Global Donor Platform Annual General Assembly (AGA) 2017

1-2 February 2017. Brussels. Global Donor Platform Annual General Assembly (AGA) 2017 took a closer look at where rural transformation might be a decade from now and what role agriculture will play considering the new SDGs, the growing changes in Official Development Assistance (ODA), the challenges of climate change impact, the fact that millions of low-income people in rural as well as urban areas, are still highly food insecure.

The Annual General Assembly is taking place every year and was hosted this time by the European Commission (DG DEVCO).

In the paper Implications of Agenda 2030 for Rural Development (29 pages) commissioned by the Global Donor Platform, John Barrett notes that, beyond SDG 2 (end hunger, achieve food security/improved nutrition and promote sustainable agriculture), world leaders are increasingly pre-occupied by challenges in the global economy and the need for job creation which relates to SDG 8 (Promote sustained, inclusive and sustainable economic growth, full and productive employment and decent work for all), as emerged in the discussion within the Platform and in other international fora.

Leonard Mizzi Head of Unit,
Rural Development, 
Food Security and Nutrition
(Directorate C) DG DEVCO

The Platform document The Future of Donor Programmes in Rural Development induced a debate about the current shift from an integrated approach towards rural development to a more overarching systems approach1. The systems approach should ultimately lead to targeted, evidence-based interventions by donors and international finance institutions that increase development effectiveness.

The open discussion with members, partners and invited guests of Day 1 explored the multiple views of development partners, donors, civil society and private sector on how the rural space in 2030 may look like and what it takes to get there. The high-level forum on Day 2 (morning) complemented the findings of Day 1 and heads of programmes/departmental managers politically and strategically framed the future deliberations of the Platform on donor/IFI support to rural transformation, and helped to inform our priorities, programmes and operations.

Resources:
AGA2017_GDPRD_BOOKLET_LOWRES-FINAL.PDF (PDF, 5.4 MIB)
CONCEPT NOTE (PDF, 388.4 KIB)
PARTICIPANTS LIST (PDF, 839.6 KIB)

Extract of the programme:

Enabling the Business of Agriculture Programme - Christopher Brett, World Bank:

• A well-designed legal and regulatory framework, supported by strong institutions and efficient administrative procedures, is a bedrock for a prosperous agricultural and agribusiness sector 
• Globally comparable data and indicators offer meaningful tools that can enable countries, policymakers and stakeholders to identify barriers that impede growth of agriculture and agribusinesses, share experiences and develop strategies to improve the policy environment anchored in local contexts 
• The Enabling the Business of Agriculture indicators and analysis not only help strengthen the information base that can be used for informed policy dialogue but can also encourage regulations that ensure safety and quality of agricultural inputs, goods and services while minimizing costs and time burdens.
• "Bilateral collaboration is often hijacked by national political agendas"
• "We have to demonstrate that migration is positive (when regular)"
• "There is a need for a returnable capital fund to finance the CGIAR"

Initiative Adaptation of African Agriculture - Mohamed Badraoui, National Agricultural Research Institute, Morocco and ASEAN Climate Resilience Network - Imelda Bacudo, ASEAN/GIZ.

• Global environmental and social changes like climate change, high pressure on natural resources and globalization of trade are impacting on 20% GDP and 50% of employment in developing countries and inducing massive migration; 
• The degree of resilience and adaptation to such big changes is becoming more difficult to achieve because both public domestic investments and international aid for development to African agriculture was decreasing during the last 30 years, making African economies more and more vulnerable.
• UNFCCC COP22 (Marrakech 2016) was the COP of actions to implement Paris agreement - Morocco launched a new initiative for the adaptation of African agriculture to climate change (AAA or Triple A).

Upcoming:

7 February 2017: Launch Enabling the Business of Agriculture 2017. The latest edition provides analysis and results from 40 countries, covering all regions of the world.

The Enabling the Business of Agriculture (EBA) project focuses on identifying and monitoring regulations that negatively affect agriculture and agribusiness markets. EBA aims to inform and encourage policy decisions that support inclusive participation in agricultural value chains and foster an environment that is conducive to local and regional businesses in agriculture. The project is supported by several donors, namely United Kingdom’s Department for International Development (DFID), the Government of Denmark, the Government of the Netherlands, Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, and the United States Agency for International Development (USAID).

Eighteen indicators, covering six topics, have been developed to address aspects related to production inputs and market enablers that facilitate farmers, firms and producers to sell their goods and services. The indicators developed and measured in last year’s report covered the following topics: Seed; Fertilizer; Machinery; Finance; Transport; Markets.

27-28 April 2017. Berlin. "The Future of the Rural World" Innovation – Youth – EmploymentIm Rahmen der deutschen G20 Präsidentschaft möchte das Bundesministerium für wirtschaftliche Zusammenarbeit und Entwicklung (BMZ) mit Ihnen und anderen zentralen Akteuren aus dem In- und Ausland erörtern, wie wir eine innovative, wettbewerbsfähige, nachhaltige und gerechte ländliche Entwicklung – vor allem für die junge Generation – fördern können.