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Capitol Hill Forum to be held March 3 in Washington, D.C.The Capitol Hill Forum 2009, sponsored by The Association for International Agriculture and Rural Development and various co-sponsors, will be held from 11:30 a.m. to 2 p.m., March 3, in Room B338-339 of the Rayburn House Office Building, Capitol Hill, Washington, D.C. The forum is a free informational and educational event focusing on international agriculture and methods for developing countries to establish sustainable agriculture, organizers said. The title of this year's forum will be "Advancing Agricultural Development and Addressing the Global Food Crisis--Present and Future." This presentation is being held at a critical time as the current world food crisis, coupled with the impact of the global economic crisis, has resulted in nearly one billion people worldwide going hungry, according to organizers. "The forum is a wonderful opportunity for those in the international agricultural development arena to convene and hear from top experts," said Stephanie Curs, assistant director of foreign operations for the Norman Borlaug Institute for International Agriculture, one of the forum's supporting organizations. "The event brings together some of the best minds in international agriculture and helps raise awareness of the importance of bringing greater food security to the world." The Capitol Hill Forum is intended to increase awareness of the critical role of agriculture in worldwide economic development and improved human well-being, organizers said. This year's program will include an overview of the issues, as well as an interactive discussion with experts on global food security. Forum speakers and panelists include: Christopher Delgado, strategy and policy advisor for agriculture and rural development at the World Bank; Rob Paarlberg, representing the Chicago Council on Global Affairs; Josette Lewis, director, Office of Agriculture, U.S. Agency for International Development; Cheryl Morden, director, United Nations International Fund for Agricultural Development/North American Liaison Office; and Devry Boughner, director, international business relations, Cargill. Registration will begin at 11:15 a.m., at which time a complimentary box lunch will be served. Registrants also will receive an electronic copy of the proceedings of this year's forum. Pre-registration online is required. To register, go to http://www.aiard.org.
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