1. How does the network benefit your organisation?
The APF partnership provides us with a forum for exchanging knowledge and experience, both in the Netherlands and in African countries. This helps us to see the larger picture and to enter into concrete collaboration with other members of the network. As secretariat of a global knowledge network we both learn from the APF partnership and contribute to it. What we add in value to the Agri-ProFocus network is capacity building in the systematisation of good practices and our magazine on sustainable agriculture called “Farming Matters”. Our focus is less on specific countries and more regional than that of most others in APF, in that way we may well be complementary.

2. Please give an example of a joint action, in which the APF network played a visible role.
Two years ago ILEIA initiated a discussion on ‘Farming for Food’ – linked to the objective of APF to promote sustainable food production. This discussion was facilitated by the APF support office and has contributed to new initiatives. The approach developed by APF partners in Niger has been inspired by this discussion. It integrates a value chain perspective with a perspective on food sovereignty and sustainable natural resource management and governance.

3. If you were in charge, what should the APF network look like in 5 years’ time?
The Agri-Hubs will be vibrant local platforms for action, learning, collaboration and policy dialogue in support of organised small-scale producers. Building resilient value chains that take into account market related as well as climate/ environment related risks and shocks will be a key concern. The network will focus on market diversification, with more attention to local food markets as these will become crucial in the coming years (with hikes in food and energy prices all around the globe). The APF secretariat in the Netherlands will connect Dutch stakeholders and facilitate interaction and joint action and -learning between the Agri-Hubs.

4. How will your organisation contribute to the APF network in the next 2 years?
We offer the network members, notably those at field level, a platform for sharing experiences with a wider African and global audience, through the magazine Farming Matters and its regional African editions. Complementary to what the Nings can offer, these magazines reach a larger audience and help to disseminate and scale up good practices generated by APF Agri-Hubs. ILEIA can assist APF partners in documenting relevant experiences. Lastly, we would like to contribute to a major strategic discussion on the future of African agriculture: What type of agriculture do we want?  We are willing to organise a series of provocative seminars on this theme.

Contact: Edith van Walsum

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