Recommendations of the Task Force for Rural Africa (TFRA)

6-7 March 2019. Brussels. Ag-Press.eu seminar. Outcome of the Task Force Rural Africa, jointly conducted by the European Commission’s Directorate General for International Cooperation and Development and the Directorate General for Agriculture and Rural Development.

• Strengthening the EU's partnership with Africa: a new Africa-Europe alliance for sustainable investment and jobs
• Task Force for Rural Africa's report
  © European Union, 2019 - 72 pages
• Factsheet on the Task Force's recommendations

Established to advise on how best to develop Africa’s agriculture and food sectors and its rural economy, the Task Force Rural Africa presented its final report and recommendations.

Key recommendations of the Task Force.

• Improving the access to private finance for small and medium size agriculture and food businesses, 
• mainstreaming environmental sustainability 
• and promote climate action and bringing together European and African expertise for agriculture and rural development 

Building on some of the short term recommendations made by the Task Force, the European Commission will start implementing the following projects:

• Twinning and exchange programmes between African and European agricultural bodies: the Commission has just launched a Pilot Vocational Education and training initiative with Africa of €5 million. Additional funds from the EU budget will be made available for other twinning programmes for rural women's organisations, farmer organisations and cooperatives, businesses and public entities with their peers.
• AU-EU Agribusiness platform: recognising the key role the private sector can play for structural transformation in Africa, the Commission proposes to set up a platform to link European and African businesses. This platform is expected to help identify challenges and opportunities for private investment and trade between the two continents.
• Innovation hubs: to support ‘agripreneurs' and the African agri-food sector, innovation hubs can be established or strengthened with the aim of applying practical knowledge. These hubs would bring together national research, higher education systems, farmers, their organisations and the private sector to facilitate –amongst others- digital innovation and skills development.

See programme

Africa-EU cooperation in agriculture: state of play

• Willi Schulz-Greve - head of unit DG AGRI.A1
• Leonard Mizzi - head of unit DG DEVCO.C1
• Agnieszka Romanowicz - DG AGRI.B2
• Remco Vahl – DG TRADE.D2

The business experience on the ground

• Oluwabunmi David Ajilore - Strategic Foresight/International (Agriculture) Development Consultant, Nigeria
• Graciano Julio Francisco - Zambezia Province rural development authorities, Mozambique
• Baudouin Michel - Operations director African Parks Network, South Africa; Director de l‘Ecole Régionale Postuniversitaire d’Aménagement et de Gestion intégrés des Forêts et Territoires tropicaux ‐ UNESCO, DRC

The EU and FAO cooperation to achieve food security for all: experience on the ground

• Rodrigo de Lapuerta - director Liaison Office FAO with the EU and Belgium
• Leonard Mizzi - head of unit DG DEVCO.C1

Press point: the final report of the TFRA (see picture)

• Phil Hogan - Commissioner for Agriculture and Rural Development
• H.E. Josefa Leonel Correia Sacko - Commissioner for Rural Economy and Agriculture of the African Union Commission
• Tom Arnold - Chairman of the TFRA (and members of the TFRA)

Technical briefing: the recommendations of the Task Force for Rural Africa (TFRA)

• Willi Schulz-Greve - head of unit DG AGRI.A1
• Leonard Mizzi - head of unit DG DEVCO.C1
• Members of the TFRA

Farmers’ organisations: experiences and perspectives in Africa

• Kees Blokland - Managing director, Agriterra
• Regis Meritan, DG DEVCO.C1
• Pirkko Suhonen - Managing director of Vaalan Juustola

To make this an open and inclusive process, the Commission will launch an online consultation to gather direct feedback from African stakeholders on the Task Force's strategic approach and on the state of play of the agri-food trade and cooperation between our two continents. Together with today's report, the outcome of this consultation will feed into the third AU-EU agricultural ministerial conference in Rome, planned for June 2019.

Effective follow-up will also be ensured through the setting-up of an implementation group composed of ministerial and private representatives from both Africa and the EU. The group will be presented at the ministerial conference in Rome.

"It's a good day for Africa and Europe. While other global regions are growing further apart, we are building an ever closer partnership of equals between Africa and Europe" @PhilHoganEU on the Taskforce Rural Africa report & #AfricaEuropeAlliance 🌍 pic.twitter.com/Ucb7LgHWZ4

— EU Agriculture🌱 (@EUAgri) March 7, 2019

Related:

“Agriculture is becoming innovative and profitable, and provides job opportunities for youth and women. Successful women in agribusiness need to share their lessons,” says H.E @JosefaSacko @_AfricanUnion at #VALUE4HER event #Womensday #IWD2019 pic.twitter.com/28uWsdDi6g

— CTA (@CTAflash) March 6, 2019