At the initiative of the Andreas Hermes Akademie (AHA), and on the sidelines of the Global Forum for Food and Agriculture in Berlin (GFFA), an exchange session, placing farmers’ interests at the forefront of the agricultural policy dialogue, was organized with the Department of Agriculture, Rural Development, Blue Economy, and Sustainable Environment of the African Union Commission (ARBE).
The focal point of this dynamic collaboration was the exploration of strategies to proactively integrate farmers’ interests into the intricacies of agricultural policy-making processes. The exchange session served as a platform for stakeholders to delve into the objectives, working methods, and potential areas of collaboration aimed at strengthening the agricultural policy-making process in Africa.
At the heart of this exchange is the Agricultural Policy Dialogue (APD) project, an initiative launched by the German Ministry of Agriculture (BMEL), in partnership with the African Union Commission-ARBE. The APD project is led by a robust consortium comprising key players such as AHA International, Institute for Applied Creativity (IAK), and the Food, Agriculture, and Natural Resources Policy Analysis Network.
This collaborative effort marks a significant stride towards a more inclusive and farmer-centric approach to agricultural policy formulation. By bringing together diverse expertise and perspectives, the APD project envisions a strengthened and more responsive agricultural policy-making process, aligned with the unique needs and challenges faced by farmers across the African continent. As the project unfolds, it holds the promise of fostering sustainable development, bolstering the blue economy, and ensuring the longevity of rural communities.
The active participation of the Panafrican Farmers Organization (PAFO) in the APD process is crucial to ensuring equitable representation and effective advocacy for farmers’ interests. Indeed, as a representative body, PAFO has the capacity to influence decisions and policy directions, ensuring that the specific concerns of farmers are duly considered.
The APD project attests to the power of partnerships in shaping the future of agriculture. By placing farmers’ interests at its core, this initiative aims not only to enhance policy frameworks but also to have a lasting impact on the lives of those who constitute the backbone of our agricultural systems.