Organized by the European Commission, the European Development Days is Europe’s leading forum on development and international cooperation. The forum builds on a core belief: cooperation is the cornerstone of a fairer world. An essential aim is thus to facilitate networking and inspire the desire to work together even more closely in a spirit of true partnership. EDD is an incubator of new ideas to inform our shared aim of a poverty-free, sustainable and fair world where everyone has a chance at a decent life.

Each year, European Development Days attracts about 7 000 participants from over 140 countries, representing 1 200 organisations from the field of development cooperation, human rights and humanitarian aid. In bringing together the global development community, the European Union also engages political leaders, development practitioners, the private sector and civil society in shaping the EU’s policies for tackling poverty worldwide. Everyone is given a voice in this open, collaborative and inclusive platform. Various interesting side events in relation to food security are organized during the EDD2015:

Value Chains for Value Gains

This Small Farmers Big Business Practical lab ‘Value Chains for Value Gains – Engaging the private sector in sustainable agriculture and agribusiness’ aims to be both informative and interactive, with exchange and debate between thought leaders and practitioners on approaches for building sustainable and inclusive agribuisness models. The P-lab will be moderated by Ms.Isolina Boto, Manager of CTA, a joint ACP-EU organisation. There will be three presentations followed by an interactive debate in the Fishbowl format.
For more information, visit the website

Smallholder farmers, powering global development

CABI will be hosting a side event on ‘Smallholder farmers, powering global development’ as well as running an information booth about CABI’s work and the activities of our Plantwise programme which helps farmers to lose less of what they grow. The CABI session will look at what is being done today and what more can be done about ensuring that the 500 million smallholder farmers who feed 2/3rds of the world’s 7 billion people can access the knowledge, skills and tools they need, which is essential to food security and to development, now and in the future. Speakers are Jean-Pierre Halkin, Paulus Verschuren, Martin Busobozi and Janny Vos.

More sessions related to agriculture

3/06 – Room S3 – Growing food in greener cities : the role of urban and peri-urban horticulture

3/06 – Room B2 – Facing up to Africa’s demographic revolution : Regional approach to bridging the urban – rural divide

4/06 – Roome D2 : Feeding the urban world : local solutions for global challenges

4/06 – Room S4 – Land tenure in Africa : lessons learnt and the road ahead

4/06 – Room S6 – Soils : sustainable life, prosperity and the planet

4/06 – Room D2 – Solid ground : access to land for vulnerable people in developing countries