Dr Agnes Kalibata presenting the 2021 Sir John Crawford Memorial Address – video presentation now available
December 16, 2021
Sir John Crawford contributed at the highest levels to the development of Australia and other countries, and passionately supported international agricultural research for development. The Crawford Fund was established in his name and since 1985, in his honour, the Sir John Crawford Memorial Address has been held and is now part of the Fund’s annual conference dinner.
This year, the Sir John Crawford Memorial Address was presented by Dr Agnes Kalibata, UN Secretary General’s Special Envoy to the 2021 Food Systems Summit, on the topic Five Reflections to Transform Our Food Systems and Achieve the SDGs. The Summit has been convened to raise global awareness and land global commitments and actions that transform food systems to resolve not only hunger, but to reduce diet-related disease and heal the planet.
Dr Kalibata’s reflections noted:
- The Summit has set us on the right path, but it’s just the beginning.
- Embracing innovation is vital – better tools, new ideas, recognising the true value of food.
- We need to be deliberate about inclusion – for example including women, youth, the poor, the workers.
- We have to continue courageous conversations particularly around challenges like climate change and remodelling our businesses to adapt to a finite planet.
- We must put science at the centre of all these actions.
As the UN Secretary-General’s Special Envoy, Dr Kalibata works with the United Nations system and key partners to provide leadership, guidance and strategic direction towards the 2021 Food Systems Summit. She is responsible for outreach and cooperation with key leaders, including governments, to ensure the Summit serves as a catalytic process within the Decade of Action to improve food systems around the world to deliver on the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and Paris Agreement.
The Vote of Thanks to Dr Kalibata was presented by Fiona Simson GAICD, Chair, Commission for International Agricultural Research and President, National Farmers’ Federation.
The most recent Sir John Crawford Memorial Addresses have included:
- 2019 – Weathering the ‘perfect storm’, Professor Ross Garnaut AC, Professor of Economics, University of Melbourne.
- 2018 –Food, Climate Change and National Security, Ms Frances Adamson, Secretary, Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade.
- 2017 – A New Narrative for Ending Hunger, Lindiwe Sibanda, Vice President for Country Support, Policy, and Delivery of the Alliance for a Green Revolution in Africa
