1 - 4 September 2014. Addis Abeba. The African Green Revolution Forum focused on delivering agriculture-led economic growth in sub-Saharan Africa. It was looking to build on an African Union declaration to double food productivity and halve poverty by 2025. More than 1,000 delegates, including heads of state, business leaders and scientists, attended the conference.
The AGRF is the most significant Africa-wide gathering of agriculture experts, investors and farmers since the African Union issued its Malabo Declaration forcing strident acceleration of agricultural growth.
In addition the meeting addressed critical issues for Africa’s food security: increasing food productivity as climate change presents more challenging growing conditions; promoting agricultural investment that generates benefits at all economic levels; increasing financing for agricultural development; and support for modernizing commodity markets and removing barriers to intra-regional trade. A pertinent factor omitted is the dire need for job creation within the agricultural sector across the continent.
“Africa’s smallholder farmers produce the vast majority of food grown on the continent and they are the backbone of a sector that employs more than 65 percent of all Africans,” said Strive Masiyiwa, chairman of AGRA. “So when businesses, governments, researchers and farmers work together to strengthen our food production and distribution systems, they are seeking commercial success that will be shared across African society – and particularly for the poorest among us.”
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