Events Across Regoverning Markets

Hosted by the Centre for Development Studies (CDS) at the University of Bath, UK on 21st July 2009.

This seminar will focus on the ways in which recent approaches to pro-poor market development relate to and interact with sustainable livelihoods concepts and approaches. In particular it will seek to address the following questions:
·         What are the overlaps, synergies, tensions and divergences between SLA and pro-poor market development analysis and approaches?
·         How effective have pro-poor market development approaches been in developing sustainable and scalable strategies for livelihoods promotion and what are the lessons and insights that this work has generated?
·         How does the current financial and economic crisis challenge or reinforce the understanding of market development on which these approaches are based?

Kent Business School, Canterbury campus of the University of Kent, CANTERBURY, Kent, UK

This seminar will focus on the ongoing debate about the roles and functions of small farms and their future within the context of rapid structural changes in agri-food chains and the "retail revolution". The seminar will incorporate discussions about the changing role of small farms in the EU, transition and developing countries. It will also explore the environmental consequences (externalities) stemming from the decline of small scale farming, particularly in EU New Member States. The small farm debate has taken on special significance for the EU as it seeks to accommodate the large number of small farms in New Member States within the Union's agricultural and environmental programmes and policies. The seminar will seek to learn from comparative studies of the roles of small farms in other parts of the world, and will explore appropriate policy options.

UNIDO is increasing its efforts towards strengthening agribusiness value chains, expanding developing countries' food supplies and their access to markets, technology and investment. As part of its response, UNIDO is organizing, in cooperation with the Government of Egypt and the SEKEM Initiative, an international conference on sharing innovative agribusiness solutions, to be held in Cairo, Egypt, from 26 to 27 November 2008.  

Helsinki School of Economics, Finland

In the Sustainable Innovations for the Base of the Pyramid conference at the Helsinki School of Economics on September 26-27, 2008 business people, researchers, NGOs and public sector representatives from over 20 countries discussed about the opportunities to alleviate global poverty with social and business innovations.

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.

held in Montpellier (France) on  the topic: "New dimensions in fair trade: implications and challenges".

http://www.ftis2008.org/cice2008_en/home

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).