Second World Summit for Social Development

Solutions Session

Science Popularization Empowers Global South to Eradicate Poverty in Rural Areas

Background

The UN 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development places poverty eradication as a pivotal aim. However, in 2025, 1 in 10 people around the world were still living in extreme poverty. If current trends continue, 8.9 percent of the world’s population will still live in extreme poverty by 2030.

China’s achievement in eliminating absolute poverty a decade ahead of schedule sets an example and offers greats insights for global efforts. One crucial factor to success was the science and technology-enabled poverty alleviation, of which science popularization played a crucial role, especially the efforts related to agriculture, rural areas, and farmers.

Objectives

The event aims to highlight how science popularization efforts related to agriculture, rural areas, and farmers empower rural communities, and reduce poverty in the Global South. Representatives from the Global South and international organizations are expected to share experience from diverse perspectives and explore cooperation on worldwide poverty reduction.

The key outcome of the event will be a Farmers’ Science Literacy Assessment Toolkit launched by the China Association for Science and Technology (CAST) to help the Global South have a general picture of the situation, identify problems and formulate targeted solutions. 

(Download: Sample Questionnaire：Chinese civic scientific literacy-farmers)

Time

18:15-20:00 (UTC+8, Beijing Time)

13:15-15:00 (UTC+3, Qatar Time), November 5, 2025

Organizer

China Association for Science and Technology (CAST)

Join us

Register in advance for this meeting:

Meeting ID：823 5394 1114

Passcode：1105

JIA Hepeng

Professor of Science Communication, Senior Science Journalist, School of Communication, Soochow University

Speeches

●Engaged Science as an Enabler of Sustainable Development (18:50-19:05)