Programme

West Africa Day – 15 November 2005

Date and Venue

Date: Tuesday 15 November 2005, 10.00 a.m. – 4.45 p.m.
Venue: Poortgebouw (Leiden University) for plenary sessions and the neighbouring ‘Chalet’ for parallel sessions. The locations are within walking distance – 5 minutes - from Leiden Central Station.
Language: English (all French papers will be available in English too).

Organisation

The West Africa Day 2005 is being organised by the (Dutch) Development Policy Review Network and the African Studies Centre (Leiden). The organising team is:

1. Han van Dijk, tel. +31 (0)71 527 3360, e-mail: DijkH@ascleiden.nl
2. Rijk van Dijk,  tel. +31 (0)71 527 3370, e-mail: DijkR@ascleiden.nl
3. Mirjam Ukpabi, tel. +31 (0)71 527 33 96 / 58, e-mail: Oukpabi@ascleiden.nl
4. Marieke van Winden, tel. +31 (0)71 527 58, e-mail: Winden@ascleiden.nl

Conference Programme

09:30 a.m. – 10:00 a.m.
Arrival of the participants
Registration and coffee.

10.00 a.m. – 10.15 a.m.
Opening and welcome by the Director of the African Studies Centre Prof. Dr. Leo de Haan.

10.15 a.m. – 11.15 a.m. (plenary session)
Key-note address by Mr. Normand Lauzon, Director of the Sahel and West Africa Club (SWAC) of the OECD
Includes time for discussion.

11.15 a.m. – 12.15 p.m. (plenary session)
‘Speed dating’
Meet the people whose names you know, whom you have never met but have always wanted to have a one-to-one with.

12.15 p.m. – 1.15 p.m.
Lunch break

1.15 p.m. – 3.15 p.m. (parallel sessions)
Workshops
For more information on workshop topics and panel lists, please see the Workshops section further ahead in this document, or check our website, which will be update with the latest information continuously.

3.15 p.m. – 3.30 p.m. (plenary session)
Short Coffee and Tea Break

3.30 p.m. - 4.30 p.m.
Perspectives on future developments in West Africa.
Speakers (to be confirmed):
Mr Paul Litjens, Head of the West-Africa department at DGIS/DAF, Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
Mrs Lucia Akosua Quachey, President of the Ghanaian Association of Women Entrepreneurs (GAWE) and co-founder of the African Federation of Women Entrepreneurs (AFWE).
Mr François Traoré, Président de l'Association des Producteurs du Coton Africains et de l'Union Nationale des Producteurs du Coton du Burkina, Bobo-Dioulasso, Burkina Faso.

Three speakers from different professional stakes will briefly cast their view on the main issues to be reckoned with and optimisation of synergetic approaches, public-private or otherwise, in the West-African region. After their presentations, participants will have the opportunity to react. Investigative journalist Jos van Beurden will facilitate a plenary discussion on relevant trends in development in the West African region.

4.30 p.m. - 4. 45 p.m.
Closing remarks
Leo de Haan, Director of the African Studies Centre, Leiden.

4.45 p.m. - 5.30 p.m.
Refreshments

Workshops

A. "Cotton Politics, Risks and opportunities for sustainable livelihoods in West Africa"

Convened by: SNV, KIT, ICCO

"Cotton is a classic symbol for development - and 'under-development' - in semi-arid rural areas in West Africa. It is the principal source of revenues for several states (Mali, Burkina, Benin) and main source of income for more than 10 million people and produces 4% of the world cotton production. Since the 1990's the World Bank & most donors have put a lot of pressure on West African governments and cotton companies to reform the cotton sector (by liberalisation and privatisation trajectories), in order to tackle weak performances and monopolies of parastatal companies. In the same period important farmers' movements emerged, claiming a more pivotal role in the chain.
However, the fall of cotton prices since the end of the 1990's, makes the reforms an even more delicate operation. Profit expectations are low compared to the sixties/seventies and risks are more and more important - a considerable part of them put on the shoulders of the farmers. The reforms are "backed" by agricultural sector programs and legislation, emphasizing stronger, competitive agriculture. Several cases: swift liberalization in Benin, Ghana, Ivory Coast versus more prudent reforms in Cameroon, Burkina and Mali. Private ownership of production factors doesn't guarantee proper sector management. Good governance within the sector is important. Badly monitored liberalisation trajectories as in Ghana and Benin, have rather deteriorated than cured the sector. Burkina gives a better example. Mali is reluctant, but is feeling enormous pressure to liberalise before 2009.
One could question whether liberalisation is actually the right cure - one could even go further and question if there's any cure at all. However, if so, under what conditions it will be profitable for farmers? If not, what are the alternatives? - until now few have occurred.
Not only do farmers coop with low prices of different products, but also with inappropriate credit schemes, unfavourable taxes and with large gaps in innovation systems. Under these conditions, how can they invest in soil and equipment and contribute to "stronger agriculture" - whether they grow cotton or not ?
Are rural livelihoods at stake in West Africa? This workshop will explore trajectories for sustaining the cotton sector, farmers and improve the governance of the chain."

