Sustainable Vanilla Value Chain Development in the Greater Sepik Region Support to Rural Entrepreneurship, Investment and Trade in Papua New Guinea (EU-STREIT PNG)
The programme was developed under the umbrella of 11th European Development Fund (2014-2020) and is being implemented as a United Nations joint programme under the leadership of the Food and Agriculture Organisation of the United Nations (FAO), partnering the International Labour Organization (ILO), International Telecommunication Union (ITU), United Nations Capital Development Fund (UNCDF) and United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and in close collaboration with the Government and local partners with an emphasis on local agripreneurs.
30 November 2021. The Committees on Development and the Committee on International Trade held a joint hearing to discuss the ways to tackle child labour in developing countries.
2021 is the International Year for the Elimination of Child Labour and Members of the European Parliament together with the distinguished panelists representing international organisations, private sector, governments and civil society debated how the European development cooperation policy and initiatives and trade policies and agreements can best serve to address the root causes of child labour, notably in agricultural sector in Sub-Saharan Africa.
Benjamin SMITH, ILO senior technical specialist on child labour
Adama Yaya DIARRA, FAO Coordinator of the CLEAR cotton project (Mali)
"Child labor in agriculture is not just a human rights issue but reducing it is key for decent jobs, rural development & food security and crucial to achieve SDGs 1 & 2"
Adama KAMARA, Minister of Employment and Social Protection of the Republic of Côte
d'Ivoire
Elizabeth AKANBOMBIRE, Head of Child Labour Unit, Ministry of Employment and Labour
relations of the Republic of Ghana
Patrick OWUSU, The Asunafo North Municipal Cooperative Cocoa Farmers and Marketing
Union (Ghana)
Theodorah NABUKALU, Programme Officer at the African Network for Prevention of Child
Abuse and Neglect, Global March (Uganda) and Gazal MALIK, Programme and Advocacy
Manager, Global March
Molly NAMIREMBE, Program officer and a SCREAM trainer at the Ecological Christian
Organization (ECO) in Uganda (youth advocate)
The program showcased how countries are tackling micronutrient deficiency through their Nutrition for Growth commitments and feature new global initiatives to mobilize the knowledge, resources, and political will to end malnturition worldwide.
Moderater by Rajul Pandya-Lorch, Member, Board of Directors, Micronutrient Forum & former Director of Communications and Chief of Staff, IFPRI (USA)
Victor Aguayo, UNICEF Nutrition, Director, Early Child Diets, USA
Lynnette Neufeld, Director Knowledge Leadership, GAIN, Geneva
29 November 2021. This event is independent from the EABF organised by the European Commission and the African Union.
The fourth edition of the EU-Africa Business Summit, held in a new hybrid format, discussed the most critical economic challenges shaping the shared future of both continents by bringing influential business leaders, policymakers and experts together.
The EU is Africa’s largest trade and investment partner, and the main supporter of the African Continental
Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) with €72.5 million mobilised by the end of 2020. EU-27 Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) stock in Africa was
€222 billion, compared to €42 billion from the US and €38 from China. In 2018, the EU-27 accounted for 32% of Africa’s total trade, whereas China accounted for 17% and the US 6%
AGRICULTURE/ AGRIBUSINESS: A STRONGER AGRICULTURE FOR A FAIRER RURAL DEVELOPMENT
The African agriculture sector must transition toward agribusiness. Globally competitive agriculture will enable Africa to benefit from its natural resources, develop its rural areas and provide opportunities for future generations. To this end, the European Union is assuming its role to support Africa realise its agri-food potential.
In agriculture and agribusiness there is an urgent need for public policies to attract investments and to implement climate smart policies. Innovative financial instruments such as the EU External Investment Plan (EIP) and its specific investment window on agriculture can support job creation for the youth notably in the cocoa sector.
