The Global Panel is delighted to announce the appointment of Panel Member Tom Arnold as Chair of Task Force Rural Africa, established by the European Commission in May 2018.
The newly constituted Task Force Rural Africa consists of 11 members with expertise in agriculture, agri-business, trade, development policy, and knowledge of the agri-food sector in Africa. The group of experts will provide advice on how to boost public-private investments in African sustainable agriculture; examine ways to enable job creation and revenue-generating activities in rural Africa and identify strategies to promote and prioritise agricultural policy in African countries.
The Global Panel's commitment to tackling global challenges in food and nutrition security has led it to gain extensive experience in the African agri-food sector, working with influential members and leaders such as Panel Co-Chair H.E. John A. Kufuor, former President of Ghana, Panel Member Rhoda Peace Tumusiime, Former Commissioner for Rural Economy and Agriculture at the African Union Commission, Dr Akinwumi Adesina, President of the African Development Bank, and Mrs. Graça Machel, President of the Graça Machel Trust.
The Panel argues that to achieve progress in agriculture production, economic development and employment, food systems must be repositioned from feeding to nourishing people, which goes beyond agriculture to encompass trade, the environment and health, harnessing the power of the private sector and empowering consumers to demand better diets.
The Panel congratulates the Task Force for its ambitious aims, and encourages the members to prioritise policies that provide healthy, high-quality diets for all, as their implementation can help deliver agricultural advancement, improve retail and trade, better education, social development, economic prosperity and sustainability.
The Global Panel looks forward to the executive report in January 2019, with recommendations contributing to the Joint Africa-EU Strategy, the Agenda 2030 and the Sustainable Development Goals.
