NEPAD is the New Partnership for Africa's Development which envisions increasing Africa's agricultural productivity by 6 percent per annum, the NEPAD Secretariat said in its weekly newsletter.
The general assembly is giving delegates the opportunity to debate whether African agricultural institutions and organisations are contributing to achieving this growth target. FARA is an umbrella organisation of stakeholders in agricultural research and development on the continent, and has been operating as the technical arm of NEPAD since 2002.FARA has been the driving force behind the implementation of the Comprehensive Africa Agriculture Development Programme (CAADP).
Speaking at the opening of the United Nations General Assembly in 2005, US Agency for International Development (USAID) Administrator Andrew S. Natsios described the CAADP as "a new framework for collective action among donors, governments, business and farmer organisations.
"It is African-led and represents a true partnership to assist African countries in tackling the root causes of hunger and poverty, as well as building wealth. Throughout the week, NEPAD Agriculture Unit staff will be on a number of panel discussions, including a FARA-Southern African Development Community (SADC) regional dialogue on 'Promoting the Productivity and Competitiveness of African Agriculture in a Global Economy'.
Dr Richard Mkandawire, NEPAD Agriculture Advisor, delivered the keynote address during the opening session on behalf of the African Union Commissioner for Rural Economy and Agriculture.
There is also an ongoing NEPAD exhibition on NEPAD Fish in collaboration with the World Fish Centre, USAID and the South Africa Department of Agriculture (DOA).
The exhibition is a presentation of "viable aquaculture technologies for resource-poor farmers," reports the NEPAD website.
Tying in with the recent G8 summit in Germany, where the issue of climate change was high on the agenda, the Abuja Declaration on Fertilisers for an African Green Revolution at the continental, regional and national levels will be discussed. (BuaNews)
