ITHACA, N.Y. -- An international group of agricultural scientists is studying how to feed the world while conserving natural ecosystems. In a first step, the Sustainable Agriculture and Natural Resources Management program of the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) has chosen Cornell University's College of Agriculture and Life Sciences to study how to unite agricultural and environmental land management worldwide.

Louise Buck, Cornell senior extension associate in natural resources, will lead the "ecoagriculture" assessment team. "Around the world there has been too much competition between agriculture and natural resources," says Buck. "This is bringing together the state of the art in natural science and social science research, all for managing agricultural land systems and conserving biodiversity. We are looking for synergies."

The Cornell assessment group includes: Norman Uphoff, director of the Cornell International Institute for Food, Agriculture and Development (CIIFAD); Thomas Gavin, Cornell associate professor of natural resources; David R. Lee, Cornell professor of applied economics and management; Diji Chandrasekharan Behr, postdoctoral fellow in natural resources; and Fred Werner, a researcher in natural resources.

The final report, when prepared, will be presented at the International Conference of Ecoagriculture Innovators, scheduled to convene at the World Agroforestry Center in Nairobi, Kenya, in September 2004. Ecoagriculture is defined as sustainable agriculture and associated management of natural resources that enhance farm productivity, encourage sustainable production, improve rural livelihood and maintain biodiversity conservation.

Buck says that the effects of agriculture on biodiversity are well-known in many regions of the world, but the impact of biodiversity on agriculture is not well-understood. "By taking such a comprehensive approach and casting a wide net, the assessment can demonstrate what information exists and whether it is available for different audiences," she says.