18 May 2012

IFAD / G8 CHICAGO COUNCIL

Small farmers as a group are the largest private investors in African agriculture and supporting them to be more profitable must be a key goal of the newest effort to help countries in the region tackle food security and economic development challenges. This was the message delivered by Kanayo F. Nwanze, President of the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD), to global business and government leaders assembled in Washington D.C. on the eve of the annual summit of the Group of Eight. IFAD

Posted at: May 18, 2012 5:53 pm

Duration: 01:35

Available in: SD

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STORY: IFAD / G8 CHICAGO COUNCIL
TRT: 1.35
SOURCE: IFAD
RESTRICTIONS: NONE
LANGUAGE: ENGLISH / NATS

DATELINE: 18 MAY 2012, WASHINGTON, D.C., UNITED STATES

SHOTLIST:

1. Wide shot, Ronald Reagan Atrium 
2. Close up, The Chicago Council signage 
3. Various shots, people walking into the event 
4. Various shots, people talking in atrium
5. Various shots, attendees filing into the hall and getting settled in seats, talking
6. Med shot, Kanayo F. Nwanze, President, IFAD (right) during event
7. SOUNDBITE (English) Barack H. Obama, President, United States of America: 
"We'll welcome other countries that are committed to making tough reforms. We'll welcome more companies that are willing to invest. We're going to hold ourselves accountable. We'll measure results.  And we'll stay focused on clear goals: boosting farmers' incomes and over the next decade helping 50 million men, women and children lift themselves out of poverty."
8. SOUNDBITE (English) Rajiv Shah, Administrator USAID: 
"We've heard a strong validation of the need to stay focused on smallholder agricultural production and heard about how so many different production models can be brought to the task of improving the lot and livelihood of smallholder producers."
9. SOUNDBITE (English) Kanayo F. Nwanze, President, IFAD:
"Governments have to invest in the necessary infrastructures – rural roads, energy, electrification, market infrastructure, market information, policies that guarantee prices – and all the works of it.  I think we are looking at a real change in the equation.  I can see down the road – today we spoke about three countries, tomorrow I can see 25 countries easily being part of this transformation agenda."
10. Med shot, people talking in atrium

STORYLINE:

At a symposium today (18 May) to kick off the G8 meetings near Washington, U.S. President Barack Obama unveiled a New Alliance for Food Security and Nutrition, to leverage private sector participation in the effort to achieve sustained agriculture growth in Africa and raise 50 million people out of poverty over the next ten years.

The initiative is intended to continue the momentum which started with G8 commitments to global agricultural development made at the 2009 meeting in L'Aquila, Italy.  The President said that the effort will initially focus on three African countries that have committed to a new results-oriented approach – Ethiopia, Ghana and Tanzania – but that participation will grow.

SOUNDBITE (English) Barack H. Obama, President, United States of America: 
"We'll welcome other countries that are committed to making tough reforms. We'll welcome more companies that are willing to invest. We're going to hold ourselves accountable. We'll measure results.  And we'll stay focused on clear goals: boosting farmers' incomes and over the next decade helping 50 million men, women and children lift themselves out of poverty."

Heads of state from the three African partner countries were present at the event, as was the President of Benin, who chairs the African Union.

At the meeting, Kanayo F. Nwanze, President of the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD), noted that small farmers as a group are the largest private investors in African agriculture because as a group they manage upwards of 80 percent of the farmland in sub-Saharan Africa.

While touting the importance of the role that large multinational companies will play in the success of the New Alliance, USAID Administrator Rajiv Shah noted the importance of ensuring that small farmers are at the center of the effort to develop Africa's agriculture and achieve food security.

SOUNDBITE (English) Rajiv Shah, Administrator USAID: 
"We've heard a strong validation of the need to stay focused on smallholder agricultural production and heard about how so many different production models can be brought to the task of improving the lot and livelihood of smallholder producers."

IFAD President Nwanze added that smallholder farmers need better linkages and access to markets, technology and information. The new G8 initiative will address these by promoting scaling up tools related to markets and finance, risk and insurance, and science and technology, to fill in gaps and strengthen small farmers' position in the value chain.

He also hailed the African partners for their commitment to doing what they must do to enable smallholder farmers and other rural businesses to succeed and lead the way to food security and economic growth.

SOUNDBITE (English) Kanayo F. Nwanze, President, IFAD:
"Governments have to invest in the necessary infrastructures – rural roads, energy, electrification, market infrastructure, market information, policies that guarantee prices – and all the works of it.  I think we are looking at a real change in the equation.  I can see down the road – today we spoke about three countries, tomorrow I can see 25 countries easily being part of this transformation agenda."