Tackling rural poverty, together

First Stage Consultations

The first stage of consultations would be conducted by telephone interviews with as many Platform member focal points as possible. Priority in scheduling would be given to Board and Steering Committee members, but if possible, all member agencies would be contacted.

The first stage would focus on two main areas relating to the Platform’s overall role and objectives:

Block 1: The positioning of the Platform in the context of the rapidly evolving global agricultural governance structure and aid architecture and the Platforms objectives

The Platform came in to existence — in 2003 — at a time when agriculture was at its lowest point for 30 years in the international development agenda with only 3-4% of ODA going to the sector. Developing country governments as well were reflecting this lack of interest by allocating fewer resources to the sector. This was also the point when aid effectiveness, culminating in the Paris Declaration, became a priority. The Platform focused its efforts on advocacy in support of agriculture and rural development (ARD) and on examining the implications for ARD of the aid effectiveness agenda through conducting the SWAp study and providing in-country facilitation services in support of programme-based approaches.