The purpose of the symposium is to highlight the critical role, often neglected in development strategies, that agriculture plays in the take-off to sustained economic growth, poverty reduction and improved standards of living including food security. The symposium will focus on four broad themes of direct relevance to policy making on development and trade matters in the contemporary world economy:

1. the multiple and changing roles of agriculture in the development process;
2. strategies for promoting food security and rural development;
3. agricultural trade as an engine for growth, development, poverty reduction, and livelihood and food security; and
4. international action on agricultural commodities.

The Symposium is expected to help promote consensus on these issues among development stakeholders, including from national and international policy-making circles, attending UNCTAD XI.