The 10th Agricultural Policy Forum (APF) held in Dresden from October, 27-30, 2010, provided a timely opportunity to take stock of the remarkable success achieved by the APF process over the past decade, while anticipating new challenges and identifying opportunities for the development of agriculture and rural areas in South Eastern Europe (SEE) over the next decade up to 2020.
The 2010 Dresden APF was held under the auspices of the Saxon State Ministry for Environment and Agriculture (SMUL) and commissioned by the German Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ). The Regional Rural Development Standing Working Group (SWG), InWEnt, Capacity Building International, Germany, Deutsche Gesellschaft für Technische Zusammenarbeit (GTZ) GmbH and the Leibniz-Institute of
Agricultural Development in Central and Eastern Europe (IAMO) jointly prepared, organised, and held the 2010 Dresden APF.
The main conclusions reached at the Agricultural Policy Forum 2010 in Dresden:
- The trustful policy dialogue among government representatives from SEE countries, involving also academic experts and practitioners from the region and beyond, has in many fields evolved into effective co-operation and promising partnerships. The APF and the Regional Rural Development Standing Working Group (SWG) are major assets for the future development of SEE, reaching far beyond the agricultural and rural development arena.
- Despite immediate urgencies, and aware of the need to cope with current obstacles and gaps, co-operation in the SEE region has to be forward looking, guided by a strategic vision and appreciation of the opportunities offered by European integration.
- Regional co-operation and partnerships help SEE countries to identify and overcome gaps, in designing and implementing appropriate development strategies and measures as well as in establishing effective monitoring and evaluation tools and systems. This co-operation needs to be continued and further intensified.
- Bridging gaps will be even more successful if efforts are not just unilateral. The SEE countries represented at the APF appreciate the strong engagement of German development co-operation, enabling partners to exchange ideas and to join forces. They invite other potential partners and donors to actively engage in the dialogue and in the progressive development of this partnership.
Main outcomes of the Forum are summarized in Dresden Agenda
