Biotech Updates

G8-Africa Partnership to Revitalize Agriculture

June 10, 2011

The G8-Africa Partnership can provide an opportunity to revitalize agriculture, spur development, and improve food security. Sheggen Fan, director general of the International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI), says that "if G8 leaders are serious about their partnership with Africa, they need to ensure, in a spirit of mutual accountability, that African countries have every opportunity to capitalize on agriculture's immense potential."

In a press statement, Fan stressed that "Investments in agriculture should reflect a country's national priorities, contribute to an overall development strategy and be supported by good governance and effective policies." Since public resources are limited, investments much be prioritized to maximize benefits and assure on-the-ground impact.

See the IFPRI release at http://www.ifpri.org/sites/default/files/pressstatement20110523.pdf.