Platform for African – European Partnership in Agricultural Research for Development

Wednesday, June 20, 2012

Agriculture & Rural Development Day at Rio+20

18 June 2012. The purpose of the  4th Agriculture and Rural Development Day, Rio+20 was to ensure that the vision for a sustainable green economy includes clear steps for building a sustainable food system.

 

 The 4th annual Agriculture and Rural Development Day was held in conjunction with the Rio+20 Earth Summit to discuss agriculture’s role in building a global green economy. Co-organised by 17 partner organisations, the day united 600 agricultural experts, including policymakers and negotiators, farmers, and scientist.

  

The event aimed to ensure that the new vision for sustainable development outlined at Rio+20 recognizes the importance of agriculture and includes key steps necessary for achieving a sustainable food system. Keynote speakers included Mendes Ribeiro Filho, Minister of Agriculture, Livestock and Food Supply, Brazil and Rachel Kyte, World Bank Vice President for Sustainable Development and CGIAR Fund Council Chair.

 

Thirteen participatory “learning events” were held that share knowledge from various projects on the ground in the developing world. Each learning event related to one of the seven recommendations outlined by the recent report from the Commission on Sustainable Agriculture and Climate Change, “Achieving Food Security in the Face of Climate Change” The CGIAR Research Program on Climate Change, Agriculture and Food Security (CCAFS) has produced a short photo-film that illustrates ways people around the world are already taking actions that align with the Commission’s recommendations.

Press Conference - Agriculture & Rural Development Day at Rio+20.(Moderator Lindiwe Sibanda of FANRPAN)