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On 28 March, the Commission on Sustainable Agriculture and Climate Change launched its final recommendations for ensuring food security under a changing climate. The final report was accompanied by the launch of the animation “How to feed the world in 2050: actions in a changing climate” which has received nearly 3000 views online to date.

The launches generated significant media coverage including interviews with many of the Commissioners, in countries such as United Kingdom, Turkey, Pakistan, Australia, U.S.A, Brazil and Spain. The official press release was also posted on the official Rio+20 website.

The New York Times Green blog wrote that the Commission's report is A Clarion Call on the Food Supply in a changing climate. Voice of America featured Commissioner Prof Molly Jahn saying “We have a billion people on the planet who are food insecure and a billion who are suffering from over-nutrition. We have possibly as many as a couple of billion more who are malnourished”. Both the New York Times and Voice of America stories featured the video prominently.

BBC News UK said Farming needs a 'climate-smart' revolution' and featured an interview with Commission Chair Sir John Beddington, who told the BBC “we need to develop agriculture that is 'climate-smart' -- generating more output without the accompanying greenhouse gas emissions”. The BBC story was further picked up by the United Press International, Asian News International, The Nation Pakistan and BBC Turkey.

Commissioners Prof Bob Scholes (South Africa), Prof Tekalign Mamo (Ethiopia) and Dr Mohammed Asaduzzaman (Bangladesh) were quoted, together with Sir John Beddington, in the New Agriculturist piece Decisive action' needed to tackle food insecurity. The Nature News Blog picked up the Commission's call for a greater global investment in environmentally friendly agriculture.

Commissioner Dr Adrian Fernández, spoke to BBC Mundo about the worsening water situation in Mexico. He notes that if no action is taken, to effectively use this vital resource, some areas of the country will completely lack water within the next couple of years. Carlos Nobre, Commissioner from Brazil, was interviewed by Inter Press Service, saying that Brazil can be one of the leaders in making sustainable agriculture the new priority (In Portuguese). BBC Brazil also covered the report release, found in Portuguese here.

Commissioners Prof Tekalign Mamo and Prof Molly Jahn both had the opportunity to discuss the final report with SciDev.net resulting in the piece Leading scientists launch action plan on food security. Scientific American published a blog story on How to Fight Food Insecurity, Even in a Changing Climate, highlighting the Commission report and the challenges and opportunities ahead. The seven recommendations to sustainable farming were featured by Responding to Climate Change (RTCC) and in the World Watch Institute Blog Nourishing the Planet. The report and video also got a mention in the International Institute for Sustainable Development News.

Update: the New York Times endorsed the Commission's findings in a 6 April editorial, Sustainably Feeding a Changing World

More information:

Learn more about the Commission and its work, and download the Commission's final report, along with key background studies. A Summary for Policy Makers is available in English, French and Spanish.

You can also read stories and analyses from CCAFS and CGIAR sessions at the Planet under Pressure conference.