Second Brazil-Africa Dialogue on Food Security, Fight Against Hunger and Rural Development

From 20 to 22 May, the Second Brazil-Africa Dialogue on Food Security, Fight Against Hunger and Rural Development will be held. The event underscores the priority of Brazilian foreign policy to strengthen relations with African countries, based on historic ties, shared values and cooperation rooted in solidarity and mutual respect.

Building on the success of the first edition, held in 2010, the Dialogue aims chiefly to foster the exchange of knowledge and best practices in order to deepen Brazil’s cooperation with Africa and to strengthen local food production in African countries. It will also encourage reflection on Brazilian agricultural experience in the light of observations offered by the African delegations.

The meeting will bring together more than forty delegations from African countries, as well as representatives of international organisations, multilateral development banks, research institutions, family-farming organisations and cooperatives, and private-sector entities.

The programme includes field visits in the Brasília region on 20 May, covering topics such as family farming, integrated production systems, soil health, vegetable genetic resources, bio-inputs, wastewater reuse and marketing; and in Petrolina, in the São Francisco Valley, on 21 May, focusing on technologies for living with drought, drought-resistant livestock, irrigated agriculture and tropicalised fruit production.

On 22 May a “High-Level Dialogue” will be held, with panels on sustainable and resilient agrifood systems; research, development and innovation; the Global Alliance against Hunger and Poverty and public policies; and financing.

The main objectives of the Second Dialogue include: sharing experience in agricultural and aquaculture production; exchanging knowledge and technologies; debating the role of effective public policies such as the Food Acquisition Programme (PAA) and the National School Feeding Programme (PNAE); discussing research and innovation; valuing family farming and sustainability; identifying new opportunities for technical cooperation; exploring financing and investment alternatives; and presenting the goals of the Global Alliance against Hunger and Poverty.

The event will strengthen bilateral and multilateral cooperation, promote the sharing of adaptable knowledge and foster sustainable partnerships between Brazil and African countries.