By now you’ve probably read our pitch for accountability to be a focus of the G8 summit this week in Italy. ONE is calling for all G8 countries to create clear time tables for making up shortfalls in commitments to the developing world, and to discuss plans for post-Gleneagles commitments. In addition, ONE will be pushing G8 countries to make a robust financial commitment for investment in agriculture in developing countries.

ONE is calling for the G8 to commit to:

• Provide $5 billion extra in 2010 on medium and long-term agricultural initiatives in Africa that support technically sound, accountable, country-led plans, while making provisions for a scale-up to $10 billion annually by 2012, committing to delivering $25 billion over three years. The G8 must work with African-led initiatives such as NEPAD’s Comprehensive Africa Agriculture Development Programme (CAADP) on an effective financing mechanism;
• Provide adequate medium term assistance, such as seeds and fertilizers, and extend small scale credit facilities to prevent a descent into hunger and poverty;
• Increase investment in agricultural infrastructure including electrification, irrigation systems, and transportation infrastructure. Market distorting subsidies and import duties and quotas on goods from African countries should be eliminated;
• Provide more funding for research and training to address the needs of smallholder farmer populations, like that conducted through public private partnerships such as the Alliance for a Green Revolution in Africa (AGRA) or the Consultative Group on International Agricultural Research (CGIAR);
• Increase technical assistance for smallholders so they can better access credit and so that rural land tenure systems can be strengthened.

Agriculture is the backbone of the economy in many developing countries, particularly those in Africa, where it employs two-thirds of the population. Investing in agriculture could help bring smallholder farmers into the productive economy, providing increased incomes and greater food security, particularly in rural areas.

You can read more about our G8 pitch on ONE’s G8 Hot Topic page. Be sure to check back there and here on the blog for further coverage of the G8 meetings, which begin this Wednesday in L’Aquila, Italy.

-Beth Adler