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Overcoming Policy Constraints

Overcoming Policy Constraints to Achieve National Agriculture and Food Security Investment Plans Shenggen Fan Director General | International Food Policy Research Institute. Agriculture Policy Exchange and Learning Event Dakar, Senegal | May 16, 2013. Key messages.

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Overcoming Policy Constraints

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  1. Overcoming Policy Constraints to Achieve National Agriculture and Food Security Investment Plans Shenggen FanDirector General | International Food Policy Research Institute Agriculture Policy Exchange and Learning Event Dakar, Senegal | May 16, 2013

  2. Key messages • African economies and agriculture are rapidly being transformed, but progress is uneven • Weak policymaking and research capacities, and poor data are key constraints • Strengthening capacities is essential for meeting agricultural investment targets

  3. Rapid transformation of economies and agriculture,but progress is uneven

  4. Rapid economic growth Real GDP per capita, SSA Foreign direct investment net inflows, SSA Source: ERS, USDA 2012 Source: WorldBank2013 Average annual real GDP/capita growth, SSA, 2008-2012 (%) • Large opportunities also from • Agriculture • Natural resources • Urbanization… Source: ERS, USDA 2012

  5. Accelerating agricultural growth Average annual agricultural growth, SSA Value of agriculture and food exports, developing Africa Source: UNCTAD 2013 Source: World Bank 2013 • New initiatives for agricultural transformation e.g. • Agricultural Transformation Agency in Ethiopia; Agricultural transformation agenda in Nigeria

  6. BUT poverty and undernutrition remain high Number and prevalence of poverty, SSA Prevalence of micronutrient deficiencies, Africa Source: Ravallion (2013) Number and prevalence of undernourishment in SSA • Vitamin A-deficiency • Over 30% of preschool age children • Anemia • 60% of pregnant women Source: HarvestPlus 2011 Source: FAOSTAT 2013

  7. 10% CAADP investment target remains largely unmet Average annual agriculture expenditure share in total spending, 2003-2010 (%) Source: Benin (IFPRI) 2013 • Only 8 countries have met CAADP 10% investment target • 26 countries have signed investment plans

  8. Agricultural R&D spending is volatile Agricultural R&D spending volatility, 2000-08 Source: Beintema et al. 2012

  9. AND many barriers to overall progress remain (policy related) • Dominance of ideology over evidence in policymaking • Emphasis on short-term agric. investments (e.g. subsidies) over long-term investments (e.g. R&D) • Limited cooperation among countries in e.g. • Agricultural research and technology development • Infrastructure development • Trade policy • Limited network of researchers, policy analysts, and policymakers

  10. Weak policymaking and research capacities, and poor data are key constraints

  11. Policymaking capacities remain weak • Weak capacity in policymaking and strategy formulation • Weak capacity in setting investment priorities and designing investment plans • Inadequate support for research for improved policymaking • Underinvestment in monitoring and evaluation Evidence-based policymaking is critical

  12. Research capacity challenges are high • Lack of critical mass of well-qualified researchers • Long-term public sector recruitment restrictions • Senior research staff retirement without clear line of succession • Low salaries and conditions of service in public agricultural R&D institutes • High staff turn over and “brain drain” • Limited in-country post-graduate training opportunities • Low levels of female participation in research

  13. Large variation in food policy research capacity Publications per full-time equivalent analysts/researchers with PhD equivalent, 2007-11 Full-time equivalent analysts/researchers with PhD equivalent per million rural population, 2011 Source: Babu and Dorosh (IFPRI) 2013

  14. Reliable and timely data is limited • Lack of investments in physical and statistical infrastructure including ICTs and national and sub-national offices • Limited incentives to build up human resource capacity for data collection and analysis • Dearth of data to understand changing agricultural environment • Inadequate feedback from data users

  15. Strengthening capacities is essential for meeting agric. investment targets

  16. 1. Strengthen research and policymaking capacities • Improve capacities for strategy formulation, policy design, and implementation • Create incentives and opportunities to attract and retain best talents e.g. on-the-job training, merit-based promotion • Increase support for policy research • Invest in monitoring and evaluation systems • Foster partnerships between national agric. research systems and int’l ones, incl. CGIAR

  17. IFPRI: Strengthening policymaking capacities Africa Wide (ReSAKSS) Support for CAADP • Provide analysis, data, and tools for evidence-based decision making • Improve awareness of role or agriculture • Fill knowledge gaps • Promote dialogue • Facilitate benchmarking and review processes

  18. Country Strategic Analysis and Knowledge Support System (SAKSS) nodes Objective: strengthen national capacity for policy analysis, dialogue and review Country SAKSS nodes to be established include: • Burkina Faso, Benin, Cameroon, Ethiopia, Kenya, the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), Malawi, Niger, South Africa, Tanzania, Zambia, and Zimbabwe

  19. IFPRI: Strengthening policymaking capacities (AGRODEP) • Promote access to and use of state-of-the art modeling tools • Facilitate access to data, improve data quality, bridge data gaps • Support collaboration among leading African scientists • Build dynamic research community that can respond to needs of CAADP’s agenda Key components: Shared modeling infrastructure, common database platform, network of experts, community of practitioners

  20. IFPRI: Supporting development of country strategies • Ethiopia Strategy Support Program • Research: e.g. agricultural growth options and prioritization of public investment; determinants of food price shocks • Capacity strengthening: e.g. economic modeling tools training such as GIS, CGE, micro-econometrics • Ghana Strategy Support Program • Research: e.g. options for enhancing rural and urban linkages; analysis of fertilizer marketing and pricing • Capacity strengthening: survey and data management technical assistance to Ghana Ministry of Food and Agriculture • Nigeria Strategy Support Program • Research:e.g. drivers of public investments; improvements in commodity value chains; • Capacity strengthening: e.g. research-cum-training and training courses

  21. 2. Accelerate investment in national statistical systems • Increase investments in statistical and physical infrastructure incl. ICTs, statistical software, and national and regional offices • Increase knowledge and learning on the changing landscape of agriculture • Expand and strengthen statistical training at high-school and university levels • Promote transparent codes of conduct on data collection and analysis • Beef up public knowledge and awareness campaigns on the benefits of evidence-based decision-making

  22. In conclusion Evidence-based policymaking and strong national capacities are crucial for achieving food and nutrition security

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