Dr. Sarah A. H Olembo, Technical expert andadvisor-SPS and Food safety ,
RURAL ECONOMY and AGRICULTURE,
AFRICAN UNION COMMISSION
ADDIS ABABA, ETHIOPIA
AGRICULTURE AT CROSSROADS –Global challenges to food securityunder increasing environmental stresses:
Agro-ecology as a response .
Stockholm, Sweden, 8 Sept, 2011
1.Introduction-AU-DREA ‘s Comprehensive African AgriculturalDevelopment Program (CAADP)
2.Some reflections on different strategies on food security forsmall scale farming systems in Africa ie agro-ecology and itsrationale for food security in the wake of Global climatechange.
3. Conclusions
Overview of my Presentation
1)AUC-DREA’s Mission is: “To work withMember States, RECs, African Institutions,Civil Society and development partners tostrengthen the agricultural sector, ruraleconomies and the environment in order toimprove the livelihoods of the African peopleand ensure food security”
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1.AU-DREA ‘s CAADP- The place of agro-ecology.
2). AUC-DREA’s Vision is: “A transformedAfrican agriculture that provides the basis forcontinental sustainable growth andprosperity, food security and povertyreduction, reinforced by prudentmanagement of the environment and naturalresources including proactive responses toclimate change
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4). CAADP has 4 pillars and responsibilities in:
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1.Extending the area under sustainable landmanagement and reliable water controlsystems;
2.Improving rural infrastructure and trade-related capacities for market access;
3.Increasing food supply, reducing hunger,
4.Agricultural research, technologydissemination and adoption
CAADP’s Pillar 3, for example, recognizes theneed to direct agricultural developmenttowards the most vulnerable populations forthem to benefit from economic growth.
2.Some reflections on different strategiesfor agriculture and food security inAfrica in the context of climate change,The challenges:
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THE CHALLENGES
1). In most developing countries, agricultureaccounts for between 20-60 %GDP, andemploys up to 65% of the labour force,providing a livelihood for approximately 2.6billion people globally. Despite increased worldfood production in the last decades, the globaleffort to meet the MDG of reducing hunger byhalf by 2015 now appears beyond reach. Infact the number of people suffering fromchronic hunger has increased from 800 millionin 1996 to over a million recently.
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CHALLENGES contd
2.Global warming poses significant threats toagricultural production and trade, andconsequently increases the risks of malnutritionand extreme hunger , Preliminary projections to2080 suggest a decline of some 15-20% ofagricultural productivity in most climatechange-exposed developing country regions :sub-Saharan Africa and South Asia. For somecountries in these regions. a total agriculturalproduction could decline by 50%
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2). Challenges contd
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Africa’s agriculture and especially the ruraleconomies majority of who are the small scalefarmers, face the multiple challenges ofachieving food security, mitigating and adaptingto climate change, as well as developing theinstitutional and policy challenges associatedwith these.
The Thika concept and initiative (May 2011) onagro ecology therefore proposes to contributeto addressing the above challenges and
To scale up ecologically sound strategies andpractices among diversified stakeholders throughinstitutional capacity development, scientificinnovations, market participation, public policies andprograms, outreach and communication, efficient,coordination, networking and partnerships in responseto the African Heads of States’ decision, as a valueaddition to CAADP.
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Conclusions
1)There is an URGENT need to increase financial support to programs thatimprove the livelihoods especially of millions of small-holder farmers inAfrica, the majority of whom depend only on agro-ecological systems asthe only means for household food security, and as the only means out ofpoverty.
2)International development cooperation needs to re-focus on agriculturewhose share as a portion of ODA flows declined sharply from a high of18% in 1979 to 3-4 % recent years. Much of this fund should go toimprovements in agro-ecology, agricultural extension and advisoryservices to support national, regional and global policy and developmentagenda, and particularly to support small-holder producers, includingresource poor farmers and women, to assist their capacities for buildingself-reliance for agro ecology in Africa.
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Conclusions contd
3) Agriculture through agro-ecology has the potential ofbecoming part of the solution to reinstate stableparts of the environment that have long beenassociated with security, warmth, food; and forproviding life in its fullest colours during theevolution of the species.
4) To reinstate degraded lands and landscapes, andcontribute to mitigating and adapting to climatechange, to ensure the survival of the marginalisedsmall scale farmers in Africa;-who form the majorityof farmers and of whom 80% are women; and toachieve the MDG1 of ensuring food security for all, isto enlist agro- ecology and to include it in alldiscussions on food security in Africa.
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