Investing in Agriculture for a Better Future

US Launch of The State of Food and Agriculture 2012, hosted by The International Food Policy Research Institute, the UN Food and Agriculture Organization, and the Partnership to Cut Hunger and Poverty in Africa. 

Quantity or quality? When it comes to investment in agriculture, a growing number of development experts vote for the latter. While the conventional approach to reducing poverty, hunger, and malnutrition has long been investing more, new evidence shows that targeted, fully informed investment works better, according to the latest edition of the UN Food and Agriculture Organization’s (FAO) annual flagship report, The State of Food and Agriculture 2012: Investing in Agriculture for a Better Future. The report was launched in Rome in December, and IFPRI, FAO, and the Partnership to Cut Hunger and Poverty in Africa are pleased to host the U.S. launch of this important publication.

Keith Wiebe and Sarah Lowder will provide a general overview of the report. Tewodaj Mogues, will present background work on the impacts and political economy drivers of public investments in agriculture. Michele McNabb will discuss models for inclusive and responsible investment in smallholder farming.