FAO Regional Office for Africa

Regional Policy Dialogue on Social Protection for Rural Populations in Africa

Kampala, Uganda and online.  

Register on Zoom. Watch the livestream (link to come).  

Overview  

FAO and RUFORUM are convening a hybrid regional policy dialogue on strengthening social protection systems in Africa. The dialogue will take stock of the state of social protection in rural areas in Africa, share knowledge on emerging issues and trends, review the gaps in social protection systems, and propose strategic actions to support African countries. The session is also expected to provide FAO with key inputs for developing a regional social protection framework for Africa. 

The session, from 28-30 May, will be in-person in Kampala, Uganda and streamed online. Interpretation will be available in English and French. 

Around 50 people are expected to participate in person, including social protection and rural development experts from governments, civil society organizations and academia, and representatives from regional economic communities, the African Union, farmers organizations and cooperatives, and key development and UN partners. 

Context 

With hunger on the rise in Africa, and poverty and hunger concentrated in rural areas, prioritizing inclusive social protection policies as part of rural development and agrifood systems transformation is urgently needed. The right social protection policies can enhance the economic inclusion of poor and vulnerable rural populations, ensure their food and nutrition security, and improve their resilience and adaptation to climate-related shocks. However, social protection coverage in Africa remains low, at approximately 17.5 percent of the population. 

FAO has a key role to play in linking social protection to agriculture and livelihoods by supporting governments and other stakeholders to better respond to the needs and challenges of establishing inclusive and sustainable social protection systems that help drive agrifood systems and rural transformation strategies.  

Agenda

Day 1: Tuesday, 28 May 2024

Time

Activity

Responsible

8:30- 9:00

Registration

Mr. David Ekepu and Ms. Jackline Amwony, RUFORUM

Session 1:

Opening and setting the scene

Moderator: Dr Hlami Ngwenya

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

9:00 -10:00

Moderator’s remarks (10’)

 

Welcome remarks-RUFORUM (10’)

Dr. Patrick Okori

 Executive Secretary, RUFORUM

Welcoming remarks-FAO Uganda (10’)

Antonio Querido

FAO Representative, Uganda

Opening Statement by the FAO Regional Representative for Africa (10’)

 

Dr. Haile-Gabriel Abebe

Assistant Director-General

and Regional Representative for Africa

Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO)

Opening remarks by Government of Uganda-Ministry of Gender, Labour and Social Development (15’)

Hon. Betty Amongi Ongom

Minister for Gender, Labour and Social Development, Government of Uganda  

Group Photo (10’)

All

10:00-10:20: Health Break

Security briefing

Session 2:

Social Protection in Rural Africa:  Framing and Context

Moderator: Dr Hlami Ngwenya

 

 

 

 

10:20-11:50

Session Introduction (10’)

Moderator

Social Protection and Inclusive Rural Transformation:

  • Global and regional overview of rural vulnerabilities, drivers; opportunities for linkages and integration (20’)

Maximo Torero

Chief Economist, FAO (Virtual)

Rural Productivity in Africa:

  • Taking stock of FAO’s work on agrifood systems transformation through social protection in Africa (20’)

Bintia Stephen Tchicaya

Programme Lead for Social Protection in Africa/ FAO Representative to Liberia

Advancing Social Protection: The Case of Uganda(20’)

Paul Onapa

Deputy Head of Social Protection Programme,

Ministry of Gender, Labour and Social Development, Uganda

Q&A and reflections (15’)

Moderator

 

 

 

 

11:50 – 13:00

Role of Social Protection in Agrifood Systems Transformation

Framing Presentation: Role of Social Protection in Agrifood Systems Transformation (20’)

Marco Knowles

Senior Social Policy Officer, FAO

Panel Discussion 1: (30’)

Emerging issues, trends and policy coherence towards inclusive rural transformation

Panelists:

  • Paul Onapa, Deputy Head of Social Protection Programme, Ministry of Gender, Labour and Social Development, Uganda
  • Bintia Stephen Tchicaya, Programme Lead for Social Protection in Africa/FAO Representative to Liberia, FAO Regional Office for Africa
  • Boaz Musiimenta, Principal Policy Analysist, Office of the Prime Minister
  • Freddie Kabango, Assistant Commissioner-Soil & Water Conservation, Ministry of Agriculture, Animal Industry & Fisheries (MAAIF)
  • Fatima Naqvi, Senior Social Protection Specialist, World Bank, Uganda
  • Babafemi Oyewole- Chief Executive Officer, Pan-African Farmers' Organization (PAFO)
  • Prof. Nicholas Awortwi, Institute of Local Government Studies, ILGS, Ghana

Moderator

 

 

 

 

Q&A and reflections (20’)

 

13:00-14:00           Lunch Break and Networking

Session 3:

Emerging issues, trends and opportunities for expanding social protection to rural areas

Moderator: Dr Hlami Ngwenya

 

Session introduction (10’)

Moderator

 

14:00-15:15

Social Protection for Inclusive Climate Action

  • Building inclusive, resilient and climate adaptive social protection systems in Africa (20’)

Matthew Walsham

Social Protection Specialist (Climate), FAO

Role of Social Protection in bridging the Humanitarian, Development and Peace Nexus

  • Analyses of challenges and opportunities in bridging the HDP nexus for rural populations in Africa through social protection (20’)

