (STAS) ****was created in 2000 to strengthen the role of science and technology (S&T) within the foreign policy community both in the Department of State in in its embassies and missions.  The appointment of a STAS in the Department of State was recommended by the ****National Academies**** and the ****National Research Council****.**

***Integrating Foreign Policy and Science***

## STAS Core Objectives

**STAS Core Objectives**

- Science and Technology
- Adviser to the Secretary

_**Enhancing the S&T literacy and capacity of the DoS:**__** **_**increasing the number of scientists in the DoS and the exposure of non-scientist DoS personnel to S&T issues**
**American Association for the Advancement of Science Fellowships**
**Professional Science Society Fellowships**
**	****	****American Institute of Physics, Institute of Electrical and ****	****Electronics Engineers, American Chemical Society**
**     ****Jefferson Science Fellowships**
**     ****S & T Student Internships (in the U.S and abroad)**
**      ****Embassy Fellows**

## STAS Core Objectives

**2.  A.  **_**Building partnerships with the outside S&T community:**_** throughout the USG, with partners abroad, and in foreign embassies in the US**
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**     ****B.  **_**Providing accurate S&T advice to the DoS:**_** ****the Secretary of State,**** other senior DoS officials, and embassies on emerging and “at the horizon” S&T**
**  **
**     ****C.  **_**Developing initiatives to enhance a “forward looking” international leadership by DoS on S&T issues:**_** both current and future perspectives to create a “proactive, anticipatory” environment for decision making (contrasting “crisis management”)**

**STAS Core Objectives**

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- Science and Technology
- Adviser to the Secretary

## Global Contributions of S&T

**Global Contributions of S&T**

- Science and Technology
- Adviser to the Secretary

**	****	****The dramatic agricultural innovations begun by Norman Borlaug in Mexico in the 1950s and in India and Pakistan in the 1960s paved the way for today’s understanding of the potential impact of science-based genomics and biotechnology on agriculture.**
**	**
**	****	****Today, our challenges focus on how to obtain the highest degree of societal and human benefit from cutting edge S & T research, especially for the agricultural community.**
**	****	****To effectively compete in an increasingly high technology, global environment, countries need to enhance physical infrastructures and human capacity.**

## Global Contributions of S&T

**Global Contributions of S&T**

- Science and Technology
- Adviser to the Secretary

**	****	****Among the most important and admired characteristics of scientific researchers worldwide are their commitments first to ****leading advances in their respective fields**** and no less importantly, ****to international collaboration****.**
**	****	****Modern scientific research has long been committed to improving the human condition, and to the values of collaboration across geographical borders.**
**	****	****Both principles, of course, are embodied in this conference**

## Increased Agricultural Productivity 

**Increased Agricultural Productivity**** **

- Science and Technology
- Adviser to the Secretary

**Near-term Benefits**
**Improve local/national quality of life for large segments of society**
**Enhance potential for investments supporting food security **
**Optimize national/regional participation in global markets**
**Prepare societies for more effective roles in emerging economies based on existing and advanced science and technologies**

## Increased Agricultural Productivity 

**Increased Agricultural Productivity**** **

- Science and Technology
- Adviser to the Secretary

**Specific Activities**
**Crop Breeding and Biotechnology**** ****– increased stability and sustainability in crop production**
**Animal breeding and health**** – enhanced quantity and quality of animal protein for consumers**
**Improved marketing, processing, transportation ****– expand nutrient availability and market options**
**Understanding relationships between agricultural productivity and ecosystem health**** – essential for sustainable systems**

## S&T InfrastructurePhysical and Human Resources

_**Institutional-Economic**_
**Energy**
**Communications**
**Water Transport & irrigation**
**Sanitation & Health**
**Transportation of goods and people**
**Market opportunities**

_**Human-Capacity**_
**Comprehensive education spanning basic to advanced**
**Delivery of S & T advances to rural practitioners**
**Science-based decision making**
**Locally based S&T expertise for site specific adaptations**

- Science and Technology
- Adviser to the Secretary

## Transfers of Agricultural Technology 

**Transfers of Agricultural Technology **

- Science and Technology
- Adviser to the Secretary

**Transportation and communication networks**
**Legal, political, and economic institutions – Intellectual Property Rights (IPR)**
**International treaties and trade policies**
**Policies that support technology development and transfer – lab to field**
***Political support for public sector agricultural research***
***Improve research infrastructure through investment in facilities and education***
***International exchanges of scientific personnel***

## Institutional Infrastructure

**Institutional Infrastructure**

- Science and Technology
- Adviser to the Secretary

**	****	****Critical elements toward productive institutional infrastructures**
**Stable institutions that support open and transparent investment regulations to encourage long-term planning and investments**
**Financial institutions to provide capital for research, physical infrastructure, and farm credit**
**Land tenure security**

## Institutional Infrastructure

**Institutional Infrastructure**

- Science and Technology
- Adviser to the Secretary

**	****Political environments producing planning, administrative, regulatory, and enforcement functions......**

***that***** *****encourage research, development, and adoption of science and technology into practical policies.***

***Science-based regulatory processes and assessments of new technologies***
***Programs promoting the domestic S&T expertise to monitor and adapt advances to local/regional needs***

## International Framework

**International Framework**

- Science and Technology
- Adviser to the Secretary

**The World Trade Organization (WTO)**

**Agreement on Trade-Related Intellectual Property Rights (TRIPS)**** –covers patents, copyrights, trademarks, designs, varieties –*****will affect the science and technology available to increase productivity***** **

**Sanitary and Phytosanitary (SPS) Agreement**** –protects human, animal, and plant health –*****based on scientific principles and rigor***

## U.S. Public Investments in Teaching, Research

- and Extension

**More than 66 Colleges of Agriculture at U.S. Land Grant Universities**
**Many with Colleges of Forestry and Veterinary Medicine**
**1862 Morrill Act- gave states land – in exchange for commitment to colleges that would teach agriculture and the mechanical arts**
**1890 Second Morrill Act –provided annual appropriations to support the “land grant” colleges**

**Agricultural extension specialists**

**County extension agents**

**U.S. Department of Agriculture Research**** **

**Technology transfers – publications, presentations, websites**

## Government to Government Collaboration 

**Mexico’s National Institute of Forestry and Agricultural Research (INIFAP)**
**International Maize and Wheat Improvement Center (CIMMYT)**
**Mexican Council for Science and Technology (CONACYT)**
**Visiting scientist programs on specific agricultural topics**** (five workshops held in 2003 by ARS and INIFAP: **Water and Environmental Impacts, Food Safety, Phytosanitary and pest issues, Animal Health, and Crop Biotechnology and Biosafety)

**Government to Government Collaboration**** **

**Collective Attendance: 244 scientists representing 25 institutions**

## www.state.gov/g/stas

**STAS WEBSITE**

- Science and Technology
- Adviser to the Secretary

**www.state.gov/g/stas**