AGRO and the UN target the same goals

In 2015 the UN set an agenda for global sustainable development with 17 goals, that each have subtargets to be reached within 15 years. AGRO’s research flagships contribute directly to at least four of the 17 goals for sustainable development. The plan for 2018 is therefore to focus on AGRO’s role in connection with achieving these goals. This focus is in alignment with overall national and international obligations to work on fulfilling the goals.  

Read UN’s Sustainable Development Goals – what do they mean for us? and Landbruget kan bidrage til FN’s bæredygtighedsmål (in Danish).  

The obligations are increasingly reflected in Dansih and international research calls, not least Horizon 2020. The focus of the goals for sustainable development also reflects similar activities at the research institutions with which we usually compare ourselves.

I expect that this focus will contribute to raising AGRO's profile as a department that contributes to the goals on a high level of research quality, and that it will help us to be even better at adapting our research applications to the goals. This focus can potentially contribute additionally to the goals for sustainable development regarding partnerships as a means of achieving the goals by preparing AGRO even more to enter into collaborations.

Our scientific focus on the development goals is a continuation of previous discussions about agroecology and sustainable intensification as the paradigms that are the basis for AGRO’s research. There is thus no novel concept or direction in our plans, but instead an embodiment, whereby the sustainable development goals to a greater degree form a framework and, to a certain extent, a structure, for much of what we already know.

I would like to make this focus concrete via such channels as seminars, lunch meetings, small research and information projects, and articles targeted internally as well as to the outside world, but more ideas are very welcome.

In order to help the ideas get underway, here is an outline of the four goals for sustainable development that are most central for AGRO, with proposals for how the flagships could play a role: 

• Sustainable development goal 2 - Zero hunger includes food security, improved nutrition, and promotion of sustainable agriculture. This goal relates to all four of AGRO’s flagships and is thus central.  
• Sustainable development goal 11 - Sustainable cities and communities is prmarily relevant for the flagship Climate-Smart Agri-Food Systems, not least in connection with research in value chains, local communities, food systems and agricultural organisation. This area also receives much attention in the latest Horizon 2020 work plan.
• Sustainable development goal 12 - Responsible consumption and production also relates to all four of our flaghips. Climate-Smart Agri-Food Systems addresses the overall sustainability and management challenges regarding natural resources and bioeconomy. The research efforts in digital technologies in Soil Functions, Sustainable Nutrient Management and Sustainable Pest Management (and with regard to Sustainable Pest Management also in plant protection) play a role with regard to addressing the sub-targets regarding promotion of technological capacity for achieving production sustainablity, and handling chemical compounds. 
• Sustainable development goal 13 - Climate action is particularly addressed in Soil Functions and Climate-Smart Agri-Food Systems with regard to sub-targets regarding e.g. increased resilience, climate modelling and the combined climate adaptation and mitigation function that is expected to increase soil carbon content.

AGRO’s research is also relevant with regard to the sub-targets under goal number 7 (Affordable and clean energy), goal number 8 (Decent work and economic growth), goal number 14 (Life below water) and goal number 15 (Life on land), where the last two have a focus on nutrient pollution and biodiversity, resepctively. 

Finally, agricultural research plays a significant role in relation to sustainable development goal number 1 (No poverty), not least with regard to strengthening the robustness of poor farmers in relation to climate-related effects on their agricultural production. 

Do you have ideas for actions that AGRO can initiate to put focus on our contributions to the UN’s sustainable development goals? Research, visibility, dissemination or anything else? Then I would like to hear from you by email: torsten.berg@agro.au.dk or telephone: 2485 8115.