Agricultural Development and Food Security in sub-Saharan Africa

1. AgriculturalDevelopment and Food Security in sub-Saharan Africa W. Kidane Policy Assistance Division, FAO Brussels, 2-5 May 2006

2. Food Security in sub-Saharan Africa

3. Food Security in sub-Saharan Africa Number of Food Emergency Cases in Africa

4. THE PROBLEM • 186 million Africans are going hungry today and projected to worsen over the next two decades • Nearly half live on less than $1 a day - lower than three decades ago • Poor performance of agriculture lies at the heart of the problem

5. THE PROBLEM • Very disappointing performance in recent decades: • About 13 percent of the world population - produces only 7 percent of total maize output, 6 percent of wheat and 3 percent of rice. • Increased reliance on food aid and commercial imports; Africa receives a third of world’s total food aid cereals

6. Share in World Agricultural Export

7. Absence of Conducive policy environment and Institutional framework Public sector support in SSA for agricultural development inadequate weak institutional capacities and political commitments; Macroeconomic environment often unstable Legislative framework is either weak or missing Agriculture related institutions generally ill-equipped to formulate, and implement, policies/strategies; Farmers’ Organizations involvement in policy not visible; inexistent, limited capacity, politically restricted .

8. Political Instability and Conflicts • Correlation between political stability and poor economic performance evident: Eritrea, Liberia, Guinea Bissau, Burundi and Democratic Republic of Congo worst performers; • Budget diversion • Diversion of human capital including labour, • high investment risk, • Agriculture looses more

9. Irrigation Africa Vs Other Regions of the World

10. Soil Fertility Mgmt. • low input and low output technology Avg cereal yield 1.3 and 1.4 tons/hectare • Fertilizer application lowest and declining 35 Kg/ha in 1980s, 26 kg in 1990s

11. Yield Comparison

12. Financing Agriculture • Budgetary allocation is low and declining over the years: ca 5% 1990/91 to 3.5% in 2001/02 • Decreasing ODA flow • Total US$ 3.94 bln 1985-94 to US$2.8 1995 to 2002 (- 29 percent ) • Per capita $32 in 1990 to US$19 in 1998 • agriculture often loses in budgetary support

13. Lessons from outside SSA • Technical and development assistance only effective if: • Peace and stability • Accountability and transparency (Governance) • Political commitment supported by political action • Sense of ‘I can do it’ at institutional and individual citizen level • Diversification starting with crops and expanding into manufacturing and the service sectors • Adequate public support  market development, research and extension services, credit, etc. and budgetary allocation • Macroeconomic and price stability

14. NEPAD – Agr Programme • African Initiative to Revitalize Agriculture and food Security • Comprehensive Africa Agriculture Development Programme (CAADP) prepared by FAO and approved by African Heads of State and Government in Maputo in July 2003 • Total Budget of around US$250 Billion • Progress so far limited

15. Role of Farmers’ Organizations in NEPAD and Policy Dialogue • Needs for active engagement in policy dialogue to ensure implementation of NEPAD and increase of budget to 10% for agriculture • Provisions exist for more support to smallholder farmers under WTO Agreement on Agriculture • Farmers’ Organization can play an important role in both the above.

16. THANK YOU