Bingu to address Green Revolution conference
Mutharika: To speak on agriculture
Malawi President Bingu Mutharika will deliver a keynote address at the third African Green Revolution Conference (AGCR), which will take place on August 28-29, 2008 in Oslo, Norway on the topic of Empowering the African entrepreneur. Mutharika left Malawi for Oslo on Tuesday.
Malawi leader who is also minister responsible for agriculture has been chosen to deliver the key note address for the agricultural success of Malawi which was highlighted by several speakers at the 2007 conference, among them Norway's Minister of International Cooperation, Erik Solheim, who will also address this year's AGRC.
The AGRC has attracted high-profile multi-sector participation.
Forner UN boss, Kofi Annan, Chairman of the Alliance for a Green Revolution in Africa (AGRA), appears in a keynote interview. Professor Jeffrey Sachs of Columbia University will attend the AGRC for the third time.
Mutharika’s address will share insights on how enable smallholder farmers to evolve from subsistence operations to small business owners. The conference, which began in 2006, focuses broadly on the key role of public-private partnerships in addressing African agricultural development issues. The theme this year is "An Alliance for Action." “Against the backdrop of the current food crisis, we are gathering a select group of key players from the public and private sectors who are committed and empowered to take action,” Arne Cartridge , Senior Vice President of Yara International, and Executive Producer of the three AGRCs."After a series of three events in Oslo, 2006–2008, the time has come to move the conference to Africa. It is my hope that both present and future partners will join forces in continuing to develop the AGRC as a valuable arena," she says.
Among high-level speakers from international organizations are Lennart Båge of IFAD, Jürgen Voegele of the World Bank, Aly Abou Sabaa of the African Develoment Bank, Tumusiime Rhoda Peace of the African Union, and Ambassador Olukrede Willougby of NEPAD.
From the private sector, the CEO of Yara, Thorleif Enger will deliver a keynote address on growth partnerships.
Executives of several companies, multinational and African, will participate in panels These include Kwabena Ohemeng-Tinyase of Kuapa Kokoo, Nick Railston-Brown of Techno-Serve, Patrick Kembo of Chemicals and Marketing Co, Hans ten Cate of Rabobank, and Clive Tasker of Standard Bank.
Also participating in panels are the Yara Prize laureates Josephine Okot of Uganda (2007), Akin Adesina of Nigeria (2007), Florence Wambugu of Kenya (2008), and Victor Mfinanga of Tanzania (2008). The 2008 Yara Prizes will be awarded during a ceremony and concert concluding this year's AGRC.
The African Green Revolution Conference (AGRC) has become the venue for Public-Private Partnership on African agricultural development, bringing together committed parties from both sectors as well as experts and activists.
Best practice for implementing improved productivity is a key issue at the third AGRC, which is held at a time when agricultural production and food security have become global issues demanding great political attention.
"The. African Green Revolution Conference has gained a position as the venue – the meeting-place – for public-private dialogue on partnership and action in support of the African Green Revolution," says Cartridge.
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Comments (13 posted):
Thanks for putting aside your usul jealosy on Bingu. keep it Up. This Country can move without Muluzi. Howvere, * have noted that you do not respect him. As a Journalist myself, in the fisrt paragraph, he is supposed to be addressed as Dr. Bingu Mutharika. You normally call Muluzi a Doctor. You can also do it Mutharika; after all Bingu'* PhD is a genuine one, he had to write a Thesis and a PhD Thesis is not a joke - of course Bright Malopa s on record saying his Bingu's thesis was palgilarised and he has evidence. His Pacific University is also uncrdited. Muluzi got an honorary one.
Gtrude
But on organisation of the conference. * am made to believe that this conference is "AFRICAN" * wonder why the organisers decided to hold it in Norway. Don'* we have hotels in Africa? Or there is something to it more than we for the conference to be held in another continent.
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