Started in 2011, the Cracking the Nut® conferences are participatory learning events designed to crack the “tough nuts” in international development. Since the beginning of Cracking the Nut®, Connexus has organized 10 conferences throughout the world.
Started in 2011, the Cracking the Nut® conferences are participatory learning events designed to crack the “tough nuts” in international development. Since the beginning of Cracking the Nut®, Connexus has organized ten conferences throughout the world.
Connexus is the organizer of the Cracking the Nut® conferences, which address the “tough nuts” or difficult challenges facing the international development community. This annual conference relies on a mix of private- and public-sector participation to identify innovative approaches that address the most pressing challenges in rural and agricultural development and access to finance. For every conference, Connexus organizes an advisory group to review presentation proposals, and following the conference, Connexus summarizes and disseminates the lessons learned via an online technical publication. To date, Connexus has organized 10 conferences, which have convened more than 2,000 participants from around the world.
Cracking the Nut 2023 took place on June 12-13, 2023 in Washington, DC and provided a demand-driven, collaborative learning space where participants shared experiences and best practices on innovative approaches to reducing risks and supporting rural and agricultural development, while stimulating and incentivizing private sector investment.
Cracking the Nut 2021 took place online on November 15-18, 2021 and provided a demand-driven, collaborative learning space where participants shared experiences and best practices on innovative approaches to expand food production, manage water resources, and generate clean energy in ways that increase rural incomes and improve equitable access to sustainable sources of food, water, and energy.
Cracking the Nut 2019 took place on October 14-15, 2019 in Dakar, Senegal and provided a demand‐driven, collaborative learning space where participants shared experiences and best practices on innovative approaches to expanding agricultural production, increasing rural incomes and the poor’s access to nutritious food and clean water.
Cracking the Nut 2018 took place on June 12-13, 2018 in Antigua, Guatemala and focused on encouraging the uptake of new technologies for agriculture and access to finance, in a way that promotes resilience. Connexus Corporation worked with the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB), Catholic Relief Services (CRS), and Chemonics International to organize a two-day event, which highlighted the broad range of technologies and approaches available to mitigate and adapt to global changes related to rural and agricultural development.
Cracking the Nut 2017 took place on March 27-28, 2017 in Bangkok, Thailand and focused on how to reinforce food systems to meet urban demand. It raised awareness of the changing demographics impacting global demand and supply for food and highlighted how food systems are transforming through linking rural to urban markets and responding to changing food preferences, especially in urban areas.