"Take it to the Farmer": Reaching the World's Smallholders
October 13-15, 2010 – Des Moines, Iowa
Full agenda | Speaker Biographies | Transcripts/Video
Photos | List of Lectures
Inspired by the last words of Nobel Laureate and World Food Prize Founder Dr. Norman Borlaug, the 2010 Borlaug Dialogue international symposium will gather the top minds and foremost leaders in global agriculture, food, and development this October in Des Moines – with a special focus on the world’s small-scale farmers.
As global leaders and institutions carry out work to increase agricultural production and ensure food security worldwide – on the heels of severe food shortages, economic crises, and other upheavals of the past several years – the small-holder farmer is poised to play a unique role in enhancing the food supply for families and communities around the globe. However, small-holder farmers also face particular challenges that must be overcome in order to meet international goals to produce enough food for a growing population in the face of limited resources.
This three-day dialogue will address major themes including:
- Smallholder farming and rural livelihoods
- How agricultural development can be done in partnership with small farmers and with specific benefits for small farmers
- Major challenges affecting small producers and their communities, including energy resources for food production, climate change and water access, and demographic changes
- Promoting innovation and entrepreneurship among small-holders
- The role of smallholders in stewardship of soil, water, and biodiversity
- Livestock in rural food systems, livelihoods, and health
- Dietary diversity, increasing nutritional content and availability, and reducing post-harvest losses in small-scale agriculture
- Small-scale farmers’ role in the global food and agriculture trading system
- Grassroots and collaborative partnerships toward food security
These topics and other critical issues will be explored through keynote presentations and lively and engaging “conversation” sessions that will feature the expertise and diverse perspectives of policymakers, CEOs and executives from agribusiness and NGOs, scientific and academic experts, development leaders – along with several farmers from around the world.