Heads of state, private sector leaders and agricultural experts are arriving in Ghana for the inaugural African Green Revolution Forum (AGRF).
Meetings between more than 800 senior government and corporate leaders, members of the international donor community and farming groups will pave the way for new investment and policy initiatives.
Kofi Annan, Chair of the AGRF will host the event from Thursday morning to Saturday afternoon at the Accra International Conference Centre, Ghana.
The AGRF, taking place for the first time in Africa, builds on meetings held in previous years in Oslo, Norway, at which governments and private sector companies agreed to energise an agricultural revolution through better policy and new catalytic private sector investment.?
Executives from agribusiness and finance companies are preparing to form new partnerships to help Africans transform agricultural production in a way that improves food security and builds a greener future for the continent.?
At the venue on Wednesday, Akin Adesina, Executive Co-Producer of the AGRF, said:
?Tomorrow we take a big step towards achieving an African Green Revolution that will boost agriculture across Africa. We are delighted to welcome high-level government and private sector decision makers who together will make concrete commitments on sustainable investment in Africa.
?A packed conference centre will give political leaders, chief executives, farmers, civil society and donors a platform for progress to advance the Green Revolution in Africa,? said Dr Adesina.
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About the AGRF
The African Green Revolution Forum (AGRF) is a public and private sector-led forum. By bringing together African heads of state, ministers, farmers, private agribusiness firms, financial institutions, NGOs, civil society and scientists to an African-led forum, AGRF focuses on promoting investments and policy support for driving agricultural productivity and income growth for African farmers in an environmentally sustainable way.
This public-private network it is a catalyst for the African Green Revolution called for by former UN Secretary General, Kofi Annan, in 2004. The AGRF gathered momentum during three successful African Green Revolution Conferences in Oslo, Norway. This year it will be held from 2-4 September 2010 in Accra, Ghana, co-chaired by Kofi Annan, and hosted by H.E. John Atta Mills, President of Ghana.
The AGRF is supported by the Alliance for a Green Revolution in Africa (AGRA), Yara, the Rockefeller Foundation, IFAD, NEPAD, African Development Bank and Standard Bank. AGRF?s industry sponsor is Norad. Sponsors include the African Export Import Bank, OCP and Ecobank. CNN is the broadcast media partner and Jeune Afrique and The Africa Report are the print media partners.