Getting Down to Business: Scaling Up Agricultural Development in Africa

DATE: Tuesday, March 1, 2011 - 08:00 - Wednesday, March 2, 2011 - 17:00

LOCATION:
Washington Court Hotel
525 New Jersey Avenue, NW
Washington, DC

The Partnership to Cut Hunger and Poverty in Africa is pleased to announce the third annual US-Africa Forum:

Getting Down to Business: Scaling Up Agricultural Development in Africa

Preliminary conference agenda
Registration form
Volunteer at the conference

This year’s Forum will take place at a time of significant transition. In Africa, there is growing ownership of national agricultural development strategies and progress in implementing the Comprehensive Africa Agricultural Development Program (CAADP). In the US, the Obama Administration has substantially increased funding for demand-driven agricultural development and food security, designating the Feed the Future (FTF) initiative as one of two top foreign assistance priorities. At the same time, however, the slow economic recovery, combined with an escalating budget deficit, is ushering in a new era of fiscal austerity which is likely to affect US foreign assistance. And, most recently, there has been a resurgence of food price volatility and concern about how countries will respond to this threat.

With these important changes as the backdrop, the goals for the 2011 Forum are:

To assess progress made over the past year, in Africa and the US, towards achieving our shared vision of “more and better” investments in African agriculture that significantly boosts agricultural productivity and market development, and leads to improved food security, nutrition and incomes; and

To develop clear recommendations for actions that will accelerate efforts to “get down to business” and scale up impacts of the CAADP and Feed the Future initiatives.

The 2011 Forum discussions will focus on two main themes which we believe are critical to increasing the effectiveness and scale of food security efforts: partnership and “learning while doing.” Our discussions will address the effectiveness and reach of partnerships in four key areas: providing emergency food and nutrition assistance while promoting long-term food security; building farmer organizations and associations; boosting private investment; and linking the community of higher education, research and training organizations. As we implement, it is essential to track what is working and what is not. Conference discussions will also review plans and progress related to monitoring and evaluation in CAADP and FTF, and consider opportunities and options for learning while doing in these frameworks.

As in the past, we will strive to give voice to diverse perspectives from African, US and multilateral partners. The Forum will feature a mix of keynote speakers, plenary presentations, and guided breakout group discussions that will drive toward the identification of practical options for addressing key problems.

Forum Agenda: Please click here to view a preliminary Forum agenda.

Forum Registration: Please download and complete the Forum registration form, then fax to 202-488-0590, email as attachment to rvoss@partnership-africa.org or mail to Partnership to Cut Hunger and Poverty in Africa, 499 S Capitol Street SW, Suite 500B, Washington, DC 20003. The deadline for registration is COB February 16, 2011. You will receive a confirmation email when we have processed and confirmed your space at the conference, no later than February 18, 2011. If you need to plan travel in advance, please submit your registration form as soon as possible and indicate your need for early confirmation.

Please note: Space is limited, and we expect the Forum to reach capacity. Priority will be given to members of the Partnership and early registrants.

Ray Almeida Fund: In lieu of a conference fee, the Partnership will again be collecting donations to the Ray Almeida Fund, established at last year’s Forum to honor the late Ray Almeida, a longtime Partnership colleague and passionate advocate for Africa’s small farmers. The Fund facilitates the participation of African civil society and farm organization leaders in important events related to African agriculture, food security and trade. Please visit our website for more information on the Fund and our 2010 Ray Almeida Fellow. The suggested minimum contribution for all Forum participants is $25 per individual. Checks should be written to the “Partnership to Cut Hunger and Poverty in Africa” with “Ray Almeida Fund” on the memo line. Checks may be mailed to the Partnership with your registration form or handed to the Partnership staff at the Forum registration table.

We hope you will be able to join us for two days of lively and substantive discussions around shared experiences, lessons, and recommendations for next steps on Scaling Up Agricultural Development in Africa.

Please direct any related questions to Rachel Voss at rvoss@partnership-africa.org. If experiencing difficulties accessing the agenda and registration form, please try again later; we anticipate heavy traffic to the Partnership website.