Relationship Between Agriculture and the Millennium Development
Goals In 2000 the member states of the United Nations adopted
the Millennium Declaration as a renewed commitment to human
development. The Declaration includes eight Millennium
Development Goals (MDGs), each with quantified targets, to
motivate the international community and provide an
accountability mechanism for actions taken to enable millions of
poor people to improve their livelihoods. The MDGs are as
follows: Eradicate extreme poverty and hunger Achieve universal
primary education Promote gender equality and empower women
Reduce child mortality Improve maternal health Combat human
immunodeficiency virus/acquired immune deficiency syndrome
(HIV/AIDS), malaria, and other diseases Ensure environmental
sustainability Develop a global partnership for development.
About 70 percent of the MDGs' target group live in rural areas,
particularly in Asia and Africa, and for most of the rural poor
agriculture is a critical component in the successful at