Events Across Regoverning Markets

Small producers in the developing countries are experiencing difficulty in accessing opportunities presented by nontraditional markets. Fuelled by rising population and greater urbanization, rising income, and an increasing demand for food safety, modern retailers are gaining an increasing share of the food market. Smallholder producers often find it difficult to access these markets due to their inability to meet quality requirements, required volumes, variety and stability of supply. These constraints are magnified by inadequacies in post-harvest facilities, inventory and logistics management, and governance mechanisms that result in the failure to provide cost competitive products. Furthermore, the lack of financial resources limits the capacity of farmers to cope with the credit terms often utilized by these modern markets, and their ability to invest in appropriate technologies to better improve performance.

Ede, The Netherlands

Once every two years, key researchers from universities and institutes, and leaders of food and agribusiness companies from around the world gather in and around Wageningen to exchange their latest experiences regarding chain and network management in the agri-food industry. In 2008 Wageningen University and Research Centre (Wageningen UR) will organize the eighth edition of the International Conference on Management in Agri-Food Chains and Networks. The conference will be held in Ede, The Netherlands.

NEW DELHI, INDIA, 8-11 APRIL 2008

The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), in partnership with the United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO) and the Government of India, are hosting a global gathering to examine issues related to the development of competitive agro-industries. The purpose of this major international event will be to bring together senior level policy makers from national and local governments, food industry leaders, UN technical agencies, civil society organizations and agro-industry specialists involved in fostering the development of competitive agro-industries to raise awareness, exchange information, consider strategies, and promote partnerships for future action. The Global Forum will focus on strategies and actions for improving agro-industrial competitiveness in ways that can contribute to broad based economic development and poverty reduction.

Conference information available here

At the conference, the findings from Regoverning Markets empirical and case study research, plus recommendations for pulic sector, business and producer action, will be presented.

Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. Aponsored by Asian Productivity Organisation.

The Conference is organized by National Productivity Corporation (NPC), Malaysia and co-sponsored by Food and Agricultural Organization (FAO) and Asia Pacific Rural and Agricultural Credit Association Center for Training and Research in Agricultural Banking (APRACA CENTRAB).

OECD/NL Food Economy Conference 2007, The Hague, Netherlands.

For more information, see www.foodeconomy2007.org

Sofitel Plaza Hotel, Hanoi, VIETNAM

It is widely believed that the many small producers in the developing countries face enumerable problems in their efforts to transact with the global retail chains and food processors. Problems abound at every stage of the chain including production, harvesting, post-harvest handling, distribution and logistics and quality management. More recently, consumers, especially those in Europe and North America are becoming more concerned about the safety of the foods that they consume and the very manner in which this food has been produced. The growing demand for triple bottom line reporting now requires corporate enterprises to show responsibility for the shareholders, the environment and social equity.

International Workshop held in association with the meetings of the International Agricultural Trade Research Consortium (IATRC, www.iatrcweb.org), July 8-9, Beijing, at the Grand Hyatt Hotel, Beijing.

IAMA Side event, Parma, Italy

Main IAMA conference brochure available at www.ifama.org/conferences/2007Conference/RegBrochure.pdf

Berlin, June 2007
The European Commission, the German Presidency of the European Union and the Global Donor Platform for Rural Development will convene the Second European Forum on Sustainable Rural Development during the week of 18 June 2007.