28 January 2010: The annual General Assembly of the Global Donor Platform for Rural Development, an organization of global donors, met in Rome, Italy, from 26-27 January 2010, to consider issues related to agriculture and rural development in working sessions addressing: agriculture and climate change; aid for trade and development; land and development; and lessons from the Comprehensive Africa Agriculture Development Programme.

Approximately 130 individuals from the donor community, international financial institutions, foundations and farmers’ organizations participated in the meeting. The session on climate change highlighted the contribution of the Global Donor Platform in putting agriculture and rural development on the agenda of the 15th session of the Conference of the Parties to the UNFCCC. Participants examined efforts to strengthen the links between responses to poverty, food security, and climate change, as well as ways for agriculture and rural development policies to contribute to adaptation and mitigation efforts. The event was hosted by the Global Mechanism of the UN Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD) and the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD). [Global Donor Platform for Rural Development Website] [Annual General Assembly Website]