Furthermore, innovative technology and data can help farming communities to thrive through better market access and by enabling products to be sold at higher post-harvest prices. This, in turn, will help generate greater interest from young people in the opportunities offered by the agricultural sector. Cooperation between Africa and the EU is essential to transform African agriculture and feed the growing population.PLAY
Phil Hogan Former EU Commissioner for Agriculture
Godfrey Bahiigwa Director of the Agriculture Department, African Union Commission
Iliass El Fali Advisor to OCP’s Chairman & CEO and former COO, OCP GROUP
Daniel Nahon Professor, Aix-Marseille University
Samira Rafaela Member of the European Parliament
Willi Schulz-Greve Head of Unit DG Agriculture and Rural Development (AGRI), European Commission
GREEN TRANSITION: CIRCULAR ECONOMY AND INTERNATIONAL COOPERATION: FAVOURING RENEWABLE AND SUSTAINABLE ENERGY SOURCES
2021 is a crucial year for Climate Action. The UN Climate Change Conference of the Parties (COP26) and the 15th Conference of the Parties to the Biodiversity Convention will both address the biggest challenges of the 21st century, Climate change and the Green transition.
A stronger partnership between the EU and Africa will maximise the benefits of the Green transition and the circular economy, ensuring that both continents’ economic recovery is well-integrated and aligned to the 2030 Agenda and the African 2063 Agenda
Fighting climate change and accomplishing a clean and just energy transition are the biggest challenges of the 21st century. Africa’s energy industry is facing extraordinary circumstances. An ongoing energy transition and new efforts to decarbonize the world are weighing on oil demand. The shale revolution is exacerbating these pressures. New technologies are rapidly developing, including green hydrogen production systems. Finally, the Covid-19 pandemic has wrought havoc on markets around the world, accelerating and intensifying existing trends.
The session will address the results of the UN Climate Conferences and provide a framework not only for moving forward in a post-COVID-19 context, but excelling in it.
Federico Maria Grati Head of Agroenergy Services, ENI
Patrick Child Deputy Director General, DG ENVI
Steven Stone Deputy Director, Economy Division UNEP
Shada Islam Brussels-based commentator and analyst
EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW WITH PATRICK CHILD, DEPUTY DIRECTOR GENERAL, DG ENVI
Presentation of a study, co-financed by the EU, that looks in-depth at the current employment situation of youth in the food economy in 5 sub-Saharan African countries (Namibia, South Africa, Tanzania, Uganda and Zambia) and 2 Southeast Asian countries (Thailand and Viet Nam).
Global Foodnet brings together food innovators in Kenya, southern Africa, Peru and Finland to develop foods from indigenous foods with indigenous knowledge.
The Conference aims to showcase the KM products and services of CAADP-XP and generate political support for advancing climate-smart KM for Agricultural development in Africa.
Keynote Statement Title: A sixth generation of knowledge management for development? Implications for agriculture in Africa - Dr Sarah Cummings – K4DP/
km4dev
13-17 December 2021. Fourth ordinary session of the
specialized Technical committee on agriculture, rural Development, water and
environment (ARDWE) - closed meeting
9-10 June 2022. Africa Dairy & Drink Innovations Summit & Expo 2021 The dairy, soft and alcoholic beverage sectors may not have a lot in common at first glance, but the line between these sectors has been and is expected to continue blurring into the future, as the pace of innovations gathers steam and as consumer tastes and preferences are transformed
The event will take place online and be hosted in Belgrade, Serbia between 1 and 3 December, 2021. Side Events are planned to take place on November 30th. The Annual meeting is co-organized by the Institute for Science Application in Agriculture, Serbia (IPN/ ISAA) and the South Eastern Europe Advisory Service Network (SEASN).
Objectives:
Understand how Rural Advisory Service (RAS) practices can respond to limitations imposed by COVID-19 restrictions;
Discuss how agroecology can support reconstruction of value chains, and how RAS can support upscaling agroecology;
Understand the role of digital tools in supporting these processes, and assessing what we have learned since the start of the pandemic.
30/11 Side Event: The Tropical Agriculture Platform towards the Future Advisory
Services and Agroecology
Organizer: Rural Advisory Services for Southeast Asia (RAS-SEA)
Agriculture in tropical regions has a unique agro-ecology and socio-economic
impact on the community. Unprecedented changes related to nature and human
activities have affected the agri-food value chains. Considering the challenges of
agriculture in the tropics, RAS-SEA organizes an event to share the idea and
social innovation on transformation of agriculture/rural advisory services in the new
normal era and fast development of digital technology. All stakeholders should
have a clear vision for the future of agriculture/rural advisory services. The
question is:
How TAP as a platform can assist farmers, female farmers, and youth
to meet their needs?
