2022 FANRPAN Regional Policy Dialogue

20 - 22 September 2022. FANRPAN Regional Policy Dialogue. Theme: Resilient African Food Systems - Solutions for Climate Change, Livelihoods, Food and Nutrition Security

The Policy Dialogue comes at the tail-end of FANRPAN’s 2016-2023 strategy, which focused on “building resilient African agriculture and food systems, securing prosperity and health for all”. The dialogue presents an excellent opportunity for the network to reflect on achievements and progress registered to date. It also provides a dynamic platform for stakeholders to come together to take stock of key processes, identify their roles and how they can be linked to accelerate transformation.

Objectives are to:

1. Facilitate broad-based and inclusive dialogue among all relevant stakeholders (government, farmers organizations, research institutions, women, and youth groups, CSOs, development partners, and private sector, among others) on African agriculture and food systems transformation.
2. Facilitate mutual learning and experience sharing among countries, with a view to strengthening and deepening country engagements and ownership to advance the agriculture and food and nutrition security agenda.
3. Raise awareness of food systems' centrality to the entire sustainable development agenda, and the urgency of transforming food systems, particularly in the wake of global pandemics and conflicts.
4. Catalyse, accelerate, and enhance bold action for the transformation of food systems by all relevant stakeholders.

Concept note and programme.

20/09 Climate Impacts on Africa’s Food Systems Facilitator 

• Dr Fatunbi Oluwole Abiodun, Lead Specialist: Innovation Systems and Partnerships, Forum for Agriculture Research in Africa (FARA) 
• Dr Bruce Campbell, Chief Innovation Strategist Clim-Eat  
• Keynote Presentation Dr Inga Jacobs-Mata,  Leader, Regional Representative – Southern Africa, International Water Management Institute (IWMI) - Ukama Ustawi Initiative
  

AICCRA Catalyzing impact investment into climate-smart agriculture in Zambia and beyond

focuses on 6 countries (Kenya, Ethiopia, Ghana, Senegal, Mali and Zambia) 

• AICCRA Accelerator is implemented in Zambia.
• WE4F Accelerator : Eswatini. Lesotho, Angola, Botswana, Namibia, Zimbabwe, SOuth Africa, Mozambique, Zambia, DRC, Chad, CAR.
• Ukama-ustawi Accelerator focus on 12 focus countries in the region:  Zimbabwe, Zambia, Mozambique, Kenya, Uganda, Rwanda, Malawi, Tanzania, Ethiopia, Eswatini, Madagascar, South Africa

• Dr. Betty Chinyamunyamu, Chief Executive Officer, National Smallholder Farmers' Association of Malawi 
• Mr Jabu Mabobo, Executive Chairperson at Southern African Business Development (SABD)
• Mr Aurelius Chishimba Nkonde, Senior Climate Change Officer, Ministry of Green Economy, and Environment in Zambia 

FANRPAN Climate Smart Agriculture Initiatives

• Ms Shiluva Nkanyani, CSA Programme Officer, FANRPAN

20/09 Accelerating Climate Resilience – Breakout Sessions 

1. Gender, and Youth Facilitators: Mr Oluwatosin Ogunsola, YOUNGO and Ms Aya Mounir, IAAS Morocco 
2. Financing Climate Action in Africa Facilitator: TrustAfrica 
3. Adaptation and Resilience Facilitator: Ms Edith Tibahwa, Climate Change Programme Manager, Common, Market for East and Southern Africa (COMESA) 
4. Climate Change Research in Africa Facilitator: CLAB Africa Team

21/09 Shifting to Sustainable and Healthier Diets

• Prof Joyce Kinabo, Sokoine University of Agriculture 
• Prof Hettie Schönfeldt, Keynote Presentation - Shifting to sustainable healthier diets – improving dietary and health data for decision-making 
• Making sustainable healthy diets affordable for all - nutrient quality, food baskets and pricing options - Dr Hester Vermeulen, Bureau for Food and Agricultural Policy 
• How to stimulate demand for nutritious food and improve nutrition data for decision making – Dr Gloria L Essilfie, University of Ghana

FANRPAN Nutrition-Sensitive Agriculture Initiatives 

• Ms Bertha Munthali and Dr Beatrice Kiage, Nutrition Associates, FANRPAN

21/09 Breakout Sessions 

1. How can we make sustainable healthy diets affordable for all? Facilitator: Beatrice Kiage, FANRPAN 
2. How can we stimulate demand for nutritious foods? Facilitator: Joao Mutundo, Eduardo Mondlane University 
3. How can we improve dietary and health data for decision-making? Facilitator: Nomatande Yeki, NAMC

22/09 Strengthening Institutions & Systems for Resilient Food Systems

• Keynote Presentation: What are the existing institutional capacity gaps to deliver the necessary agricultural transformation in the continent? Dr. Segenet Kelemu, ICIPE 
• What capacities are required to domesticate new technologies and spur innovation to increase productivity and incomes, and improve nutrition - Betty Kibaara of the Rockefeller Foundation
• What would it take to have the required institutions that are fit for purpose? - Dr. Fode Ndiaye 
• Regional experiences: Pathways for food systems transformation - Dr Augustin Wambo Yamdjeu Academya 2063 
• Mary Oyiela Abukutsa-Onyango. She is a humanitarian and agricultural scientist from Kenya who specializes in olericulture, agronomy, plant physiology. Abukutsa-Onyango is a professor of horticulture at Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology whose work focuses on African indigenous food crops. Books: African Indigenous Vegetables in Kenya: Strategic Repositioning in the Horticultural Sector

FANRPAN Initiatives & Bringing it all together

22/09 Breakout Group Discussions 

How can stakeholders collaborate to accelerate the following to enable Africa to attain resilient food systems? 

• Uptake of technologies (production, processing, last-mile delivery initiatives, such as inputs, technologies, climate information etc.) Facilitator: Vivian Nkazi, ESRF
• Partnership with the private sector Facilitator: Dr Njongenhle Nyoni , FANRPAN 
• Gender equality and youth inclusion Facilitator: Pamela Matyolo, FANRPAN