Day #1: Entwicklungspolitische Diskussionstage 2021

Program day 1:

Partners in climate? - The role of African renewables in the European Green Deal | 09:30 - 11:30 am

Achieving climate neutrality by 2050 is the declared goal of the European Union. Envisioning Europe as the first continent with net zero greenhouse gas emissions, Commission President Ursula von der Leyen described the announcement of the EU Green Deal as Europe’s "man on the moon moment".

To realise this ambitious leap for mankind, substantial transformation is needed in areas such as transport, agriculture and industry. At the heart of it all, the energy sector plays a vital role. To meet Europe’s enormous demand for affordable, CO2-neutral energy, the EU has increasingly relied on international cooperation — including with African states, which could support the EU in the production of green hydrogen from renewable energies.

What opportunities and challenges arise from these partnerships? How can climate justice be ensured in the implementation of the Green Deal? What role do development policies play? Join us, along with a broad panel of speakers, as we discuss how the Green Deal can be a win-win for all.

With:

Gabriela Iacobuta (Wissenschaftliche Mitarbeiterin im Bereich Umwelt-Governance, Deutsches Institut für Entwicklungspolitik/DIE)

Hamza Hamouchene (Programme Coordinator North Africa, Transnational Institute)

Paul van Son (President Dii Desert Energy)

NN

Trap or trampoline - Smallholder digitalisation in sub-Saharan Africa | 3:00 - 5:00 pm

A Kenyan farmer buys seeds at the best price with a tap on her smartphone. In Nigeria, an agricultural cooperative digitally obtains information on farming schedules and plant diseases.

Smallholders account for over 60% of the population in Sub-Saharan Africa, and agriculture contributes to a staggering 23% of the regional GDP. Increasingly, smallholders rely on a wide array of digital technologies and tools to grow food, while corporations frolic over a huge “untapped” market.

But sceptics doubt that digital solutions can spearhead the social and economic development of African smallholders. On the contrary: without access to financial resources or infrastructure to benefit from digitalization, the lion share threatens to be left behind.
The event will navigate these positions by asking:

• Who benefits from digitalization and who falls prey to the digital divide?
• Which kind of digitalization can boost sustainable development, productivity, and food security of African smallholders?
• How can inclusive digitalization be achieved across the continent and beyond?

With:

Daniel Wanjama (Coordinator, Seed Saver Network Kenya)

Myriam Said (Digital Advisor, Government of Ethiopia)

Janina Kaiser (Head of Strategy & Innovation für Sub-Saharan Africa, K+S Aktiengesellschaft)

Lena Bassermann (Inkota, Referat für Welternährung und Globale Landwirtschaft)

Cooperation partner: The Centre for Rural Development

Information:
Joanna Barelkowska
Referat Internationale Politik
E-mail: barelkowska@boell.de
Telefon: +49(30)-28534306

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