Revised Programme

CC BY-NC-ND/John K.

The world is on the brink of an unprecedented water crisis. Water is likely to be the most important strategic resource by the end of the next decade and the key to achieving global economic development. Some countries are already under water stress as a result of population increase, industrialization and urbanization, competition of resources, and insufficient public spending for rural infrastructure and services.

In our Brussels Briefing, organized in cooperation with DG DEVCO, the ACP Secretariat and Concord, we will raise these issues and talk about the challenges and opportunities for ACP countries in times of water scarcity. Confirmed speakers include Dr Elijah Phiri, CAADP/NEPAD, Dr David Molden (IWMI), Tony Allan, School of Oriental and African Studies / King’s College London Water Issues Group, Ruth Mathews, Executive Director of the Water Footprint Network.

Find the programme and more detailed information about the event here, a more concise overview here, our topical reader here, the biographies of the speakers here, our press release here and some of the speakers’ executive summaries here.

If you are interested in participating, kindly register online or contact boto@cta.int. You will also be able to follow the debate online (here if you follow from inside the Commission) and ask us your questions about the event to Brussels.briefings [AT] cta [DOT] int. We will do our best to bring them into the debate.

You can also address your questions or journalistic inquiries to Brussels.briefings [AT] cta [DOT] int.

Jethro Greene speaks at the Brussels Briefing.

On February 2^nd, 2011, the CTA organized a Brussels Briefing on Geopolitics of Food in cooperation with DG DEVCO of the European Commission, Concord and other partners. 159 policy-makers from the European Commission, the Council and EU and ACP embassies followed the discussions live in the European Commission, with another 80 followers of the internet webstream.

The entire video documentation of the event, video interviews of the speakers and some of their PowerPoint presentations are available here.

Our next briefing will take place in April. We will soon provide you with more information about it on this weblog.

Introductory remarks:

• Ms. Isolina Boto, CTA
• Mr. Lluis Riera, European Commission
• Ms. Hélène Fiagan, ACP Secretariat (only available in French)
• Dr. Michael Hailu, CTA

Panel 1 – Aid targets and donor support for development

Discussant:  H.E.M. Abdou Abarry, Ambassador of Niger (only available in French)

-Sir Gordon Conway, Centre for Environmental Policy, Imperial College London

-Ms. Julie Howard ,Partnership to Cut Hunger and Poverty in Africa

-Dr. Marcel C. Nwalozie, NEPAD

-Mr. Luca Chinotti, Oxfam

-Debate

- Conclusion panel 1 (only available in French)

Panel 2 – Beyond Aid: new financing mechanisms

Discussant: Mr.  Ishmael Sunga, CEO, SACAU

-Mr. Gregory De Paepe, OECD

-Ms. Randiana Rakotomalala, Senior Investment Officer, African Development Bank

-Dr Harald Jahn,  European Investment Bank

-Mr. Rajesh Behal, International Finance Corporation, The World Bank

-Mr. Sean de Cleene, YARA Investment Facility

-Debate

Conclusions:

-H.E. Patrick Gomes, Chair of the ACP Committee of Ambassadors and Ambassador of Guyana

Read more about the Briefing: ”Financing rural development in ACP countries”

Ms. Julie Howard is Executive Director and Chief Executive Officer of the Partnership to Cut Hunger and Poverty in Africa, an NGO based in the USA. In her feedback, she presents the activities of her organization and gives insights about the increased attention of the US government towards African agriculture.

Sir Gordon Conway is a Professor for international development at the Imperial College in London. In his feedback, Sir Conway recalls the highlights of the discussions during the Briefing.

The 20th Brussels Development Briefing was on ‘Financing agriculture’ and took place on the 15th of  September 2010 at the Borschette Center . As an input to the UN Summit on MDGs to be held in New York on 22-26 September 2010, we discussed issues related  to financing development in the context of agriculture and rural development. This included issues such as Aid and ODA , taxation (Domestic tax revenues), private investment (new donors), revenue generation. Speakers included: Centre for Environmental Policy at  Imperial College in London, the  Partnership to Cut Hunger and Poverty in Africa in the US, CONCORD, OECD, African Development Bank, Caribbean Development Bank, YARA, African regional framers organizations.

