Event title: Agri-food Systems in Southern Africa: Strengthening the Science-Policy Interface
Hosted by: South African Institute of International Affairs’ (SAIIA) Governance of Africa’s Resources Programme and the SAIIA Western Cape Branch
Event date: May 10, 2017
Event Location: Cape Town, South Africa
Event Description: Agri-food systems remain central to African economies and livelihoods, spanning small-scale subsistence agriculture to capital intensive production and agro-processing. These systems will be affected by a series of trends including climate change, Africa’s growing middle class, urbanization, competition over arable land, the use of technology, soil degradation and others. Investments in African agriculture has been promoted through the Comprehensive Africa Agriculture Development Programme (CAADP), yet the sector still faces challenges related to efficiency, productivity and equity. Against this background, there is a need to examine the complex dynamics of agri-food systems in Southern Africa and strengthen the science-policy interface to support more resilient and productive agri-food systems in the region.
Panelists:
Ms Lulama Traub, Chair of the Technical Committee for the Regional Network of Agricultural Policy Research Institutes in East and Southern Africa (ReNAPRI). Presentation zip file (49 MB)
Dr. Antony Chapoto, Research Director, Indaba Agricultural Policy Research Institute (IAPRI), Zambia
Professor Julian May, University of Western Cape, Director of the NRF-DST Centre of Excellence in Food Security, South Africa