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New Frontiers in Grain Quality Technology and Informatics


2005 Post-IAMA WORKSHOP

Building New Partnerships in the Global Food Chain
Experiences from North Africa, the Near East and Asia

The U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) and the World Bank along with the University of Illinois and International Arid Land Consortium are co-sponsoring an exclusive workshop that will examine innovative approaches for establishing mutually beneficial marketing partnerships that link farmers and agribusiness together to access the global food chain. Drawing upon case studies from Africa, the Near East and Asia, this unique workshop will examine, discuss, and extract the best practices of how channel members can successfully collaborate in overcoming the numerous challenges and constraints faced in linking small farmers to markets.

This workshop will bring together senior food industry and agribusiness executives, government officials, non-government organization leaders and leading academics from across the globe as they jointly examine and compare alternative approaches of building supply channels for different high-value crops, products and markets. At the same time, a concomitant workshop goal will be to consider how best to organize these supply chains so they contribute directly to increasing farm income, rural employment and sustainable development. This workshop will highlight two globally preeminent keynote speakers who will discuss strategies for strengthening the involvement of developing country farmers in domestic and global markets. The workshop will be held in Chicago on June 29-30, 2005, in association with the 2005 International Food and Agribusiness Management Association (IAMA) annual meeting.

The Workshop will begin with a session that sets the stage for whole workshop. This will be followed by a Senior Industry Panel who will share their perspectives and insights about the global food chain and issues to be considered in linking developing country farmers to this rapidly evolving agri-food system. Next, case studies representing different supply chain innovations will be presented in three concurrent sessions: Natural Products, Livestock and Fisheries, and Fresh Horticultural Crops, respectively. The second concurrent session will focus on two sets of issues: Application of Information Technologies to Improve Supply Chain Management, and Organizing and Linking Small-scale Farmers, Especially Women, to High Value Markets. After a full day of discussions, there will be a relaxed evening cruise on Lake Michigan to give participants the opportunity to interact informally over drinks and dinner.

The second day will focus on specific supply chain issues. The morning will begin with a concurrent session that will focus on two concerns: Quality Assurance, Standards and Certification Systems, and Capacity Building for Market Development. Next, there will be two concurrent sessions on synthesizing frameworks, including one on Building Marketing Channel Alliances, and a second on The Enabling Environment: Policy and Trade Issues. The afternoon session will involve an implementation panel comprising donor, industry, and academic representatives that will synthesize the “lessons learned” in formulating an action plan for future donor investments in linking producers to the global food chain.

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