Introduction

In the Millennium Summit of 2000, the world leaders reaffirmed their commitment to reduce both the intensity and magnitude of poverty based on comprehensive targets articulated within the framework of Millennium Development Goals (MDGs). In order to translate these global objectives and commitments in concrete terms, IFAD - the only international institution mandated to address rural poverty - made a detailed assessment of the rural poverty situation in eastern and southern Africa to analyse and understand its overall dynamics within the socio-economic environment of the region and to identify the potential areas of growth and action. The outcome of this process culminated into the preparation of a Regional Strategy Paper (RSP), which was intensively discussed and deliberated at a High Level Round Table meeting conducted during the course of the IFAD Governing Council Meeting held in Rome in February 2002. The participants, who included agricultural ministers from regional countries, senior policy-makers and representatives of the donor community, welcomed this opportunity to discuss the issues relating to enhancing rural based economic growth, agricultural productivity based on livelihood systems and the empowerment of the rural poor. They endorsed the strategy presented with the understanding that it would be further discussed in detail in the regional workshop to be jointly organised by IFAD and the Government of Tanzania during 23-24 May 2002 in Dar-es-Salaam. This workshop will provide the opportunity to further crystallise the thinking process and to get an agreement to commit the countries to translate the objectives and implement the strategies included in the RSP based on shared responsibility and mutual interest for poverty alleviation.

Workshop objectives, themes and outcome

Building upon the experience of the Governing Council's initiative, the general objectives of the proposed workshop will be to provide a forum for high-level policy-makers from the region to develop a common appreciation of the rural poverty problematic and the role of broad-based rural economic growth; to identify priority areas and mechanisms for national action and international support; to locate these clearly in the framework of regional (e.g., NEPAD) and national (e.g., PRSP) development and poverty reduction strategies; and to gain consensus on the best application of IFAD's own programme in the region in support of rural poverty reduction as mapped out in IFAD's new Regional Strategy which itself will be presented to the workshop. In this respect, the workshop will also try to build coalitions and partnerships among the development actors - civil society organisations, NGOs, donors, the private sector and the government - within a common platform to create necessary synergies and complementarities for optimising agricultural growth and empowerment of the poor.

In light of the findings of the regional assessment, it is quite evident that there are some critical constraints which poor people of the region are encountering, such as insecure land ownership systems, limited access to irrigation water, lack of access to capital for productive activities and barriers to trade etc., for improving their livelihood systems. These limitations have been further acerbated due to the unavailability of appropriate technology and information and services to improve agricultural productivity. In addition, it was felt that empowerment of the rural poor is necessary to improve their bargaining power and leverage, which can be achieved to a great extent through establishing proper mechanisms for governance, decentralisation and transparency within the government, civil society and farmers' organisations. These issues will be discussed and deliberated within the following broad thematic areas, with the objective of obtaining the necessary guidance and direction for implementation of the regional strategy, which are:

(a) Preparation of a plan of action for the RSP taking fully into consideration the objectives of NEPAD for the region;
(b) Promotion of market linkages and globalisation for benefiting rural poor;
(c) Financial systems and intermediation processes for the poor;
(d) Access to productive natural resources by the poor, such as land, water, fisheries etc;
(e) HIV/AIDS, and gender empowerment; and
(f) Assessment of the Tanzania portfolio and future directions for poverty alleviation.

It is expected that through this workshop IFAD will be able to further deepen its partnerships with African governments, donors and other stakeholders on these issues and agree to, within the framework of the regional strategy, the following:

(a) Discuss and deliberate the issues and challenges being faced in rural poverty alleviation as elaborated in IFAD's regional strategy for eastern and southern Africa, with a view to reaching a broad consensus on the development priorities and action plan;
(b) Outline and determine broad modalities for implementation of a regional poverty alleviation programme within the framework of national plans and strategies;
(c) Explore the possibilities of integrating NEPAD and the HIV/AIDS strategy within the implementation plan for the regional strategy so that these can complement and reinforce the overall plan of action; and
(d) Recommend specific strategies to forge coalition and partnerships with various stakeholders - such as multilateral institutions, bilateral donors, NGOs, civil society organisations and private and public sectors - to ensure that the regional strategy can be implemented in an efficient and effective manner

Organisation and execution of workshop

This two-day workshop is conceived as a high level forum for the review and deliberation of IFAD's Regional Strategy. Participants will include regional ministers, senior government officials, NGOs, donors, multilateral institutions and the private sector working in the field of economic and rural development. The Agenda of the meeting is attached, with the expected number of participants.

H.E. Benjamin Mkapa, President of the United Republic of Tanzania, and Lennart Båge, IFAD's President, will open the workshop. It will be conducted both in plenary sessions, facilitated and chaired by selected high-level invitees, and in a series of working groups. During the workshop, presentations will be made of IFAD's recent Rural Poverty Report and its Regional Assessment of Rural Poverty and its Regional Strategy for Eastern and Southern Africa, and a discussion on these will be led by a panel of experts from the regional countries, including the Government of Tanzania, multilateral institutions, bilateral donors and a selected NGO of high repute. The ministerial panel will concentrate on the priority actions needed for implementation of the RSP incorporating the salient features of NEPAD. Working group sessions will address the key issues: smallholder farmer access to agricultural markets; support for rural finance; farmer access to, and management of, land, water and fisheries; and systems for agricultural technology development and dissemination; HIV/AIDS; and PRSP processes and the rural poor. Rapporteurs will present the findings of the groups to the plenary. The last session will seek to draw together the main conclusions, focusing on the plan of action for implementation of IFAD's Regional Strategy within the framework of poverty alleviation strategies and NEPAD.

The Workshop will be closed by the Prime Minister of the United Republic of Tanzania, H. E. Frederick Sumaye.