Gordon Conway and Katy Wilson visit the US to participate in events on the new book.

Gordon’s new book was introduced to audiences around the US through a series of four events that took place in October. Seminars at Cornell and Purdue University were both attended by about 300 faculty and students and instigated discussions around such issues as the role of new technology, biofuels and transnational organisations.

At the World Bank, an event attended by some 300 people, the book was lauded as ‘an impressive piece of scholarship’’ by panellist Michael Morris (World Bank) who spoke alongside Gordon, Michele McNabb (Partnership to Cut Hunger and Poverty in Africa), Madhur Gautam (World Bank) and chair, Christopher Delgado (World Bank).  With much discussion of the future agenda for agricultural development, attendees voiced comments and questions covering trade, the 1000 days initiative, subsidies, and the wider policy environment.

At the Borlaug Symposium as part of the World Food Prize in Des Moines, Iowa, Gordon and fellow panel members, Susan Godwin (Smallholder Farmer, Nigeria), Jane Karuku (Alliance for a Green Revolution in Africa), Gebisa Ejeta (Purdue University) and chair, Roger Thurow (Chicago Council on Global Affairs), opened up the conference with their discussion of the main theme of Gordon’s book, Can we feed the world? Gordon provided an overview and future strategy of what needs to be done while smallholder farmer, Susan Godwin brought this message to life, describing the challenges she has faced and how through Oxfam’s help as well as her own entrepreneurial drive she has overcome these. The 600 people in the room were kept in thrall by her story and by further messages from Jane Karuku on scaling up and from 2009 World Food Prize Laureate, Gebisa Ejeta, around the role of science and research.

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