Africa: Forum Helps Farmer Organisations Scale-up Food Production

By NewsfromAfrica

 JOHANNESBURG -- The Alliance for a Green Revolution in Africa’s (AGRA) Farmer Organisation Support Centre in Africa (FOSCA) programme in collaboration with the Southern African Confederation of Agricultural Unions (SACAU)  hosted a forum from 26 to 28  November, 2012 at the Birchwood Hotel and Conference Centre in Johannesburg to exchange solutions that will provide farmers better access to markets and financial services, improve food production and increase incomes. 

 "Smallholder farmers are critical to meeting the food security demands of the future,” said FOSCA Lead Coordinator Fadel Ndiame.  “Farmer organizations empower and connect hardworking men and women across Africa who deserve the opportunity to engage in the broader agricultural economy.”

 The forum  brought together farmer organisations from more than 12 sub-Saharan Africa nations to learn from shared successes and challenges. The meeting will be attended by farmers, farmer organization representatives, agricultural service providers, scientists, development agencies and private-sector leaders.  Experts shared best practices and participate in a field visit to the Johannesburg Fresh Produce Market and AGRISA, a commercial farm that helps smallholder farmers access markets large bulk buyers like supermarkets. 

 “Farmers are the key link between policymakers and the reality on the ground,” said CEO and Board Secretary of the SACAU Ishmael Sunga. “This forum will strengthen the managerial, organisational and technical capacity of farmer’s organisations with an aim of helping them provide demand-driven and income enhancing services to smallholder farmers.”

 The meeting took place against a backdrop of continued concerns about global food security.  With the population of Southern Africa expected to grow to more than 67 million people in 2050, farmer organisations play a pivotal role in linking smallholder farmers to financial resources and the markets they need to feed the future.