Workshop on Media and Agriculture

PRESS RELEASE


ACTESA holds agricultural journalists’ workshop

June 29,2010, Dar-es-Salaam- The Alliance for Commodity Trade in Eastern and Southern Africa (ACTESA), in collaboration with the Agricultural Council of Tanzania (ACT), will host a three day workshop on the role of media in promoting agricultural commodity trade and in fostering effective agricultural policies. The workshop kicks off at the Movenpick Hotel in Dar-es-Salaam from Wednesday, June 30th, 2010.

The workshop brings together sixty journalists from Tanzania, Zambia, Mozambique, Kenya, Uganda, Ethiopia and Malawi to share practical experiences of reporting agriculture and related issues and to hear technical perspectives on the key policy issues affecting agriculture trade and marketing.

The conference will have presentations on GMOs, the effects and impact of land policies particularly land grabbing, agricultural commodity pricing policies and the role of media in fostering effective policies for Agriculture among others.

Issues affecting food price stability, the role of government fertilizer subsidies in improving agricultural productivity, regional integration and agricultural export bans will also be discussed.

“As well as theoretical presentations, there will be field visits to various commoditiy trading centres around Dar-es-Salaam,” ACTESA CEO, Dr. Cris Muyunda said, adding that, “participants will also have opportunities to interview key personalities and officials from both the government and private institutions participating in the sector.”

Facilitators for the workshop are drawn from various institutions within Tanzania, Kenya, Uganda, Zambia and the World Bank. Distinguished international and local reporters will also be present to share their experiences with the participants.

A special blog for the workshop has been set up and can be seen at the following address http://aampjournalism.wordpress.com.

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The workshop is being held under ACTESA’s programme, the African Agriculture Markets Program (AAMP), which is funded by DFID through the World Bank.

For further information contact:

Mr. Charles Mustapha Kayoka
Conference Facilitator
0786-653712

Ms. Carol Jilombo
ACTESA media relations manager
cjilombo@actesacomesa.org

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