21 June 2004
U.S., Foundation Agree to Promote Food Technologies in Africa
Agreement announced at agricultural ministerial in Burkina Faso
The United States and an agricultural foundation serving sub-Saharan Africa have signed an agreement to share and disseminate agricultural technologies that can help improve food production, increase food security, reduce poverty and expand agricultural trade, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA).
The agreement was signed during a June 21 ceremony in Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso, by J.B. Penn, U.S. under secretary of agriculture for farm and foreign agricultural services and Mpoko Bokanga, executive director of the Kenya-based African Agricultural Technology Foundation (AATF), USDA said in a press release.
The signing came on the first day of a three-day ministerial conference focusing on agricultural technologies that can help West Africa's economic development.
Penn led the U.S. delegation to the conference, attended by up to 400 ministers and representatives of private sector groups and universities.
The conference was sponsored by USDA, the U.S. Department of State, U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) and the Burkina Faso Ministry of Agriculture, Water and Fisheries Resources. The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), West African Monetary Union (WAEMU) and Permanent Interstate Committee for Drought Control (CILSS) provided advisory support.
AATF is a public-private partnership established with funding from USAID, the Rockefeller Foundation, and the United Kingdom's Department of International Development. It was developed in consultation with stakeholders in North America, Africa and Europe, the release said.
Following is the USDA press release:
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USDA AND AFRICAN AGRICULTURAL TECHNOLOGY FOUNDATION
SIGN AGREEMENT TO SHARE TECHNOLOGIES
OUAGADOUGOU, Burkina Faso, June 21, 2004 --- Officials of the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) and the African Agricultural Technology Foundation (AATF) today signed a Memorandum of Understanding to share and disseminate agricultural technologies to improve African production systems, increase food security, reduce poverty, expand agricultural trade and commerce on a sustainable basis, and provide new opportunities for African farmers.
"This Memorandum of Understanding will identify technologies that can be adapted for use by African farmers," Agriculture Secretary Ann M. Veneman said. "The agreement will help African scientists to learn specific technologies developed by USDA scientists."
The signing took place during the Ministerial Conference on Harnessing Science and Technology to Increase Agricultural Productivity in Africa: West African Perspectives, which began today and continues through June 23. The conference is co-sponsored by USDA, the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID), the U.S. Department of State and the Burkina Faso Ministry of Agriculture, Water and Fisheries Resources.
The West African regional conference is a follow-up activity to the Ministerial Conference on Agricultural Science and Technology hosted by Agriculture Secretary Ann M. Veneman in Sacramento, California, in June 2003. Ministers and other officials, including three West African presidents, are meeting to share information on technologies, policies and partnerships to increase agricultural productivity, reduce hunger and promote economic growth in the region.
The Memorandum of Understanding was signed by J.B. Penn, USDA under secretary for Farm and Foreign Agricultural Services, and AATF Executive Director Mpoko Bokanga. Penn is leading the U.S. delegation at the conference.
AATF is an African public-private partnership to enhance food security and reduce poverty by identifying and promoting the distribution of agricultural technologies useful to resource-poor farmers in sub-Saharan Africa. Under the Memorandum of Understanding, USDA and AATF will work together to identify specific technologies that would help African farmers increase their food production, marketing and distribution. The agreement is expected to eventually involve a variety of USDA agencies as specific technological needs are identified.
The conference in Burkina Faso supports three U.S. Presidential initiatives, including the Initiative to End Hunger in Africa, the Water for the Poor Initiative, and the Trade for African Development and Enterprise Initiative. The Economic Community of West African States, the West African Economic and Monetary Union, and the Permanent Interstate Committee for Drought Control in the Sahel have endorsed the conference and are providing advisory support.
USAID, the Rockefeller Foundation and the United Kingdom's Department for International Development provided funding for the startup of AATF, which was developed through consultations by the Rockefeller Foundation and the Meridian Institute with many African, North American, and European stakeholders.
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(Distributed by the Bureau of International Information Programs, U.S. Department of State. Web site: http://usinfo.state.gov)
