WEBINAR: Boosting rural job creation and economic growth

13 October 2020. Boosting rural job creation and economic growth . LEAP4FNSSA webinar.

On the occasion of the EU’s recent Communication ‘Towards a Comprehensive Strategy with Africa’ and the AU-EU Summit (initially planned for 24-26 October 2020 - but cancelled and postponed to 2021), the LEAP4FNSSA project organised a webinar on how science and innovation partnerships in FNSSA (Food and Nutrition Security and Sustainable Agriculture) can significantly contribute to the creation of rural jobs and sustainable economic growth.

• Recent strategic policies from both Africa and Europe underline the important role of research, innovation and higher education for economic growth and job creation. R&I can be a motor for sustainable transformation. But the potential is often not fully realized, due to limited scope, fragmentation and working in silos.
• The webinar discusses how cooperation between continents and actors can catalyze the effects on economic growth, agricultural markets, job creation and food businesses.

Speakers: 

• Daan du Toit | Deputy Director-General, International Cooperation and Resources at South African Department of Science and Innovation (DSI) - Boost African Economy by Partnering with Europe – a closer look on the Comprehensive Strategy for Africa and a call for joint programming in the field of R&I
• Nienke Buisman | European Commission RTD; Head of Unit International Cooperation - More impact by joining forces – the role of the EU-AU R&I partnership
• Vincent Castel | African Development Bank’s manager overseeing agriculture in North Africa - Investing in the future – how financial institution can join hands with funders of R&I to foster economy and job creation
• Edouard Lehmann | Research & Innovation Manager COLEACP - Transforming the economy – the collaboration with R&I initiatives and the role of multi actor platforms. (Private Sector)

Upcoming event:

28-29 October 2020. LEAP4FNSSA West Africa Workshop
The Workshop “Dialogue for action and Brokerage in West Africa” will take place virtually on 28th -29th of October 2020.

This event will be promoted and organized by KEF and GO AFRICA, in close collaboration with CIHEAM-IAMB, BLE, DLR, KINNO and CSIR-GH.

Strengthening Europe-Africa partnership on Food and Nutrition Security and Sustainable Agriculture (FNSSA) and linking small businesses to existing research and innovation hubs, to test solutions with research funding opportunities and to fuel innovation, are the main objectives of the event.

The event will be divided in four thematic sessions and will involve farmers’ associations, research institutions, donors and policy makers. Special attention will be dedicated to 25 young innovators (previously selected through a specific “call for innovative ideas” carrying their solutions to mitigate the socio-economic and environmental impacts of pandemics on FNSSA.

Related:

21 April 2020. LEAP4FNSSA webinar. Empowering the community through Inclusiveness and engagement in the Food and Nutrition Security, and Sustainable Agriculture Sector | webinar A reflection on the report “Empowering youth to engage in responsible investment in agriculture and food systems”.

Additional resources and background

• PRIORITIES FOR AFRICA’S FOOD AND NUTRITION SECURITY POST-COVID-19. A contribution from the Task Force Rural Africa (TFRA) to the AU-EU Summit, October 2020. August 2020 English (415.9 KB - PDF), 15 pages
• The European Green Deal (EGD) has an important agri-food and rural economy dimension, through its Farm-to-Fork (F2F) Strategy, Biodiversity Strategy and the next reform of the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP). Food and nutrition security has become of such fundamental political, economic and social importance that it must be at the centre of all future policy and planning.
• The development of the ‘NATURAFRICA’ concept, proposed by the EU Commission, aims to consolidate the biodiversity in large landscapes in Africa, through the promotion of the ‘Green Economy’ with a high degree of inclusiveness with the local communities.

This year was supposed to be crucial for Africa-Europe relations, culminating in the sixth AU-EU Summit, scheduled for 28 and 29 October in Brussels. But then COVID-19 happened. After a long palaver, a decision was finally taken: the summit will be postponed to 2021, although a date still needs to be fixed. (ECDPM 14/09: The AU-EU Summit didn’t prove immune to COVID-19 – but that may be a blessing in disguise)

29 September 2020. Informal meeting of development ministers.

Within the framework of the German EU Council Presidency, Federal Minister for Economic Cooperation and Development Gerd Müller, together with the High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Josep Borrell, hosted an informal meeting of EU Development Ministers on 29 September. One important topic will be the EU’s future relations with the neighbouring continent - Africa. The meeting will also serve to prepare the Formal Meeting of EU Development Ministers in November. Due to the current COVID-19 pandemic, the meeting will take place virtually.