MEDIA ADVISORY

Inception Workshop for AUC-FAO Project on Sustainable Agricultural Mechanization in Africa.

INVITATION TO REPRESENTATIVES OF THE MEDIA

What: Inception Workshop for AUC-FAO Project on Sustainable Agricultural Mechanization in Africa.

When: 30th June – 1st July, 2016

Who: African Union Commission and the Food and Agriculture Organisation of the United Nations

Where: African Union Commission New Conference Centre, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.

Background: Agricultural mechanization in Africa significantly lags behind other developing and emerging regions. Recent statistics indicate that Africa, south of the Sahara has the lowest land productivity in the world, and agricultural mechanization has either stagnated or regressed in most countries in the sub-region. Currently, over 60% of farm power is provided by people’s muscles, mostly from women, the elderly and children; only 25% of farm power is provided by drudge animals and less than 20% of mechanization services are provided by engine power. Estimates from the World Bank indicate that Africa’s average of 13 tractors/100km2 of arable land compares unfavorably both with the global average (200/100km2) and with the average for other developing regions such as South Asia (129/100km2). Previous efforts of promoting agricultural mechanization have not been successful and/or sustainable due to a complex set of factors, including non-integration of mechanization programmes in the broader agricultural development frameworks.
Mechanization is, however, witnessing resurgence in Africa, especially in African Union Member States. Several countries are also re-engaging in upgrading the level of agricultural mechanization, realizing the potential to address some of the most fundamental farming challenges in a profound and comprehensive manner.
Given the enhanced efforts by the African Union Commission, FAO and African Countries in mechanization and FAO’s commitment to ending hunger and reducing rural poverty in Africa, a Technical Cooperation Project (TCP) on Mechanization is being implemented which, intends to contribute to the intensification of agricultural mechanization in Africa through stocktaking of the lessons of experience and supporting its integration in national and regional policies and strategies.
Objectives: The main objective of the workshop is to agree on activities and roles of stakeholders for successful implementation of the project.
Specifically the workshop will;

• Review the status of work in the key thematic areas under the project;
• Develop a detailed plan of work for the project;
• Agree on materials and tools for the project.

Participants: Participants will be drawn from AUC, FAO, public and private sector, research institutions and other stakeholders involved in promoting agricultural mechanization in Africa.

Journalists are invited to cover the opening ceremony on June 30, 2016 at 09:00 a.m.
For more information please contact:
African Union Commission:
Mr. Mark Fynn
CAADP Advisor Agribusiness
Department of Rural Economy and Agriculture

Ms. Carol Jilombo
CAADP Communications Officer
Department of Rural Economy and Agriculture
JilomboC@africa-union.org

FAO
Mr. Filippo Brasesco
Agribusiness Officer
Associate Professional Officer
Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO)
Filippo.Brasesco@fao.org