Danilovich to Join Global Leaders in Agribusiness Industry to Discuss the Increasing Business Case for Investing in Agriculture & Food Production in Africa
Ambassador John J. Danilovich, chief executive officer of the Millennium Challenge Corporation (MCC)*, will address The Corporate Council on Africa (CCA) 2008 U.S.-Africa Agribusiness Forum, it was announced today.
Danilovich's remarks will occur during the "Infrastructure Networks: New Investments to Build Markets" session on Thursday, June 26.
"MCC, under the leadership of Ambassador Danilovich, has invested in the agribusiness industry in several countries across the continent," said CCA President Stephen Hayes. "Ambassador Danilovich understands that agribusiness is important to poverty reduction and economic development and we are pleased to have him participate in this event."
According to the World Bank, up to 80 percent of Africa's labor force is engaged in agriculture and agribusiness-related enterprises accounted for more than $206.7 billion -- more than a third of the continent's total GDP -- in 2006-2007.
"Increasing agricultural productivity is a vital catalyst for economic growth and poverty reduction," said Ambassador Danilovich. "MCC is excited to work with partner countries to address this critical sector in their poverty alleviation strategies by investing over $1 billion in agriculture and rural development."
Ambassador Danilovich began his duties as chief executive officer for the Millennium Challenge Corporation on November 7, 2005. Prior to joining the MCC, Ambassador Danilovich's distinguished career includes more than thirty years in both the public and private sectors. He served as U.S. ambassador to Brazil and Costa Rica and was active in the international shipping business for more than two decades.
The 2008 Agribusiness Forum, Investing in Agriculture Links in Africa, is organized by CCA's Agribusiness Initiatives Program. The forum is expected to attract more than 300 leaders from the private and public sectors in the U.S. and Africa.
The two-day forum will include industry-specific workshop sessions, networking opportunities, and plenary sessions where industry experts will provide the latest, cutting-edge information on various agribusiness issues. Topics for discussion include cross-cutting issues such as financing; commodity trading markets; food security; infrastructure investment to connect African markets; market information systems improvement; product innovation; cash crop production and investment; livestock production and investment; pharmaceutical growth; bio-fuel industry growth; carbon trading; and production technology. Visit www.africacncl.org for more details and registration information.
Event sponsors include the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID), Novus International, Inc., CME Group, Buchanan Renewables, Schaffer Global Group, Illovo Sugar, World Cocoa Foundation, All Africa Global Media, Watt Publishing, African Business, African Decisions, and Corporate Africa. More sponsors will be announced over the next few weeks.
More information
*Millennium Challenge Corporation (MCC) , a U.S. government corporation designed to work with developing countries, is based on the principle that aid is most effective when it reinforces good governance, economic freedom, and investments in people that promote economic growth and elimination of extreme poverty. Visit MCC's website at www.mcc.gov.
The CCA Agribusiness Initiatives Program promotes U.S. private sector involvement in African agriculture, agribusiness, and related activities.
Established in 1993, The Corporate Council on Africa is a nonpartisan 501 (c) (3) membership organization of nearly 200 U.S. companies dedicated to strengthening the commercial relationship between the U.S. and Africa. CCA members represent nearly 85 percent of total U.S. private sector investments in Africa. The organization is dedicated to bringing together potential business partners and to showcase business opportunities on the continent.