• Programme
• Selected resources
• Concept Note
• Biodata of speakers and discussants
• List of participants
• Evaluation Form
• Reader
• Video material

The video recordings of the 19th Briefing session (“Youth and rural development in ACP countries”) are now available! (please click on the name of the speaker to watch his/her intervention):

Presentation:

• Mrs. Isolina Boto,  CTA

Introductory remarks:

• Mr. Marc Debois DG Development, European Commission
• Mr. Michael Hailu, CTA
• Margaret Wachenfeld, UNICEF

Peter Mwaura from the Young Professionals’ Platform for Agricultural Research (YPARD) participated in the Briefing on Youth and Rural Development in ACP countries as a speaker. He appreciated the interaction with a high level audience to promote the participation of the youth in agricultural research.

Antony Saina from the International Movement of Catholic Agricultural Rural Youth participated in the Briefing on Youth and Rural Development in ACP countries as a speaker. He came to share the success stories related to youth and rural development in Kenya. However, according to him the issue of youth and rural development has long been neglected by policy makers, therefore he found the topic of the Briefing pertinent.

• Registration Form
• Programme
• Selected resources
• Biodata of speakers and discussant
• Reader
• Video material
• List of participants
• Summary of the evaluation

Welcome remarks by the organisers

Highlights of the UN International Year of Youth, Margaret Wachenfeld, Senior Policy Adviser, UNICEF, [Presentation]

Panel 1 – Challenges and opportunities for future ACP young farmers

Agriculture and rural areas need to become more attractive for young people to encourage them to live, work and invest in them. Agriculture must also become more productive and profitable generating remunerative livelihood opportunities for rural youth. This panel will discuss the potential of rural youth in terms of employment, income generation, access to financial services, investment and ICTs as well as provision of formal and non-formal agricultural education and social services.

Panel 2 – Policy options favourable in support of young farmers

Development interventions will be needed in education, health and agricultural services sectors targeting youth. The key challenge for governments, development agencies and actors is to identify innovative ways to promote the positive contribution of youth to development at local, regional and global levels. On the basis of positive experiences, we will discuss the need to strengthen young people’s capacities, agricultural knowledge and skills through education and training as to enable them to become productive farmers and contribute to rural development. We will also discuss favorable development policies.

Panellists:
-Promoting employment and entrepreneurship for rural youth: the case of Junior Farmer Field and Life Schools, Peter Wobst, Senior Economist, Gender, Equity and Rural Employment Division, FAO, [Executive Summary], [Presentation]
-Successful agricultural economic initiatives of the rural youth: lessons learned, Anthony Kipkoech Saina, International Movement of Agricultural Rural Youth (MIJARC), Kenya, [Presentation]
-Successful initiatives by rural young farmers in the Caribbean, Shari Niles, Policy Advisor and Research Officer, ECTAD/CaFAN, Caribbean, [Presenation]

Conclusions

Presentation:

• Mrs. Isolina Boto,  CTA

Introductory remarks:

• Mr. Jean-Claude Burguet, CTA
• Mr. Marc Debois, DG Development, European Commission

• Programme
• Selected resources
• Biodata of speakers and discussants
• List of Participants
• Reader
• Interviews of the Participants
• Video material

Presentation:

• Mrs Isolina Boto, CTA

Introductory remarks:

• Mr Walter Kennes, European Commission
• Dr Ibrahim Khadar, CTA

Panel 1 – Biodiversity and ACP Rural Development: challenges and opportunities

Discussant: Mr Joseph Kalders, Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Development, Belgium

Panel 2 – Policy responses to include Biodiversity in development strategies

Discussant: Ms Sally Nicholson, WWF, European Policy Office

Conclusions

Read more about the Briefing “Biodiversity and Rural Development in ACP countries”

The Honorable Talatala Blondeau explains to us in this interview the double function of the community based managment of forests in Cameroon: the eradication of poverty and the sustainable managment of biodiversity. He insists on the necessity for african countries to use the opportunities offered by the carbon market as a policy to preserve biodiversity.

