Africa Green Revolution Forum in Tanzania

AGCO Corporation was one of the private sector organizations that was invited to attend the Africa Green Revolution Forum (AGRF) in Tanzania Arusha, from September 26th to 28th, 2012 at Ngurdoto Mountain Lodge in the continued effort to grow our investment and engagement in African.

The African Green Revolution Forum (AGRF) focuses on promoting investments and policy support for driving agricultural productivity and income growth for African farmers in an environmentally sustainable way. Principle strategic partners include AGRA, Yara International, the Africa Union and NEPAD Planning and Coordinating Agency.

The forum brings together African Heads of State, ministers, private agribusiness firms, financial institutions, farmers, NGOs, civil society organizations and scientists to discuss and develop concrete investment plans for scaling agricultural development success in Africa.

Some key speakers at the forum include Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation Co-Chair Melinda Gates, Chairman of the Board, former Secretary General of the United Nations and Nobel Peace Prize Laureate Kofi Annan, Nigerian Minister of Agriculture Hon. Dr. Akinwumi Adesina and lots more.

Some of the notable topics that are discussed during the forum include leadership policy, revolutionizing African agricultural finance models, strengthening markets, and transforming African agriculture through innovative partnerships.

This meeting is the next milestone in developing African-led food security solutions, following the recent G8 Summit where global leaders including 21 African countries and 27 private sector companies committed $3 billion to a New Alliance for Food Securi and Nutrition, launching the next phase of the global food security effort to raise 50 million people out of poverty over the next 10 years.

This forum will be setting the stage for Africa’s leaders to drive the initiative by promoting investments and policy support to increase agricultural productivity and income growth for African farmers.

The forum will remain focused on unlocking Africa’s agricultural potential by empowering smallholder farmers across the continent. By collaborating with farmer’s organizations, civil society and other partners, the discussion will explore new ways to provide resources, overcome challenges and improve yields for the millions of farmers who are working less than two hectares of land across the continent.