Forum on Support to Food Security and Nutrition in West Africa by Increasing Smallholders’ Access to Markets

20 September 2017, 09:30 - 17:30 GTM
Abidjan, Côte d'Ivoire

Smallholders play an essential role in ensuring food security and nutrition today and in the future, including in the increase in food production needed to meet future global demand. Smallholders supply 70% of overall food production, and as much as 80% in some developing countries in Africa. Yet at the same time many smallholders themselves are net buyers of food and still suffer from food insecurity and malnutrition. 

The objective of this Forum, which is jointly organized by the Committee on World Food Security (CFS), the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) office in Abidjan and the Arab Bank for Economic Development in Africa (BADEA), is to share views and raise awareness on actions that contribute to reducing hunger and malnutrition. It represents an opportunity to present and discuss existing instruments such as global policies, technical and financial instruments to improve smallholders’ access to markets to increase food security and enhance nutrition in West Africa.

The CFS policy recommendations on Connecting Smallholders to Markets, which were endorsed in 2016 and the CFS High-Level Panel of Experts on Food Security and Nutrition (HLPE) Report on Investing in Smallholder Agriculture for Food Security and Nutrition serve as background documents for the Forum.

Approximately 70 participants from the region are anticipated, at the Senior Technical Office level, from FAO, WFP, IFAD, BADEA, civil society, the private sector and other regional institutions.  

Interpretation in English and French will be provided.

This event is by invitation only.