Why do we need the Platform? The consensus What do we do? The three pillars

2. “We are committed to achieving increased development assistance impact and more effective investment in rural development and agriculture” Overview to the Global Donor Platform for Rural Development By Manfred van Eckert, GTZ Advisor to the Global Donor Platform for Rural Development East Agri Annual Meeting Berlin, 4 – 5. May 2006

3. Presentation outline • Why do we need the Platform? The consensus • What do we do? The three pillars • What are our products so far? • Organizational set-up

4. 1. Why do we need the Global Donor Platform? • Growing consensus: We‘ll miss MDGs if rural poverty not reduced. But: • Consensus on how to reduce rural poverty is fragile • Differences in policies, ineffective lesson-learning, duplication and inadquate dispersion of efforts impede sustainable RD at the same time: • Paris Declaration demand „aid effectiveness“ and a re-orientation of the delivery mechanisms

5. 1. Why do we need a Global Donor Platform? (ctd.) So: • The Platform was born out of the consensus that we must have a common direction. • It was launched as a joint global initiative of donor agencies and international institutions to increase aid effectiveness and support its member organisations in the translation of the Paris Declaration

6. Our ultimate objective: Reduce poverty and enhance economic growth in rural areas in developing countries through improved donor cooperation, collaboration & coordinated dialogue with partner countries We believe that we can do that best as a harmonized and aligned global initiative

7. 2. What do we do? We focus on three pillars: • Advocacy: We highlight the importance of rural development and agriculture to the achievement of the 2015 Millennium Development Goals. 2. Shared learning: • We communicate research and thought-leadership in rural development so as to: • Build a consensus amongst donors on what works in practice • Focus on the hot issues that need resolution or further study • Identify and close information gaps. • 3. In-country facilitation: • We foster H&A efforts in the rural development sector at • country-level

8. 3. What are our products so far? (1) • Pillar 1: Advocacy • We aim to ensure that the needs and opportunities of ARD in the debates at international, regional and national levels are acknowledged and considered: • Product:“The role of agriculture in achieving the MDGs”, donor pamphlet & narrative paper • Key messages: • Agricultural growth = Best avenue to pro-poor growth. No other way • to better employ existing resources & create enough jobs • GDPRD promotes its messages through its Focal Points at donor agencies, in conferences and through broad media

9. Products (2) • Pillar 2: Promote shared learning • We raise the quality and heighten the impact of rural development investment through better practice, networking, shared learning, collecting and disseminating innovation: • Products: • Platform website to share donor experiences and documents (www.donorplatform.org) • Online Forum to facilitate drafting joint policies (e.g. Joint • Donor Rural Concept) • Rural Focus of PRSPs (led by IFAD, with other members) • Global SWAp Analysis (led by FAO, with IDS and ODI in UK) • Lessons learnt from in-country facilitation services (Pillar 3)

10. Products (3) • Pillar 3: Foster H&A efforts in RD at country level • In four pilot countries, Nicaragua, Burkina Faso, Tanzania and Cambodia, we: • Facilitate the joint development of a road map between donors and partners to implement enhanced modes of delivery in development aid; • Add value to country-led processes by ensuring headquarter alignment behind local donor representation. Documenting lessons learned, identifying knowledge gaps about Paris Declaration and bottlenecks in donor cooperation

11. 4. Organization 26 members at present (bi- and multilateral) • Steering Committee (SC) • is the main decision-maker, chaired by BMZ and FAO • Operational Management by Platform Secretariat in Bonn, Germany, and managed by GTZ FAO BMZ EC CIDA DFID WB

12. East Agri and GDPRD What can we do together? • Pillar 1: Advocacy • Strengthen networks and alliances to get more voice for ARD. • Benefit from positive experiences of increasing role of agricultural sectors for overall development from countries in transition to underline importance of ARD for DC´s. • Join forces and strengthen ARD advocacy work • Pillar 2: Shared learning about • Design and dynamics of country led processes for H&A to EU policies and its adaptability to DC´s • Required policy framework and conditions for enhanced private sector investments in RD. • Reform processes for establishing effective institutional set up for modern ARD sector.

13. East Agri and GDPRD What can we do together? (2) • Pillar 3: Foster H&A efforts in RD at country level • Partner countries may request external facilitation for ARD policy and strategy formulation, if independent process facilitator is required

14. Thank you very much for your attention! Secretariat@donorplatform.org