How could extension and advisory services become more
professional, sustainable, and agro-ecology oriented?
30/11 Side event: : Extension and Advisory Services Competencies - Research
Results & Implications
Public and private extension and rural advisory services are key to sustainable
agriculture, resilient livelihoods, and inclusive growth. The Global Forum for Rural
Advisory Services (GFRAS) has called for “the new extensionist” (Davis &
Sulaiman, 2014), emphasizing the functional competencies needed to help
clientele cope with complex challenges such as climate change and nutrition.
However, the effectiveness of the GFRAS New Extensionist Learning Kit (NELK)
learning has never been measured. Researchers thus analyzed learning outcomes
of NELK learners globally, as well as their digital readiness, and the links between
level of digital readiness and learning outcomes
02/12 Session 2: Agroecology - Acquiring new relevance and a path
to reconstruct a post-COVID-19 agriculture
Ricardo Borsatto, UFSCar: Agroecology - Challenges when promoting
agroecology via Rural Advisory Services: a case-study in Brazil
Nagy Anikó, NAK: Practical tools for rural advisors to become facilitators
of essential agroeconomical development processes such as short food
supply chain or agroecology
Miguel de Porras, FiBL Europe: Agroecology and Living Labs, the ALLReady project
This pan-African webinar brought together about 200 small-scale farmers and their organisations from East, West, Central and Southern Africa as well as civil society representatives, philanthropic donors and multinational organisations.
Hosted by The Eastern and Southern Africa Small-scale Farmers Forum (ESAFF) and Southern Africa Trust (SAT) in partnership with Climate Justice- Just Transition Donors Collaborative.
Despite landmark programs such as the Comprehensive African Agriculture Development Program (CAADP), the Maputo Declaration 2005 and the Malabo Declaration 2014, Africa is still a net food importer. Recent FAO statistics show there is growing poverty, hunger and malnutrition in Africa. The effects of climate change, land degradation and the COVID-19 pandemic make matters even worse, especially for small-scale farmers, who have been hit hard.
Small-scale farmers, are, however, also the first to adapt and there is a wide range of local solutions championed by small-scale farmers’ organizations. Agroecology has gained some traction in recent years as a more systemic approach to a just and sustainable transformation of agriculture.
The event focused on three issues:
Reflect on results of the recently concluded just ended United Nations Food Systems Summit (UNFSS) and the COP26 and what they mean for agroecology and small-scale farming in Africa
Debate on how agroecology can be a pathway to climate justice and resilience in Africa,
Learn about African small-scale farmers' work and assess needs in the field.
Setting the scene:
Why is agroecology the pathway to climate and
social resilience in Africa?
Reflection on the UNFSS and COP 26 / Brief introduction on Agroecology in Africa / Benefit and opportunities of agroecology in Africa
/ Challenges facing agroecology
/ Recommendations moving forward
Ms Nora Berrahmouni &, Ms Isabel
Kuehne, Senior Officers - FAO –
Africa
Dr. Million Bellay – AFSA General
Coordinator
Opportunities, Challenges and
Recommendations on the ground:
Farmer’s voices on agroecology work to promote
agroecology, as well as challenges on the ground like
lack of supportive policies and finance, land tenure, seed
sovereignty, etc. and recommendations to African
governments and donors.
Mai Mpofu – Woman farmers
(Overall Situation in Africa)
Ms. Mary Sakala – (Woman farmer
Zambia (Southern Africa),
Ms. Masudio Margaret -woman
farmer- Uganda, Eastern Africa
Mr. Ibrahim Coulibaly- ROPPA
(West Africa)
Mr. Nathanael Buka Mupungu -
PROPAC (Central Africa)
23-24 November 2021. The Brazil Africa Forum is the flagship event of the Brazil Africa Institute, held annually. BAF 2021 bridged North and South. It connected decision-makers from the public and private sectors to share their views on good practices and successful policies to ensure resilient, diversified and climate-smart economies.
