African smallholders in focus - a voice in EU trade policy

Documentation of the first exchange conference on common concerns and common political strategies

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The first exchange conference took place when the results of the EPA negotiations were uncertain, and hence we were unable to predict the possible policy contents of these agreements. The EPAs will be contracts, confirmed by the WTO, between the EU and her formally colonised ACP countries. In particular, the erosion of preferences was discussed with growing concern. Previously, the Cotonou Convention granted preferential treatment to the ACP countries. However EPA agreements would create a free trade area (FTA) between the ACP countries and the EU. This would have particularly severe consequences in Africa, since the majority of the population lives in rural areas, where the absolute number of hungry people continues to rise. We want to change this with our dialogue-oriented advocacy project "African smallholders in focus – a voice in EU trade policy", in cooperation with FIAN, UK Food Group and Both ENDS (2007-2009). Furthermore, in our advocacy work on EPA negotiations we want to strengthen the voice of smallholder farmers. The first exchange conference reflected experiences from the first year (e.g. Fact Finding Missions to Ghana and Sambia) and developed activities for the next year.