Ms. Joyce Vangenderen-Naar gives us an overview of the structure and activities of the ACP Civil Society Forum. Ms. Joyce explains that, against conventional wisdom, the ACP NGOs don’t lack capacities and expertise. According to her, the fundamental problem of ACP NGOs is their lack of coordination and cooperation.

The Briefing discussed the key role Biodiversity plays in rural development, especially for ACP countries, and issues such the relationship between poverty and biodiversity, the effects of biodiversity loss in hunger and food insecurity, governance issues, the Intellectual Property Rights’ challenge, farmers rights policies and legislation at the national, regional and global levels.

• Programme
• Selected resources
• Biodata of speakers and discussants
• Reader
• Video material
• List of participants
• Interviews of participants
• Report

Welcome remarks by the organisers: European Commission, ACP Group, Concord, CTA

Panel 1 –Biodiversity and ACP Rural Development: challenges and opportunities

This panel reviewed the major challenges and opportunities of Biodiversity and Development and the links between biodiversity, agriculture and poverty reduction. We discussed the strong links between biodiversity, food security (nutrition and health), traditional knowledge and intellectual property rights and the role of adaptive and resilient biodiverse agriculture in the fight against climate change.

Chair: Joseph Kalders, Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Development, Belgium

Panellists:

- Overview of global biodiversity challenges, Dr Damon Stanwell-Smith, Senior Programme Officer, UNEP-World Conservation Monitoring Centre, [Presentation]

-The key relationship between biodiversity and agriculture, Dr Emile Frison, Director General, Bioversity International, Italy, [Executive Summary], [Presentation]

-Tropical forests and the impact of forest certification on biodiversity, Prof. René Boot, Director, Tropenbos International and Utrecht University, The Netherlands, [Executive Summary], [Presentation]

-Biodiverse agriculture for a changing climate, Dr Jonathan Ensor, Practical Action, United Kingdom, [Executive Summary],  [Presentation]

Panel 2 – Policy responses to include Biodiversity in development strategies

This panel reviewed the needed policies, strategies and actions looking at policy options as to include Biodiversity and strengthen its link to agriculture and rural development in the development strategies and to the post 2010 instruments.

Chair: Sally Nicholson, Senior Policy Officer, WWF European Policy Office, Belgium

Panellists:

-The alliances between community management and national policies to protect biodiversity Hon. Blondeau Tatalata, Député National, Coordonnateur UNGC/REPADER, Cameroun, [Executive Summary], [Presentation]

-Awareness, public education key to environmental sustainability, Fay A. Best, ACP Civil Society Forum, Barbados, [Presentation]

-EC development cooperation and biodiversity commitments, Simon Le Grand, Expert, DG Development, European Commission, [Presentation]

-Biodiversity target in development cooperation: key future challenges, Jean-Claude Jacques, Special Advisor on EU Development Cooperation and the Francophonie / Head IUCN Representation to the EU,  [Executive Summary], [Presentation]

Conclusions

Introductory remarks:

• Mr Jean-Claude Boidin, European Commission
• Dr Hansjörg Neun, CTA

Panel 1 – Prospects and trends of population growth

Chair: Marianne Haslegrave, Commonwealth Medical Trust

Panel 2 – Policy options and actions needed to address population 

Chair: M. Kahijoro Kahuure, Ministry of Health, Namibia

Conclusions

Read more about the Briefing “Population growth and its implications for ACP rural development”

The 16^th Brussels Development Briefing on “Population growth and its implications for ACP  rural development” took place, at the Borschette Center, on Wednesday 27th January 2010 (8h30-13h00). The Briefing examined the current state and future projections of Population growth at global and regional levels and the main issues and challenges involved from a development perspective.  Future Policy responses to address the identified challenges were also part of the discussions.

