April 29, 2008
Media Advisory
MR. KOFI ANNAN TO ADDRESS GLOBAL FOOD CRISIS, ITS IMPACT AND SOLUTIONS IN AFRICA
PRESS BRIEFING AND TELECONFERENCE — 2 MAY 2008
Global food prices have doubled in the last three years, and the cereal bill for low-income food-deficit countries in Africa is projected to increase another 74 percent this year. Across sub-Saharan Africa, 33 million young children are malnourished, even as food riots have broken out in more than half a dozen African countries. With Africa’s own food production tragically low, the continent remains dependent on food imports and food aid.
Mr. Kofi Annan will address these issues, presenting both immediate, medium- and long-term solutions. He will present an ambitious program for an African Green Revolution geared toward doubling or tripling the productivity of hundreds of millions of smallholder farmers in Africa, and report on important progress towards boosting sustainable food production and reducing food insecurity in key African countries.
Along with Mr. Annan, a number of agricultural and economic experts will be available to address questions. The experts have been meeting in Salzburg, Austria, at the Salzburg Global Seminar entitled: “Towards a ‘Green Revolution’ in Africa?”*, which is highlighting new opportunities and critical challenges to fostering a ‘uniquely African Green Revolution.’ The teleconference and press briefing take place on the final day of the three-day conference.
WHEN: Friday, May 2, 2008 at 12:30 (CET)
WHO: Mr. Kofi Annan; Former Secretary General of the United Nations Chairman of the Board of the Alliance for a Green Revolution in Africa
With a small number of leading African experts (exact details to be announced)
WHERE: Schloss Leopoldskron, Leopoldskronstr. 56-58, 5020 Salzburg, Austria
Accreditation must be obtained in advance from Eva Mitterndorfer,
Tel: +43 (662) 839 83-303, emitterndorfer@SalzburGglobal.org.
RSVP FOR TELECONFERENCE CALL-IN INFORMATION
To Alternately Submit Questions, E-MAIL: questions@salzburgglobal.org
The proceedings of the teleconference will be available on: www.SalzburgGlobal.org
Those requiring accreditation must be registered by Thursday May 1st 2008 at 12:00 CET.
*“Toward a ‘Green Revolution’ in Africa?” is an Initiative of the Salzburg Global Seminar (www.SalzburgGlobal.org), the Institute of Development Studies (www.ids.ac.uk), and the Future Agricultures Consortium (www.future-agricultures.org).