Events
The Future Agricultures Consortium participates in many conferences and workshops. We also watch for important agriculture policy “windows” and report them here.
Latest articles
The Political Economy of Food Price Policy in South Africa
March 8, 2013 / Political Economy of Food Price Policy (2) Johann F. KirstenProfessor and Head of Dept. Agricultural Economics, Extension and Rural Development, University of Pretoria, South Africa
The Political Economy of Food Price Policy in Malawi
March 8, 2013 / Political Economy of Food Price Policy (2) Blessings ChinsingaAssociate Professor, Department of Political and Administrative Studies, University of Malawi, Malawi Ephraim ChirwaProfessor, Department of Economics, University of Malawi, Malawi
The Political Economy of Food Price Policy in Nigeria
March 8, 2013 / Political Economy of Food Price Policy (1) Aderibigbe S. OlomolaSenior Economist/Consultant, International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI), Abuja, Nigeria
The Political Economy of Food Price Policy: Kenya Country Case
March 8, 2013 / Political Economy of Food Price Policy (1) Jonathan NzumaLecturer, Department of Agricultural Economics, University of Nairobi
The Political Economy of Food Prices: The Case of Ethiopia
March 8, 2013 / Political Economy of Food Price Policy (1) Assefa AdmassiePrincipal Research Fellow at the Ethiopian Economics Association and adjunct Associate Professor at the Addis Ababa University, Department of Economics, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
The Political Economy of Food Price Policy: The Case of Egypt
March 8, 2013 / Political Economy of Food Price Policy (1) Ahmed Farouk GhoneimProfessor of Economics, Faculty of Economics and Political Science, Cairo University
Mountains of Maize, Persistent Poverty
March 8, 2013 / Political Decisions (parallel session) T.S. Jayne, Nicole Mason, William Burke, Arthur Shipekesa, Antony Chapoto, and Chance Kabaghe The past two years are a tribute to Zambian farmers; they have responded admirably to government efforts to promote maize production. But ironically, rural poverty remains stubbornly
Media competition: Winners announced
February 27, 2013 / Political Economy of Agricultural Policy in Africa We're delighted to announce the winners of our Africa-wide journalism competition on the politics and processes that influence agricultural investment in Africa. The winners are: Print category: Oluyinka Alawode (Nigeria) Audio category: George Kalungwe (Malawi) We had over 40 submissions
Media competition: Winners announced
February 27, 2013 / Agricultural Investment, Gender and Land in Africa We're delighted to announce the winners of our Africa-wide journalism competition on the politics and processes that influence agricultural investment in Africa. The winners are: Print category: Oluyinka Alawode (Nigeria) Audio category: George Kalungwe (Malawi) We had over 40 submissions
Marie Louise Du Bois – BRICS investment in African agriculture – Friend or Foe
February 27, 2013 / Other Resources (Political Economy 2013) Runner-up entry to the FAC media competition 2013.
Johanna Absalom – Investing in Agriculture
February 27, 2013 / Other Resources (Political Economy 2013) Runner-up entry to the FAC media competition 2013.
Emmanuel Kwablah – Agriculture development that doesn’t hurt
February 27, 2013 / Other Resources (Political Economy 2013) Runner-up entry to the FAC media competition 2013.
George Okore – Agriculture key plank in Kenyan general elections
February 27, 2013 / Other Resources (Political Economy 2013) Runner-up entry to the FAC media competition 2013.
Journalism competition 2013: Oluyinka Alawode’s winning entry
February 26, 2013 / Other Resources (Political Economy 2013) Winning entry (print media category) to FAC’s 2013 Journalism Competition. A report looking at the political and economic reasons behind the long-term under-investment in the agricultural sector in Nigeria.
Democratisation and the Political Economy of Agricultural Policy in Africa
August 29, 2012 / Democratisation and the Political Economy FAC Working Paper 43by Colin Poulton In theory, democratisation, which has proceeded unevenly across Africa during the past two decades, should encourage pro-poor agricultural policy, as the majority of voters in many countries remain rural and poor. This paper draws
South-South Co-operation seminar findings
June 27, 2012 / Co-operation in the Global South The findings of the seminar on South-South Co-operation in May 2012 are presented in an edition of Poverty in Focus, a regular publication of the International Policy Centre for Inclusive Growth. The edition, entitled The Role of South-South Cooperation in
The Political Economy of Agricultural Extension in Ethiopia: Economic Growth and Political Control
June 13, 2012 / Democratisation and the Political Economy FAC Working Paper 42by Kassahun Berhanu The central argument in this paper is that, for the past two decades, state-led agricultural extension in Ethiopia, implemented by excluding other players in general and non-state actors in particular, has facilitated uncontested control
The Political Economy of Agricultural Policy Processes in Malawi: A Case Study
June 13, 2012 / Democratisation and the Political Economy Full title: The Political Economy of Agricultural Policy Processes in Malawi: A Case Study of the Fertilizer Subsidy Programme FAC Working Paper 39by Blessings Chinsinga This paper examines the political economy of the agricultural policy processes in Malawi through the
Presentations from the Seminar
May 25, 2012 / Co-operation in the Global South Below is a selection of slide presentations from the international seminar on South-South cooperation held in Brasilia on 17 May 2012. The full programme and descriptions of each panel session are also available. The presentations are embedded below. To view
Should traditional donors be interfering in South-South cooperation?