Programme and Objectives of the Briefing: Isolina Boto, CTA

Introductory remarks: Jean-Claude Boidin,  Head of Unit, EC and Dr Hansjörg Neun, Director of CTA

 Panel 1 – Prospects and trends of population growth

This panel reviewed the major trends (current state and future projections) in population at global and regional levels, especially from a development perspective. It looked at the main issues involved in population growth in terms of impact on economic development, migration movements, pressures on environment and natural resources management. Discussions also touched the issue of gender and reproductive health.

Chair: Marianne Haslegrave, Director of the Commonwealth Medical Trust

Panelists:

- An overview of emerging global and regional demographic trends and statistical data, Carl Haub, Conrad Taeuber, Chair of Population Information, PRB, USA, [Presentation]

- Migration, remittances and development in Africa, Professeur Yves Charbit, Director, CEPED, France, [Executive Summary], [Presentation]

- Population growth and youth in rural areas: the case of Kenya and Uganda, Mona Herbert, country director DSW Uganda [Executive Summary], [Presentation], and George Ouma, country director DSW Kenya, [Presentation]

 Panel 2 – Policy options and actions needed to address population 

This panel discussed critical policy interventions needed to address the effects of population changes on public health, family planning, education, migration, trade and investment. A key topic was also the future of rural areas and the needed interventions in view of the increases urbanisations if nothing is done as to attract youth in farm and non farm activities.

Chair: M. Kahijoro Kahuure, First Secretary, Ministry of Health, Namibia

Panelists:

- Interactions between population and education as drivers of development, Wolfgang Lutz, International Institute for Applied Systems Analysis (IIASA), Austria, [Executive Summary], [Presentation]

- Investing in women’s empowerment  to boost economic development and reduce poverty, Sietske Steneker, Director, United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), Brussels, [Statement]

- Role of policy-makers in promoting gender equality and investment in rural areas, Neil Datta, Secretary, European Parliamentary Forum on Population and Development, Brussels, [Presentation]

Conclusions

Presentation:

• Mrs Isolina Boto, CTA

Introductory remarks:

• Mr Philip Mikos, European Commission
• Dr Hansjörg Neun, CTA

Panel 1 – The domino effects of increased speculation in food markets

Discussant: Dr Hans R. Herren, IAASTD

Panel 2 – What realistic policy options can secure food supply and availability at global and local levels?

Conclusions

Read more about the Briefing “From Global Food Crisis to Local Food Insecurity”

The Briefing examined the domino effects of increased speculation in food markets (How has the global food and financial crisis affected food production and distribution and the food security of the poorest? Is global food production at risk in the medium and long term and will national food security and food sovereignty be the priority over global food availability? Is the small-scale farming more effective and resilient in times of crisis in least-developed countries?) and at what realistic policy options can secure food supply and availability at global and local levels.

Programme and Objectives of the Meeting:  Isolina Boto, CTA

Welcome remarks by the organizers: Philip Mikos, Head of Unity on Rural Development, DG Development, European Commission, Dr Hansjörg Neun, Director of CTA

Introductory Paper: Dr. Hans R. Herren, The International Assessment of Agricultural Knowledge, Science and Technology (IAASTD), [Executive Summary] [Presentation]

Panel 1 – The domino effects of increased speculation in food markets
How has the global food and financial crisis affected food production and distribution and the food security of the poorest? Is global food production at risk in the medium and long term and will national food security and food sovereignty be the priority over global food availability?  Is the small-scale farming more effective and resilient in times of crisis in least-developed countries?
- From price spikes to future agricultures, Steve Wiggins, ODI [Executive Summary] [Presentation]
- What role for the smallholder farmers to ensure poverty reduction and food security? Ndiogou Fall, President, ROPPA [Executive Summary]
- Civil society perspective on the Food Crisis, Stuart Coupe, UK Food Group, Practical Action [Executive Summary]

