Salzburg, Austria
Kofi Annan has called for a “uniquely African Green Revolution” founded on “bold pro-poor policies” to address the food crisis facing Africa and the world.
Kofi Annan gave the keynote speech on Wednesday this week to open a special conference, Towards a 'Green Revolution' in Africa?, organised by the Salzburg Global Seminar, the Institute for Development Studies and the Future Agricultures Consorium.
Mr. Annan, former Secretary General of the United Nations and current Chair of the Alliance for a Green Revolution in Africa (AGRA), pointed to the current gloabl food crisis as even greater impetus to seek imediate solutions within "the context of a long-term concerted effort to transform smallholder agriculture, increase productivity and sustainabilty, and end poverty and hunger." There is a clear need for a new vision for agricultural development in Africa that can deal with the complexities of agriculture in diverse settings across the region and meet the conditions necessary to achieve more equitable benefits for Africa's farmers. As Mr. Annan stated, "action is needed now."
The Honorable State Minister for Agriculture in Ethiopia, Abera Deressa provided a response to Mr. Annan's remarks underscoring the importance of African agricultural development for the continent.
The Conference is the start of a multi-year initiative that will support the articulation of a uniquely African apporach to a new green revolution and strategic partnerships and strategies to advance African agricultural development within a broader development framework.
Full-text transcript of Kofi Annan's presentation delivered on 30 April, 2008
Watch the video here:
