Wetenschap - 29 augustus 1996

African students organise conference on food security

A group of ten African MSc students at WAU has taken up the challenge of organising a two day conference on October 18 and 19, 1996, on food security in Africa. African students in particular, but also non African students, are invited to write papers on one of the chosen sub-themes. The nine best papers will be awarded a cash prize of 300 guilders, and the winners will be asked to present the papers at the conference.

The organisation initiating the conference and writing competition is the Global Coalition for Africa (GCA). This international group brings together representatives of African governments, bilateral donors, regional and multinational development agencies. It serves as a high-level political forum for organising a new partnership between African governments and the donor community.

Monica Schuerman of the Dutch GCA office explains that the conference at WAU is part of a series. In previous years, similar events were organised with other institutes for international education in the Netherlands. The Institute for Aerospace Survey and Earth Sciences in Enschede organised a conference on technology transfer and the Institute for Social Studies a conference on the theme of democratization in Africa. According to Schuerman, WAU is a logical choice regarding this year's theme of food security.

GCA approached the Dean's Office for International Students with the idea of a conference in combination with a writing competition. An organising committee has been established by African members of the International Student Panel. The two day event will be funded by the Ministry For Foreign Affairs.