The Cracking the Nut conference took place in March 27-28, 2017 at the Royal Orchid Sheraton in Bangkok, Thailand. This conference focused on cracking the tough nuts associated with reinforcing food systems to meet urban demand.
Connexus Corporation worked with USAID, RTI International, CRS, and Chemonics International to organize a two-day learning event, which raised awareness of the changing demographics impacting global demand and supply of food, and highlighted how food systems are transforming, linking rural to urban markets, and responding to changing food preferences, especially in urban areas of developing countries. In 2017, we highlighted the multiple ways in which the private sector, governments, donors and development practitioners are working to improve food security, adjust systems and adapt finance for urban agriculture and sustainable energies.
Cracking the Nut 2017 provided a demand-driven, collaborative learning space where participants shared experiences and best practice information on programs, methodologies, strategies and tools; network to build partnerships; and gained new technical capacities to build the fields of sustainable energy, agriculture, food processing and distribution, and access to finance. This two-day event brought together approximately 300 of the world’s leading industry thought leaders from private sector companies, financial institutions, investors, donors, and development practitioners to discuss “tough nuts” related reinforcing food systems and urban demand.