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African voices on research, policy, and international development in sub-Saharan Africa

Past Event

What entry points exist into domestic policy processes in sub-Saharan Africa?

What entry points exist into domestic policy processes in sub-Saharan Africa?
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What entry points exist into domestic policy processes in sub-Saharan Africa?

Financial inclusion in sub-Saharan Africa
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Financial inclusion in sub-Saharan Africa

Boosting agricultural productivity through innovation in sub-Saharan Africa
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Boosting agricultural productivity through innovation in sub-Saharan Africa

Can local researchers and aid agencies work together to strengthen policy decisions and outcomes? Too often there is a disconnect between the advice of research of scholars on the ground and the international actors and African policymakers themselves, despite their shared goals of positive impacts on social and economic development. Much potential for growth, implementation of innovation, and opportunities for fresh interventions are being missed. So, what are the obstacles preventing these conversations from bearing fruit? Have there been successful areas of collaboration between aid agencies and African academics? How might we foster more success stories?

Under this theme, on October 6, the Brookings Africa Growth Initiative, the Global Development Network, and the African Economic Research Consortium hosted an event in which African researchers and aid agency staff engaged African policymakers in conversations on the present and future of policy in two key areas for the continent—financial inclusion and agriculture—based on available policy knowledge and scientific evidence. The event was part of a USAID-funded program through which GDN and AERC specifically are supporting the emergence of African voices in academic and policy debates on aid to sub-Saharan Africa.

Agenda

Opening Remarks

Panel 1: What entry points exist for researchers and international development agencies into domestic policy processes in sub-Saharan Africa?

A

Augustin K. Fosu

Professor, Institute of Statistical, Social and Economic Research (ISSER) - University of Ghana

Lemma Senbet

William E. Mayer Chair Professor of Finance - University of Maryland

Member, Distinguished Advisory Group - Africa Growth Initiative

A

Abebe Shimeles

Manager, Macroeconomic Division - African Development Bank (AfDB)

Panel 2: Financial inclusion in sub-Saharan Africa: Is local, national, regional or continental innovation the way forward?

Moderator

Lemma Senbet

William E. Mayer Chair Professor of Finance - University of Maryland

Member, Distinguished Advisory Group - Africa Growth Initiative

Panel 3: Boosting agricultural productivity through innovation: What role for researchers and aid agencies in supporting policy design?

R

Rob Bertram

Chief Scientist, Bureau for Food Security - USAID

S

Shenggen Fan

Director-General - International Food Policy Research Institute

Julie Howard

Senior Adviser - Global Food Security Project, Center for Strategic & International Studies

Senior adviser to the associate provost and dean for international studies and programs - Michigan State University

Closing Remarks

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