making agricultural information and knowledge work for food security in africa
TRANSCRIPT
6th Africa Agriculture Science Week and FARA General Assembly
Justin ChisengaKnowledge & Information Management Officer
FAO Regional Office for Africa, Accra, Ghana
Accra International Conference CentreGhana, 15 – 16 July 2013
Side Event on:Information & Knowledge for Food Security in
Africa
Making Agricultural Information and Knowledge Work for Food
Security in Africa
Presentation Outline• Introduction – Food (In)Security• Food Security Situation in Africa• Political Will• Agricultural Information and Knowledge• Need for Coordination– CAADP– CIARD
• Conclusion
Food Security exists:...when all people, at all times, have physical, social
and economic access to sufficient, safe and nutritious food that meets their dietary needs and food preferences for an active and healthy life.
World Food Summit, 1996
Food Security - dimensions:
• Physical AVAILABILITY of food• Economic and physical ACCESS• Food UTLIZATION• STABILITY of availability, access
and utilization
Food Insecurity exists:
• When food is not available, when individuals or households lack the means to access it, when it is not available all the time and when individuals or households are unable to consume it UNECA, AU, AfDB & UNDP, 2013
• Hunger is an element of food insecurity
Food Security Situation in Africa• Lowest average value of food production of any
region (1990 – 2010)• Net food importer• Low rural incomes• High rates of malnutrition• About 240 million hungry people (almost 25% of
total population)• World’s most food insecure continent
Food Security in Africa - Challenges
• Ineffective regional and global responses
• Underdeveloped agriculture• Lack of modernization• Chronic poverty• Lack political focus
[UNECA, AU, AfDB & UNDP, 2013]
Food Security Situation in Africa…
Africa is off track...
Slow progress on the health MDGs
Political will
Strong leadership and political will be critical determinants of success in eradicating hunger from Africa
High Level Meeting of African and International Leaders 29 June – 1 July 2013 Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
Agric Knowledge and Information
...several other factors, including agricultural knowledge and
information, also come into play
Knowledge and InformationThe farmers and the people who support
them need agricultural knowledge and information for sustainable food security
[van Crowder, 1998]
Knowledge and Information…Knowledge and information are important factors
for accelerating agricultural development by increasing agricultural production and improving marketing and distribution
[Bertolini, 2012]
Knowledge and Information – focusing on:
• Crop production• Post-harvesting techniques• Livestock production• Marketing
• Water & irrigation management
• Climate change & Environmental issues
• Rural development economics
Sources of knowledge
Farmers Agriculture research organizations Governments and government agencies International development organizations International and local non-state actors Private sector
• Agricultural knowledge, research development ideas and best practices come from different sources:
Sources of knowledge… Challenges
• Poor information/knowledge sharing• Lack of/inadequate access to best practices at continental
level• Low level of networking and partnerships at continental
level
General absence of institutional and national ICM policies and strategies
Need for Coordinated Efforts
• Information and knowledge initiatives to address the food security and hunger situation on the continent MUST exist within [national], regional and global frameworks
Regional Initiatives: CAADP & FARA
• Comprehensive Africa Agriculture Development Programme
• July 2003, Maputo, Mozambique• To improve livelihoods, food security, and
environmental resilience in Africa
CAADP Pillars
• Pillar I - Extending the area under sustainable land management and reliable water control systems
• Pillar II - Improving rural infrastructure and trade-related capacities for improved market access
CAADP Pillars…
• Pillar III - Increasing food supply and reducing hunger
• Pillar IV - Agricultural research, technology dissemination and adoption
CAADP Pillar IV• Strategy for increasing agricultural productivity
by revitalizing, expanding and reforming Africa’s agricultural research, technology dissemination and adoption systems
[FARA, 2011]
• FARA leads implementation of CAADP Pillar IV
• Partnership of organizations involved in:– Agricultural innovation– Opening access to agricultural information– Development assistance
Coherence in Information for Coherence in Information for Agricultural Research for DevelopmentAgricultural Research for Development
A Global MovementA Global Movement
• CIARD partners create coherence by:(a) coordinating their efforts(b) promoting common formats, (c) adopting open systems and standards
Coherence in Information for Coherence in Information for Agricultural Research for DevelopmentAgricultural Research for Development
A Global MovementA Global Movement
• 5th FARA General Assembly endorsed CIARD and recommended to:
Coherence in Information for Coherence in Information for Agricultural Research for DevelopmentAgricultural Research for Development
A Global MovementA Global Movement
advocate for more coherent approaches to knowledge sharing and communication of the outputs of agricultural research and support development of national capacities for all types of stakeholders
Conclusion• There should be synergy between farmers, researchers and policy
markers
• There is need for participatory knowledge systems to facilitate sharing of innovations widely and equitably
Conclusion…
• Agricultural information and knowledge for food security must be accessible to all
Especially to the farmers and poor families who are the most affected
