Platform for African – European Partnership in Agricultural Research for Development

Friday, September 25, 2020

WEBINAR: Meet the people driving rural transformation.

24 September 2020.
Germany stakeholders from the fields of politics, science, civil society and private sector discussed their approach to eradicating hunger on a European level. The transformation of rural areas needs people who make a difference – and support from the EU. 

 As Germany presides over the European Union Council, the time is now to promote SDG2 and step up the momentum throughout Europe and the world. Meet the people driving rural transformation and set the stage for the makers and minds transforming rural regions around the world to enter the dialogue with their political, civil society and private sector counterparts in the European Union - for coordinated action on prioritizing food and nutrition security and to ensure the right partnerships for achieving SDG2.
  • Christine Mhundwa Host & Moderator Deutsche Welle 
  • Maria Flachsbarth Parliamentary State Secretary BMZ 
Agroecological farming Agroecology is one of the most important answers to curbing the effects of climate change. The elementary building blocks for farming in the process of transformation are healthy, fertile land and healthy seedlings. And, by including planetary health, there is the additional possibility of counteracting future pandemic outbreaks in addition to conserving nature. However, by 2050, the population on the Sub-Saharan Africa is set to double. Arable land is disappearing. Can agroecology absorb the consequences of climate change and at the same time provide sufficient food for people? What coordinated action is now needed together with players in European Union? 
  • Azola Devi Agripreneur India 
  • Million Belay Alliance for Food Sovereignty for Africa - Ethiopia 
  • Carola van Rijnsoever Director BZ Netherlands 
Female leadership 
Without women there is no real development. However, more is needed. When more women take on leadership roles in rural areas, this leads to higher agricultural productivity and a fairer distribution of work, yields and income. The question is whether the right conditions prevail in rural areas to enable empowerment and leadership. As the story shows, women are changing the game in their communities and serving others as inspiration in doing so. The ensuing panel will look at whether the EU is promoting the right structures and institutions to support the transformation of rural areas by outstanding women. 
  • Juliette Kouassi Aboucao cocoa cooperative Côte d’Ivoire 
  • Nana Adjoa Sifa Amponsah Yo!Gate Foods - Guzakuza Ghana 
Rural governance and cooperatives 
Farmers know best what they need to influence development in their communities and regions. But they must be heard and have the opportunity to organise themselves. The Covid 19 crisis has put progress in rural governance under extreme pressure. Like in many countries around the world, the agricultural sector in Germany’s ONE WORLD no hunger partner regions are facing massive challenges that demand solutions. Our feature outlines approaches that keep things going and the people fighting to keep change on track to truly build back better. Join the conversation as our panel discusses the path EU policy-making has to take to help shape the transformation of rural areas - to benefit everyone. 
  • Joseph Ngaah Kakamega County Farmers Association - Kenya 
  • Elizabeth Nsimadala Pan Africa Farmers Organization Uganda 
  • Mathias Mogge Welthungerhilfe Germany 
Innovating agriculture 
Innovation is the key to transforming agricultural economies. In Africa. In South Asia. In Europe. From drones providing findings for precision farming to state-of-the-art agricultural mechanization technology, the applications being developed are pushing the envelope and propelling rural areas into the future. As our feature shows, Africa’s young agritech scene is spawning ideas that have the potential for significant shifts in the way farmers cultivate crops. The final panel brought together minds from India, Kenya and Germany to discuss how they can benefit from greater cooperation, promote cross-border innovation and scale apps and solutions so they reach every smallholder farmer with a mobile phone. 
  • Moses Kimani Lentera Africa Kenya 
  • Devi Murthy Kamal Kisan India 
  • Clas Neumann SAP-Labs China

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