May 24, 2012 / Co-operation in the Global South Daniel Bradley, DFID’s Climate and Development Adviser in Brazil, has written a blog post on our recent seminar on South-South cooperation in Brasilia. "...So why was DFID supporting a workshop on the role of South-South cooperation? Isn’t South-South supposed to
Blogs from the South-South Co-operation seminar
May 24, 2012 / Co-operation in the Global South Following our workshop on the role of South-South cooperation in Brasilia, several participants (Lidia Cabral, Daniel Bradley and Iara Costa Leite) have blogged on the issues raised at the event. Some short extracts, with links to the full posts, are
Policy for agriculture and horticulture in Rwanda
May 16, 2012 / Developmental Regimes in Africa FAC Working Paper 38by David Booth and Frederick Golooba-Mutebi Agricultural development policies in sub-Saharan Africa continue to be weak, and the reasons are to be found in the incentives transmitted to policy makers by countries’ domestic political systems. The enfranchisement
Press release: South-South Co-operation seminar
May 14, 2012 / Co-operation in the Global South Brasilia, 11 May 2012 – The capital of Brazil will host a high-level event on agriculture and development: the International Seminar on The Role of South-South Cooperation in Agricultural Development in Africa. For the first time, the event will bring
Post-conference synthesis – Young People, Farming and Food
April 27, 2012 / Young People Farming and Food Conference These notes seek to synthesise understandings merging from the FAC/ISSER international conference Young People, Farming and Food, held in Accra, 19-21 March 2012 (see: https://www.future-agricultures.org/events/young-people-farming-a-food).
Final Programme
April 20, 2012 / Co-operation in the Global South International Seminar: The role of South-South Cooperation in Agricultural Development in Africa - opportunities and challenges17 May 2012 Brasília, Brazil Full programme (PDF, 95kb) Speaker biographies (PDF, 135kb) 9:00 Opening Chair: Jorge Chediek, Interim Director, IPCIG, UNDP RC/RRSpeakers: Minister Marco
Video: What is Seasonality?
April 16, 2012 / Seasonality Revisited Stephen Devereux, one of the editors of the book Seasonality, Rural Livelihoods and Development, explains why seasonality has been neglected and why it is important for policy. Watch the video on YouTube
Youth conference newsletter: day 3
March 22, 2012 / Young People Farming and Food Conference Newsletter from the third and final day of the Young People, Farming and Food Conference in Accra, 19-21 March 2012.
Agriculture and the generation problem: rural youth, employment and the future of farming
March 21, 2012 / Young People, Farming and Food conference papers By Ben White, ISS Almost all countries in the world face serious problems of mass youth unemployment and underemployment, with unemployment rates much higher in rural than in urban areas. Small-scale agriculture is now, and if it survives in the
Youth Conference newsletter: day 2
March 21, 2012 / Young People Farming and Food Conference Newsletter from the second day of the Young People, Farming and Food Conference in Accra, 19-21 March 2012.
Youth Conference newsletter: day 1
March 21, 2012 / Young People Farming and Food Conference Newsletter from day 1 of the Young People, Farming and Food Conference in Accra, 19-21 March 2012.
Youth employment in agriculture – a development dilemma in Nigeria
March 19, 2012 / Young People, Farming and Food conference papers By Joseph Ayodele Ariyo and Michael Mortimore Youth farming is a dilemma of agrarian policy that has defied resolution for decades. This short discussion illustrates the dilemma in relation to a recent attempt to introduce an enclave of large-scale commercial
Opportunities and constraints for youth participation in horticultural production
March 18, 2012 / Young People, Farming and Food conference papers by Kangai Elosy and John Mburu This paper draws on the case of youth smallholder fresh produce production and marketing in Eastern and Central Kenya. Specifically, the paper focuses on how youth farmers have embraced the opportunities that facilitate GlobalGAP
Does educational level influence the choice of farming as a livelihood career?
