Président de la Commission de l’Union Africaine (depuis le 1er. février 2008)
Président du Ghana,
Président de l’Union Africaine (depuis janvier 2007)
FARA, an umbrella organisation of major stakeholders in agricultural research and development in Africa, has been operating as the technical arm of NEPAD for five years, driving the implementation of the Comprehensive Africa Agriculture Development Programme (CAADP) fourth pillar on agricultural research and technology dissemination and adoption.
This year’s General Assembly and Agriculture Science Week provide a unique opportunity to reflect on how effectively African agricultural institutions and organisations are contributing to achieving the NEPAD vision of increasing agricultural productivity by 6% per annum.
National research institutions have developed technologies and have important success stories to tell on how they have contributed to improving the livelihoods of smallholder farmers and pastoralists.
Development agencies have their own experiences to share on how they have assisted farmers to increase the productivity of their holdings.
Civil society organisations also have their success stories on how they have worked together with communities in creating networks of knowledge resources that respond directly to the needs of farmers.
The General Assembly will draw together representatives of FARA’s constituents from all African and non-African institutions involved in African agricultural research and development.
As FARA partner, the NEPAD Secretariat has been playing a key role in preparing the General Assembly. Throughout the week, NEPAD Agriculture Unit staff will be on a number of panel discussions, including a FARA-SADC regional dialogue on “Promoting the productivity and competitiveness of African agriculture in a global economy”.
Dr. Richard Mkandawire, NEPAD Agriculture Advisor, is expected to deliver a keynote address during the opening session on behalf of the African Union Commissioner for Rural Economy and Agriculture.
There will be a NEPAD exhibition stand during the week at which, among other events, NEPAD FISH in collaboration with the WorldFish Centre, USAID and the South Africa Department of Agriculture will exhibit viable aquaculture technologies for resource-poor farmers.
There will also be a brief presentation on progress in the implementation of the Abuja Declaration on Fertilizers for an African Green Revolution at the continental, regional and national levels.
A NEPAD CAADP side event has been arranged as part of the on-going dialogue among key players in supporting country and regional level implementation of the agricultural agenda within the CAADP framework.
The four pillars of the CAADP
NEPAD’s Comprehensive Africa Agriculture Development Programme (CAADP) is based on four pillars :
Pillar 1 : Extending the area under sustainable land management and reliable water control systems
Pillar 2 : Improving rural infrastructure and market access
Pillar 3 : Increasing food supply and reducing hunger
Pillar 4 : Agricultural research, technology dissemination and adoption - Source : NEPAD, june 11, 2007