The African Union, ONE, ACORD and ActionAid are today holding a high level panel discussion as part of the 50th Anniversary Celebration of the founding of the Organisation of African Unity (OAU). The event celebrates the contributions and potential of African farmers, especially small scale farmers, women farmers and youth farmers who are helping Africa move ahead by confronting and overcoming hunger and poverty on the continent.
These faceless heroes include teachers, health workers, security personnel and rural farmers, among others.
The panel discussion will be part of the main AU summit agenda on Youth, Agriculture and Food Security for the Future. It will address policies and investments that are tackling challenges that are keeping its small holder farmers from modernising and improving their agricultural activities.
Because more than two thirds of African people dependent on farming for their livelihoods, investment in the sector is one of the most effective ways to reduce poverty. The event is, therefore, expected to help identify a combination of catalytic policy actions and investments that can be scaled up by African countries in 2014, the AU year of Agriculture.