Nkatha Ntoburi

Social Policy Officer (Social Protection), FAO RAF

Q&A and reflections (20’)

 

15:15- 15:30

Health Break

 

 

15:30-16:30

 

Session introduction (5’)

 

Nutrition Responsive Social Protection

  • Social protection for positive nutrition outcomes and healthy diets (20’)

Mphumuzi Sukati

Senior Food and Nutrition Officer, FAO RAF (virtual)

Gender Responsive Social Protection

  • Rationale and approach for gender sensitive social protection policy and programming (20’)

Bethel Gebremedhin

Senior Gender Expert, FAO RAF

Q&A and reflections (15’)

Moderator

Wrap up and end of day 1

Day 2: Wednesday, 29 May 2024

Time

Activity

Responsible

8:00-8:15

 Recap of Day 1

Moderator

Session 4:

Regional Frameworks and Approaches

Moderator: Dr Hlami Ngwenya

 

8:15-9:00

AU Protocol on Social Protection and Social Security (20’)

Sabelo Mbokazi

 African Union (virtual)

ECOWAS Social Protection Framework (20’)

Abimbola Oyelohunnu

Project Officer, Social Development, ECOWAS

 

9:00-10:15

 

 

 

Panel discussion 2

Regional frameworks and approaches to social protection

  • Hon. Flavia Kabahenda, Ugandan Parliamentary Forum on Social Protection
  • Abimbola Oyelohunnu, Project Officer Social Development, ECOWAS
  • Alice Karara, Programme Officer, Labour and Migration, EAC Secretariat
  • Priscilla Gavi, Africa Platform for Social Protection (APSP)

Moderator

 

Q&A and reflections (20’)

 

10:15-10:30          Health Break

Session 5:

Options for expanding social protection to rural areas and integration with agrifood systems

Moderator: Dr Hlami Ngwenya

 

10:30 -11:30

Extending social protection to rural populations:

  • Reflections on a common approach and different options (20’)

Omar Benammour

Social Policy Officer, FAO
  • Social protection and informal work/workers in rural areas (20’)

Laura Alfers

Director of Social Protection Programme, WIEGO (Virtual)

Q & A and reflections (20’)

Moderator

 

 

 

11:30 – 12:30

Panel Discussion 3 (60’)

Community-based approaches and the role of civil society organizations in advocating for social protection

  • Stephen Muchiri, Eastern Africa Farmers Federation (EAFF), Uganda
  • Yaram Fall, Organisations Paysannes et de Producteurs de l’Afrique de l’Ouest (ROPPA)
  • Chisupa Ngosa, The Southern African Social Protection Experts Network (SASPEN)
  • Ms. Lilian Namukasa, Acting Executive Secretary, National Council for Persons with Disability (NCPD)
  • Dr. Ghislaine Saizonou, International Trade Union Confederation (ITUC), Africa
  • Jacob Eyeru, National Chairperson, National Youth Council,Uganda
  • Esther Mpagalile, UNDP Regional Service Centre for Africa (virtual)

Moderator

 

  

 

12:30 – 13:00

Digital Innovation and Systems Integration:

Interoperability of rural agrifood information systems with social protection MISs (20’)

Paul William Muriuki

Digital Technology Specialist,

Development Pathways

 Plenary Q&A (10’)

Moderator

13:10-14:00         Lunch Break and Networking

Session 6:

Scaling up investments in social protection for rural populations

Moderator: Dr Hlami Ngwenya

 

 

 

14.00 -14.30

Financing Social Protection for Food System Transformation

 

 

Valérie Schmitt

 Deputy Director, Social Protection Department, ILO (virtual)

 

Helmut Schwarzer

Head of the PFACTs Unit, Social Protection Department, ILO (virtual)

14:30 - 15:15

Panel Discussion 4

Financing of the expansion of social protection for Food Systems Transformation and Climate Adaptation

  • Hon. Flavia Kabahenda, Ugandan Parliamentary Forum on Social Protection
  • Gustav Lindskog, First Secretary, Humanitarian Affairs and Nexus/Resilience, Embassy of Sweden, Uganda
  • Fatima Naqvi, Senior Social Protection Specialist, World Bank, Uganda (virtual)
  • Richard Kabuleta, Country Programme Analyst, IFAD, Uganda
  • Helmut Schwarzer, Head of the PFACTs Unit of the Social Protection Department of the ILO (virtual)
  • Peter Anaadumba, South to South Cooperation Officer, FAO Regional Office for Africa

 

Moderator

15:20 – 15:30

Introduce group work

 

15:30 - 15:45          Health Break

15:45-16:30

 

Group Work (break out session)

Policy and programming opportunities and options for design and expansion of social protection for rural populations with specific thematic focus on Productive Livelihoods, Nutrition, Climate Action, Shock Response and Nexus (gender crosscutting)

 

Moderator

16:30 – 17:00

Presentation from group work

Moderator

17:00-17:15

 

Workshop recommendations evaluation, and next steps:

Read out of policy and programmatic recommendations on strengthening social protection systems to be more inclusive, comprehensive, climate-adaptive and shock-responsive in rural contexts.

All

17:15-17:30

Vote of thanks

 

Closing Ceremony

 

RUFORUM

FAO

 

Honourable Frank K. Tumwebaze Minister for Agriculture, Animal Industry and Fisheries