How does access to research literature support international development and achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals?

The Publishers for Development 2016 (PfD) conferences will highlight and tell stories about the importance and impact of access to information and online research literature in various development contexts and in relation to the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Whether it be in furthering education and empowering communities, creating food security, reducing climate change or building strong relationships, the publishing community had an important role to play. The provision of access to research, is able to positively, and negatively, impact national and international development.

PfD 2016 will host a variety of interesting speakers from around the world to bring the theme to life. One such planned speaker for the 28 June meeting in Oxford,UK is Ugandan entomologist, Joshua Okonya. He works with the Kampala-based International Potato Centre, whose mission is to “work with partners to achieve food security, well-being and gender equity for poor people in root and tuber farming and food systems in the developing world, as well as reducing climate change”. His research focuses on understanding the impact of pest crop losses on farmers’ livelihoods in the face of climate change and the use of integrated pest management strategies for sustainable crop production. He will speak about the impact that the access, or lack thereof, to online research literature has on his work and, on a wider level, the corresponding potential for impact on progress towards SDGs focusing on food security and climate change.

See more about Joshua and his work in INASP’s recent publication: Ugandan entomologist overcame barriers to publication with help from the AuthorAID network.