Panel 2 – What realistic policy options can secure food supply and availability at global and local levels?
The amount spent in agricultural research and development has fallen dramatically (more than 50% over the last decade). How can we therefore ensure increased and improved agricultural productivity and innovation? How to develop agriculture without investment in rural infrastructure and in upgrading production and marketing facilities? What investments are targeting the poor and how private sector is investing in rural development? What social measures and safety nets can be put in place to protect the most vulnerable rural populations and to strengthen the livelihoods, security and future of small-holder farmers?
- Towards an agenda for global food security, David Nabarro, UN  Special Representative on Food Security and Nutrition [Presentation]
- Towards a new EU Food Security Policy? Giulia Pietrangeli, Program Manager, DG Development, EC [EC Issues paper on Agricultural and Food Security challenges] [Presentation]
- Lessons learnt from agricultural successes: what future policy options, Rajul Pandya-Lorch, Director General’s Office, and Head, 2020 Vision Initiative, IFPRI, USA [Executive Summary] [Presentation] [Videomessage]

Conclusions: Dr. Hans R. Herren, IAASTD

• Consult the Report

Read more about the Briefing “ACP rural development: why Media matters?”

Read more about the Briefing “Upgrading to compete in a globalised world: What opportunities and challenges for SMEs in agriculture in ACP countries?”

Mr Kole Odutola is teacher at the University of Florida. He emphasizes the need to concentrate the attention of the media on the people working in the agricultural area as they need not only mainstreaming but also support for growth. Professor Odutola questions whether the causes of the weak relationship farmers-media are due to the education of journalists and brings up several solutions in this regard.

Mr. Ignatius Jean is the representative of the Inter-American Institute for Cooperation in Agriculture. His contribution during the first panel drew attention to the key role media plays in education, information, entertainment and the stability of ACP democracies. Mr. Jean underlines that bringing together media and technical personnel from ACP countries is the perfect opportunity to network these three regions and furthermore to create partnerships. Mr. Jean recalls the cultural aspects of communication and the great potential of local media by using the advent of new ICTs.

Mr. Modeste Shabani bin Sweni is in charge of the radio Santi ya Mkaaji, in the DRC. He considers media as having an important role in the development of agriculture, hence the need to support community media within the villages. He criticizes the fact that city-based media is the one to receive external support, even if it doesn’t pay attention to the problems of rural population. The agricultural development process is becoming difficult when facing all infrastructure problems (transport, processing etc.). For that reason, reinforcing local management capacities and community media to play a catalyst role in the development of rural populations is imposing.

Mr. François Stepman is Communication Expert for the Forum for Agricultural Research in Africa. He gives an idea of the popularity of ACP agriculture, by presenting some statistics on the number of videos existing on Youtube on this particular topic. Judging by the figures offered by Youtube, the conclusion of our interviewee is that there is a long ways to go towards making agriculture ‘sexy’.

Read more about the Briefing “ACP Rural Development: why Media matters?”

Presentation:

• Mrs Isolina Boto, CTA

Introductory remarks:

• Mr Ian Barber, European Commission
• Dr Hansjörg Neun, CTA

Synthesis of e-discussion:

• Mrs Susanna Thorp, Wren Media

 Panel 1 – Mainstreaming media in development: the way to go on?

Discussant: Mrs Tumi Makgabo, African Broadcasting and Media

• Debate

Panel 2 – How media can better serve rural communities?

Discussant: Dr Eugenia Springer, Director of Eugenia Springer Productions Tunapuna

Press conference

Read more about the Briefing “ACP Rural Development: why Media matters?”

• Programme and note
• Resources
• Biodata of speakers and discussants
• Final overview Report of the e-discussion
• List of participants
• Pictures
• Evaluation forms

This service (English and French languages) is FREE and requires simply the use of a computer connected to Internet. Please note that you will need a headset or speakers.

Follow this procedure on October, 12 – 14:30 – 19:00 (Brussels Time):
· Close and quit all the applications (especially Skype, MSN, Outlook, RSS feed, etc…)
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· Wait a few seconds and Enter YOUR NAME
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In case of any challenges, please send immediately an e-mail to sec.sg@apo-opa.org

Read more about the Briefing “ACP Rural Development: why Media matters?”