The programme was split in four axes, each tackling key themes for the natural resources agenda: land, water, forests and action. Each axis will bring together major stakeholders to discuss action tracks, public-private partnerships and solutions that can bring results for Brazil and Africa in dealing with their own - as well as their shared - challengers.
One of the panels of the two-day forum, themed “Sustainable Agriculture and Food Production: Ensuring Climate-Smart Food Systems,” focused on finding solutions to ensure long-term sustainable development.
Acute food insecurity in Africa has gradually increased over the past years due to several reasons such as regional conflicts, political mismanagement, and economic slowdowns. It has become a critical issue with heavy impacts on ordinary people’s wellbeing. Panelists stressed the fundamental issues that are impeding Africa’s development, especially climate change, hunger, and malnutrition.
23/11 Sustainable Agriculture and Food Production: Ensuring Climate-Smart Food Systems
To achieve economic development, countries must address food security. Societies cannot thrive with people in extreme poverty, facing hunger and malnutrition. Food production, nonetheless, must not be a pretext for environmental negligence.
How can we structure climate-smart food systems and cope with today’s challenges without exhausting natural resources and harming
future generations?
What should countries do to make sure sustainable agriculture is properly incentivized?
What good practices and solutions can be exchanged between developing nations?
Speakers:
Mr. Claus Reiner | IFAD Country Director at Brazil
Ms. Maria Helena Semedo | Deputy Director General of FAO
Mr. Yemi Akibamijo | Executive Director of FARA
Mr. Fayçal Benameur | Senior VP for East Africa at OCP Group
Moderator: Mr. Waiganjo Njoroje| Head of Communications of the UN Committee on World Food Security
There is a need to have a “holistic system-based approach where we should look not only at
production but also transformation and consumption.” Such an approach, would allow countries to produce while bringing the maximum benefit to natural resources. Producing sustainably and putting bio-diversity at the center of the food system will help achieve a more efficient, inclusive, and resilient agri-food system. There is a panoply of climate-smart approaches that can provide solutions to today’s challenges such as nature-based solutions, reducing waste, using organic waste and improving access to renewable energy, she explained. Beyond policies and investments, leadership is crucial to put forward stronger steps to curb climate change globally. Maria Helena Semedo, Deputy Director General of FAO,
“With the number of events that happened in line with such a topic, we shouldn’t be facing this paradox and fallout. There are 3 aspects of the struggle to address the key concern of the second goal - zero hunger - of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs): biological production systems, social infrastructure of the production system, and technology that can contribute to reduce post-harvest losses (PHL). The PHL refers to measurable quantitative and qualitative food loss in the post-harvest system. The system consists of interconnected activities from the time of harvest through crop processing, marketing and food preparation, to the final decision by the consumer to eat or discard the food. To avoid global warming we need to produce more with less, as we are exceeding the limit of the planet,”Yemi Akinbamijo, Executive director of FARA.
23/11 Fostering Cooperation between Brazil and Africa: Sharing Solutions across Crops and Value-Chains (Promoted by AGRA)
Brazil and African countries have an unquestionable similarity in their natural resources. This, in turn, has led to a shared path in the development of agriculture, with good practices, innovations and technologies finding their way between the two regions. As we move towards more sustainable food systems, we must look for ways to approximate Brazilian and African producers, jointly strengthening our value chains to ensure food security for all.
What lessons for South-South Cooperation were drawn from the UN Food Systems Summit?
Which crops and value-chains have the greatest potential for the exchange of know-how between Brazil and Africa?
Which have shown the best results in sustainable agricultural practices?
How can we actively engage leadership to develop new South-South Cooperation projects in food production?
Speakers:
Ms. Agnes Kalibata | President of AGRA
Mr. Hailemariam Desalegn | Chairman of AGRA
Mr. João Bosco Monte| President of the Brazil Africa Institute
Moderator: Mr. Fadel Ndiame | Deputy President of AGRA
