What's New

While Africa is the center of much development and policy research, many emerging issues still do not receive the necessary attention and investment. The African Growth and Development Policy (AGRODEP) Modeling Consortium has issued its first annual call for competitive grant proposals to address such gaps in research. The AGRODEP team has selected as this year's topic Foreign Direct Investment in Land (FDI), Land Markets and Land Institutions, and Development of the Agricultural Sector in Africa. Proposals can address any or all of the aspects of this topic.

May 25 marks Africa Day, the annual commemoration of the founding of the Organization of African Unity (now recognized as the Africa Union) in 1963. The annual celebration honors ongoing efforts to address inequality, poverty, and conflict in the region. The theme of Africa Day 2012 is "Towards the Realisation of a United and Integrated Africa and Its Diaspora," calling for unity among all Africans in working for greater political and economic development. The next AU Summit will be held in Malawi in July, at which time the AU Chairperson will be elected.

The global economic environment has been characterized in recent years by high debt levels, financial volatility, high levels of risk, and a persistent development gap. With the world still reeling from the recent economic downturn, achieving sustainable economic growth remains a formidable challenge for developing countries. Worldwide economic growth in 2012 is expected to remain moderate, with weak growth in most developed countries and slowing growth in the developing world.

It is being increasingly recognized that real, sustainable economic growth and food security requires input from both the public and the private sectors. However, much of the private sector in developed countries has historically been hesitant to invest in developing nations, particularly in riskier ventures such as agriculture.

At the G8 summit held over the weekend, world leaders focused on the issue of food security in the developing world, announcing a new initiative to reduce hunger and poverty. The New Alliance for Food Security and Nutrition is a collaborative effort among G8 countries, African countries, and the global private sector and aims to lift 50 million people out of poverty in the next 10 years. This ambitious plan hinges on sustainable agricultural growth, with particular attention paid to smallholder and women farmers.