March 16, 2012 / Young People, Farming and Food conference papers by K.K. Lewa, and J.M. Ndungu Full title: Does educational level influence the choice of farming as a livelihood career? Results of an empirical study from coastal lowland Kenya Kenya’s long – term economic development strategy -“Vision 2030”- identifies agriculture
Rural youth aspiring to occupations beyond agriculture: Evidence from Young Lives Study in Ethiopia
March 16, 2012 / Young People, Farming and Food conference papers by Yisak Tafere and Tassew Woldehanna The data presented in this paper is drawn from Young Lives longitudinal study in Ethiopia. It used three rounds of surveys and qualitative sub-studies conducted among the same children born in 1994 drawn from
Engaging Young Professionals in the Agri-food Sector: Strategies, Lessons and Experiences
March 16, 2012 / Young People, Farming and Food conference papers by Courtney Paisley and Gbadebo Odularu Full title: Engaging Young Professionals in the Agri-food Sector: Strategies, Lessons and Experiences from YPARD and YPARD Africa Though the African agrifood sector has been growing steadily in the last decade, the contribution of
Young People’s Aspirations in Agriculture: a Case Study of Ghana’s Cocoa Sector
March 16, 2012 / Young People, Farming and Food conference papers by Nana Akua Anyidoho, Jennifer Leavy and Kwadwo Asenso-Okyere Our paper considers the question of young people’s aspirations in agriculture in light of the renewed interest in the agricultural sector as a viable basis for development in sub-Saharan Africa and
Online poll #2: Attracting young people to agriculture
March 15, 2012 / Political Economy of Agricultural Policy in Africa During the Young People, Food and Agriculture conference, we are asking a series of questions on the role young people in Africa play in agriculture. FAC YPF poll #2 Poll #2 There was an error on your page. Please correct any
Online poll #2: Attracting young people to agriculture
March 15, 2012 / Young People, Farming & Food Conference During the Young People, Food and Agriculture conference, we are asking a series of questions on the role young people in Africa play in agriculture. FAC YPF poll #2 Poll #2 There was an error on your page. Please correct any
Online poll #2: Attracting young people to agriculture
March 15, 2012 / Agricultural Investment, Gender and Land in Africa During the Young People, Food and Agriculture conference, we are asking a series of questions on the role young people in Africa play in agriculture. FAC YPF poll #2 Poll #2 There was an error on your page. Please correct any
Voices from Senegal: interviews with young farmers
March 12, 2012 / Agricultural Investment, Gender and Land in Africa What do young people really think about farming? Under the FAC Young People and Agrifood Theme, Dr Mohamadou Sall of Cheikh Anta Diop University (Dakar, Senegal) interviewed young farmers who are working under the REVA Plan. The REVA Plan was
Voices from Senegal: interviews with young farmers
March 12, 2012 / Political Economy of Agricultural Policy in Africa What do young people really think about farming? Under the FAC Young People and Agrifood Theme, Dr Mohamadou Sall of Cheikh Anta Diop University (Dakar, Senegal) interviewed young farmers who are working under the REVA Plan. The REVA Plan was
Voices from Senegal: interviews with young farmers
March 12, 2012 / Young People, Farming & Food Conference What do young people really think about farming? Under the FAC Young People and Agrifood Theme, Dr Mohamadou Sall of Cheikh Anta Diop University (Dakar, Senegal) interviewed young farmers who are working under the REVA Plan. The REVA Plan was
Unspoken assumptions: youth, participation and the African policy process
March 12, 2012 / Young People, Farming and Food conference papers by Dolf te Lintelo Demographic change, persistent and disproportionate unemployment and their feared implications for political disorder are key drivers of growing donor attention to youth as a development category. Bi and multilateral donors thus increasingly seek to mainstream youth
A tale of two peoples: the influence of race relations on agricultural patterns among Zimbabwean
March 12, 2012 / Young People, Farming and Food conference papers A tale of two peoples: the influence of race relations on agricultural patterns among Zimbabwean young people by M. Sibanda, N. Chirinda and D. Nyathi Since the turn of the millennium, Zimbabwe has experienced a deterioration of race relations due
Targeting young adults/young households in Central Uganda: Where is the next generation of farmers?
March 12, 2012 / Young People, Farming and Food conference papers by Anne Rietveld, Sam Mpiira and Charles Staver In Central Uganda, in spite of poor soils and high pest pressure, bananas are a primary source of household food and income. Farmers are increasingly challenged by how to maintain banana productivity
Transforming the agrifood industry to develop rural livelihoods
March 12, 2012 / Young People, Farming and Food conference papers by Laura Pereira The global food system is facing unprecedented pressure from global change processes. These pressures are exacerbated by multiple transformations in the food system through the expansion of agrifood corporations that are consolidating their power in the global
Skill gaps in formal higher agricultural education: A youth perspective
March 12, 2012 / Young People, Farming and Food conference papers by Courtney Paisley Agriculture is changing, and with it, a revised set of skills is needed to address new challenges in agriculture. A number of prominent documents point to professionals in Agricultural Research for Development (ARD) with different characteristics than
Gender and Youth: Decision making and participation in climate risk management in Zimbabwe
March 12, 2012 / Young People, Farming and Food conference papers by Conrad Murendo, Lars Otto Naess and Kizito Mazvimavi Conservation agriculture, crop diversification and growing of drought tolerant crops are the main climate adaptation strategies widely practiced by households in Zimbabwe. Using data from FAC household survey of 2011, the
The role of indigenous gums and resins in pastoralist livelihood security
March 12, 2012 / Young People, Farming and Food conference papers The role of indigenous gums and resins in pastoralist livelihood security and climate change adaptation in Garba Tula area of Northern Kenya by Yasin Mahadi, Jeremy Lind, Susan Wren and Lars Otto Naess Agriculture – both livestock and crop farming