This AASSA report on Food and Nutrition Security and Agriculture (FNSA) focusses on FNS in the Asia/Oceania region, but given the size and importance of the region and the considerable inter-connectedness of matters influencing food production, food consumption, nutrition and human well-being, many of the observations and recommendations made are global in nature. The target outcome of its deliberations is future FNS, that is, access for everybody to a diverse healthy diet that is underpinned by a production/distribution/consumption system that is sustainable, environmentally, socially and culturally. It is recognized that there are many facets to FNS, and a systems approach to analysis is recommended, where the complex interactions between scientific and technical (physico-chemical, biological, environmental), economic, political, social and cultural dimensions are considered together. Having said this, in preparing this report the working group, and reflecting its expertise and mandate, has chosen to focus on the crucial role to be played by S&T (both R&D and education) in securing future FNS. Increasing pressures from population growth, urbanization, land availability, resource and water availability, pollution, global climate change, biodiversity loss conspire to make FNS a formidable near-term challenge.

The report identified key S &T areas having universal and prioritized application across the region as followings: (1) Genomic-based approaches to plant and animal breeding. (2) Big-data capture and analysis, precision agriculture, robotics. (3) Food technology innovations in harvest, processing and storage to reduce food wastage. (4) Sustainable farming practices for land and water use, that address wider issues such as biodiversity and climate. (5) Aquaculture production and integrated farm production systems.

The Global Report from IAP, analysis and synthesis of four regional reports from Asia, Africa, America and Europe, addresses recommendations for international scientific priorities as follow:

It is a must to readers who are looking for an up-to-date and comprehensive study with scientific and technological perspective on challenges and opportunities of food and nutrition security and agriculture both in Asian and global level. These reports can be enjoyed through websites: http://www.interacademies.org/37646/Food-and-Nutrition-Security-and-Agriculture.

Finally, the reviewer would like to congratulate IAP and AASSA for producing well-integrated and resourceful reports with STI perspective on FNSA of both Asia and Global status.