Officials of the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) and the African Agricultural Technology Foundation (AATF) today signed a Memorandum of Understanding to share and disseminate agricultural technologies to improve African production systems, increase food security, reduce poverty, expand agricultural trade and commerce on a sustainable basis, and provide new opportunities for African farmers.

"This Memorandum of Understanding will identify technologies that can be adapted for use by African farmers," Agriculture Secretary Ann M. Veneman said. "The agreement will help African scientists to learn specific technologies developed by USDA scientists."

The signing took place during the Ministerial Conference on Harnessing Science and Technology to Increase Agricultural Productivity in Africa: West African Perspectives, which began today and continues through June 23. The conference is co-sponsored by USDA, the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID), the U.S. Department of State and the Burkina Faso Ministry of Agriculture, Water and Fisheries Resources.

The West African regional conference is a follow-up activity to the Ministerial Conference on Agricultural Science and Technology hosted by Agriculture Secretary Ann M. Veneman in Sacramento, Calif., in June 2003. Ministers and other officials, including four West African presidents from Burkina Faso, Ghana, Mali and Niger, are meeting to share information on technologies, policies and partnerships to increase agricultural productivity, reduce hunger and promote economic growth in the region.

The Memorandum of Understanding was signed by J.B. Penn, USDA under secretary for Farm and Foreign Agricultural Services, and AATF Executive Director Mpoko Bokanga. Penn is leading the U.S. delegation at the conference.

AATF is an African public-private partnership to enhance food security and reduce poverty by identifying and promoting the distribution of agricultural technologies useful to resource-poor farmers in sub-Saharan Africa. Under the Memorandum of Understanding, USDA and AATF will work together to identify specific technologies that would help African farmers increase their food production, marketing and distribution. The agreement is expected to eventually involve a variety of USDA agencies as specific technological needs are identified.

The conference in Burkina Faso supports three U.S. Presidential initiatives, including the Initiative to End Hunger in Africa, the Water for the Poor Initiative, and the Trade for African Development and Enterprise Initiative. The Economic Community of West African States, the West African Economic and Monetary Union, and the Permanent Interstate Committee for Drought Control in the Sahel have endorsed the conference and are providing advisory support.

USAID, the Rockefeller Foundation and the United Kingdom’s Department for International Development provided funding for the startup of AATF, which was developed through consultations by the Rockefeller Foundation and the Meridian Institute with many African, North American, and European stakeholders.