The 72nd regular session of the United Nations General Assembly took place in late September 2017. Publication of the resolutions reached is currently underway, addressing issues such as: promoting the sustainable development resolutions of previous General Assemblies; combatting international terrorism; and coordinating humanitarian assistance efforts.

At their inaugural meeting, the Global Food Security Science Advisory Group analysed recent events and identified a set of 10 priority research questions to address the food security challenge. Professor Tim Benton from the University of Leeds and chair of the advisory group, and the Global Food Security (GFS) programme’s Sian Williams explore the evolving research landscape.

New research conducted by a team of scientists of the University of Cambridge, the UK Met Office and CIMMYT reveals for the first time the most likely months and routes for the spread of new strains of airborne ‘wheat stem rust’ that may endanger global food security by ravaging wheat production across Africa, the Middle East, Asia and the wider world.

Cambridge start-up Simprints, awarded $2.45 million in new grant money, targets the developing world with fingerprinting technology to help deliver healthcare to 1.1 billion people who have no formal identification.