IFIAD Annual Conference 2018

Transformation Pathways for Developing Country Agriculture

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The 2018 annual IFIAD conference took place at Iveagh House, Dublin, on Wednesday 24th October 2018 on the theme 'Transformation Pathways for Developing Country Agriculture'. It sought to respond to key areas of debate and divergence among government, development and business stakeholders with a keynote address by Steve Wiggins, Principal Research Fellow, Overseas Development Institute UK, as well as panel discussions on the following topics:

1. How do we achieve sustainable, nutritious diets by 2050 and what is the role of the private sector?

2. What indicators are fit for purpose for measuring the sustainability of transformative agriculture and food systems?

3. How do we examine the success and applicability of ecological-based agriculture, particularly in regions with weak national policies and extension/innovation systems?

RESOURCES:

Download the Conference Agenda.

Download the Briefing Note.

Download the Speakers Biographies.

Download the speakers' presentations:

  • Steve Wiggins, Principal Research Fellow, Overseas Development Institute, London (keynote address)

What indicators are fit for purpose for measuring the sustainability of transformative agriculture and food systems?

  • Dr David Styles, Plant & AgriBiosciences Research Centre, NUI Galway (download)
  • Rui Benfica, Research and Impact Assessment Division, IFAD (download)

How do we examine the success and applicability of ecological-based agriculture, particularly in regions with weak national policies and extension/innovation systems?

  • Professor Ken Giller, Chair of Plant Production Systems Group, Wageningen University: "Agroecological intensification and smallholder farmers in Africa" (download)

  • Professor Rachel Bezner Kerr, Associate Professor in Development Sociology, Cornell University: "Participatory Agroecology Research in Malawi and Tanzania: Challenges & Successes" (download part 1) (download part 2)

How do we achieve sustainable, nutritious diets by 2050 and what is the role of the private sector?

  • Tom Arnold, Chair, EU Commission Task Force on Rural Africa

  • Professor Jessica Fanzo, Senior Nutrition and Food Systems Officer, FAO and Bloomberg Distinguished Associate Professor of Global Food & Agricultural Policy and Ethics, John Hopkins University: "Diets: An entry point for a human and planetary health" (download)

Find out more about IFIAD's Conference 2017: https://ifiad.ie/annual-conference-2017/