Event: Rural Development Conference 2011

The conference will focus on processes relating to the delivery of agricultural and rural development aid while keeping government’s progress in perspective. It will also look at donors’ perspectives on key drivers and strategic approaches to rural development delivery. International development partners agree that national and global hunger reduction targets will not be met and with only 6 years to the 2015 MDG target date, 1.4 billion individuals still live on less than $1.25 a day. Platform members are keen to interrogate the myriad factors that hinder rural development, including people-centred development, local government, economic conditions, natural resources, rural infrastructure, rural service systems and economic governance, both local and global. 

The conference seeks to facilitate an exchange of ideas and the development of initiatives to effectively improve agricultural and rural development assistance, as well as create new networks and strengthen existing ones. Although agriculture is central to the platform’s vision, the social dimensions of rural development, food security, gender issues and medicine and nutrition, are all explicit priorities that need examination.

South Africa’s ultimate goal is to reduce poverty and promote economic growth in rural areas and other developing countries. The conference is committed to achieving increased development assistance and more effective investment in rural development and agriculture. Three-quarters of the world’s extremely poor i.e. 800 million out of 1.1 billion men, women and children, live in rural areas.
  

Download the brochure attached for further information and details on the conference.