An agricultural S&T assessment can answer such questions as:
What research should be conducted, where and by whom (public and private sector), to aid the rural poor in improving nutritional security and raising incomes?
How can the productivity and nutritional content of crops, livestock and fisheries be increased in an environmentally and socially sustainable manner acceptable to farmers and consumers alike - what can traditional breeding techniques offer, what can organic farming contribute, what is the role of aquaculture, what part can biotechnology play?
How can we maximize efficient use of biophysical resources and minimize harvest and post-harvest loss?
Is public sector funding adequate to meet the challenge, and are new innovative public-private partnerships needed?
What are the economic, environmental and social risks and benefits of all technological and policy options?