The language of this workshop will be French. An interpretor will be present for occasional translation/clarification to English, but not for integral translation of presentations and discussion.

Chair: Evelijne Bruning (chief editor ViceVersa)

Panel:
1. Farmer leader François Traoré, (SNV/ FO Mali, Burkina, President of the international "Association des Producteurs du Coton Africains" (AProCA) and President of "Union Nationale des Producteurs du Coton du Burkina" (UNPCB)), Joost Nelen (SNV/Mali), Nata Traoré (advisor for SNV/Burkina Faso, Bobo-Dioulasso, Burkina): ): "State of affairs (état de lieux) on cotton and privatisation in West-Africa"

2. Bertus Wennink (KIT/ research): "impact of privatisation on innovation capacities for cotton production systems".

3. Ineke Duivestijn (DGIS) "World market trends: which future for WA cotton?"

B. "The privatization of forest and natural resource management"

Convened by the World Conservation Union, Regional Office for Central Africa (IUCN, ROCA)

Of old the management of forest and natural resources has been a prerogative of the state. Natural resources which were deemed of crucial importance were nationalised by the colonial state in order to tap income from these resources and to ensure their sustainable management and preservation. However, in many cases the state proved incapable of ensuring the enforcement of regulations with respect to forest and natural resource management. During the last decades there has been a gradual move back to re-engage local communities in natural resource management under various forms of co-management in order to promote more sustainable management of natural resources. Recently private sector initiatives have also entered the scene for example in the case of forest management and wildlife preservation for tourism purposes. During this workshop the pros and cons of the privatisation of forest and natural resource management will be discussed on the basis of recent experiences in Cameroon and elsewhere. What is the state of the art in this domain? What are the prospects for this management form in West Africa? What kind of public-private collaboration is needed to ensure sustainable management of natural resources?

Chair: Han van Dijk (African Studies Centre, Leiden)

Panel:
1. Martijn ter Heegde (Socio Economics Officer IUCN ROCA): 'Partnerships between civil society and private sector in Cameroon forest management'

2. Ms Jacqueline v/d Pol (IAC Wageningen)

3. Joost Brouwer

C. Problems and Prospects of the Privatisation of Higher Education in West-Africa

In many parts of West-Africa the governmental resources available for higher education are dwindling. As state financed institutions increasingly lack sufficient funds two important processes can be seen taking place. One is the increasing involvement of staff in activities outside the context of the institutions for higher learning and research, often entailing consultancy type of employment for international NGO's or companies. Another development is the rise of privately owned institutions for higher education which are often in a better position to offer high quality training because of the (financial) resources they have at their disposal. The workshop on the privatisation of higher education will discuss these two developments - the brain drain of staff into the private sector as well the liberalized market for higher education - and aims at exchanging insights and experiences of the pro's and cons of these changes taking place in this particular field of interest between academics, policy-makers and development workers.

Chair: G. Hesseling (ASC/RAWOO)

Panel:
1. G. Holtland

2..S. Osha (ASC/Univ. of KwaZulu-Natal)

3. R. van Dijk (ASC)

D. System Chain Development

In recent years increasing emphasis is given to integrated system chains as ways to promote development in West Africa. Direct links between producers in the subcontinent and marketing channels and supermarket companies in Europe may be able to provide much better opportunities to small-scale producers in West Africa. They are producing high added-value horticultural products such as biological mangos, strawberries, dried tomatoes that through system chain development are in a better position to compete in European markets. During the workshop some experiences with these chains will be discussed and how they can be fostered by public-private collaboration.

Chair: to be confirmed

Panel:
1. H. Verkuijl (KIT)

2. L. Akosua Quachey (Ghanaian Association of Women Entrepreneurs (GAWE)

3. D. Boselie (AgroFair)

4. Ruerd Ruben (WUR)

5. discussant: J. Vlaar (Foreign Affairs/DDE)

Directions