Unleashing Zambia’s Irrigation Potential

A powerful pump can enable farmers to use sprinklers, drastically reducing the amount of labor they need to water their crops. Photo: J. Ronzio (IWMI).

“Agricultural technologies are really at the heart of food productivity growth,” Claudia Ringler from the International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI) argued last year.
Nevertheless, irrigation technologies remain something of a rarity in many parts of Africa. As pressure mounts on Africa’s farmers to produce more food, greater numbers are looking to technology to deliver higher yields and increased incomes.
Improved irrigation, in particular, would greatly increase crop production. In many areas of Africa there is plenty of water, but farmers lack the resources to access it outside of the rainy season.
Zambia is a case in point: it has huge irrigation potential, but three quarters of small-scale farmers still rely on bucket irrigation. Use of motorized pumps could transform this situation, so why aren’t more farmers using them already?

Without a doubt, there are a number of factors preventing the uptake of irrigation technologies. Supplying farmers with pumps is one of them, and it is a problem that deserves closer attention. So far, astonishingly little consideration has been given to  supply chain and how it might influence the development of mechanized irrigation.
Centralization is the limiting factor
A recent study conducted by the International Water Management Institute (IWMI) found that the supply chain for motorized pumps in Zambia is limited as goods and services are highly centralized in the capital Lusaka and only a few other urban centers. Most rural smallholders, of course, live far from these urban areas.
The study revealed that information about pump costs and maintenance is scarce. Prices of pumps can vary widely, but smallholder farmers are rarely in the know and thus can’t take advantage of the fluctuations. They are essentially isolated from the supply chain, and lack of information prevents them from having an influence on the processes.
IWNI researcher Barbara van Koppen says that these oversights could be addressed by improving smallholders’ access to products and information. “However, decentralization is not a feasible business plan for retailers. This is where farmer cooperatives and unions could be highly effective,” asserts van Koppen.
Turning towards farmer unions
The strength of farmer unions such as the Zambian National Farm Union is that they are usually decentralized. This fact puts them in the perfect position to unlock each component of the supply chain. For instance, they could negotiate with a supplier to bring in pumps at a discounted bulk price–an option potentially favorable to both supplier and farmer.
But why stop there? Well managed farmers’ associations could easily import pumps themselves. They could also provide information on the range of different pumps available, where to buy them, and for how much. By arranging for a supply of spare parts, individual farmers could be spared from traveling long distances to acquire them. What’s more, associations could explore the willingness of retailers to train local mechanics in maintenance and repair.
It’s a long list, but ultimately we need to mobilize farmer cooperatives and unions to be the driving force behind the rapid implementation of private irrigation.
This blog post is based on a story appearing on the IWMI website.
Blogpost by Anna Deinhard, IWMI Communications Fellow and a social reporter at AASW6.

Opening Young Minds to Africa’s Agriculture – How the 6th AASW connects the dots

Youth: the future of Africa’s agricultural development is in your hands!

“Africa now needs desperately to redesign its self-image, create an environment of peace and stability and plan a new science-led future appropriate to its culture, needs and aspirations. In essence, it must become Africa-centered.”

Thomas R.Odhiambo, 1993

The forthcoming 6th Africa Agriculture Science Week (AASW) comes at an opportune time for Africa. The event poises the continent to surpass earlier generations in terms of transformation, innovation and leadership agenda. Great minds converging in Accra, Ghana will seek to refine ways and means to bring agricultural progress into our circles of influence. Hence, to connect science and agriculture at this high-level platform of thinkers and practitioners fits well as a way to capture young farmers’ realities and the opportunities for young agriculturalists in everyday life.

Connecting dots, starting from “the first African Agriculturalists”

The older generation recognizes the need to equip young minds with appropriate skills and knowledge to be tomorrow’s scientists and agricultural leaders. In fact, a large number of the challenges in agriculture and farming that will need to be resolved by 2050, will need to be met by today’s youth [i].

The same is echoed in a statement by Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) Director-General Jose Graziano da Silva [ii] at the “Innovative Ideas to Feed the World” recently organised by FAO interns. He noted that “the event brought together three important ideas: young professionals, innovative ideas and feeding the world. The three ideas that are not always connected. The biggest contribution young professionals can give, is to bring the three ideas together.”

Harvard-based professor, Calestous Juma in his McGrill Honorary Doctoral Address (“A Plea for Agricultural Innovation” [iii]) asserts that “addressing today’s challenges require a more balanced view that must be guided by evidence. But more importantly, it requires an optimistic outlook that recognizes the power of human creativity in responding to global challenges”. By pursuing careers in the field of gathering science-based evidence, youths can play a role in the science agenda.

The late eminent scientist, Thomas R. Odhiambo in his paper “The role of science in the development of Africa” [iv], noted “there is a need on opening young minds to new ideas and images, rather than on the accumulation of facts and information”.
It is not an underestimation that youth needs extensive knowledge and skills to be able to engage effectively in Africa’s agricultural transformation both with the public and the clientele.

The new generation

The first generation of African agriculturalists has by and large retired, and their successors -the second generation of researchers and their teachers- are often discouraged by poor conditions of service and the low return rate from overseas of many young academics [v].

It is refreshing then to note of efforts to halt the brain drain of Africa’s young scientists [vi]. A case in point of Ghana’s young scientist Michael Osei who is carrying out research to address Africa’s pressing needs. Michael Osei works in his home country albeit with a network of research associates from abroad. As Michael, youths should be compelled to pick their niche in their home country and draw from the abundant options that now exist offered by development institutions.

In a few weeks time, the Forum for Agricultural Research in Africa (FARA) will showcase Ghana’s success on the Millennium Development Goal Number 1. More opportunities for engagement with youths are still abound. The global development era has become an all important choice to either: reform to engage youths or stand to be run over by the transformation wagon traversing the continent.

Young minds should take advantage of 6th AASW. I encourage youths to invest time studying Africa’s agricultural history, the constraints the continent faces, the advances made across agricultural disciplines, and its growing pool of expertise. Sweeping through Africa’s long agricultural trace, youths can connect the dots between the various players in the agricultural value chain.

A glimpse into Africa’s future hints that it is bright given a well-trained and disciplined young agricultural workforce.

My own experience

In order to keep the 6th AASW momentum going, here I trace my own agricultural footprints with the objective to motivate and inspire youths from across the globe: It is possible to thrive in agriculture!

I have five years of work and study experience from Zimbabwe, Taiwan, Kenya, Ghana and Mozambique. I hold a BSc degree in Agriculture and Natural Resources (2007) from Africa University of Zimbabwe with an Animal Science Major. My professional interests are ruminant nutrition (livestock), agricultural research for development (AR4D/Ag4Dev), extension and sustainable agriculture, with a focus on the African continent.

Soon after graduation, I started off my agricultural career in the province of Nampula, Mozambique. There, I acquired hands-on skills in integrated poultry production and feed mill operations working in several organizations: New Horizons, Gani Comercial Limitada and World Relief Mozambique.

I returned home to serve in the government of Zimbabwe as an agricultural extension worker in February 2008 in the Department of Agricultural and Technical Extension Services (Agritex). Thereafter, I worked at ward level (Buhera district), district level (Mutare and Buhera), provincial level (Mutare), and at national level (Harare) as a dairy livestock specialist.

Currently, I work as a dairy specialist in the Department of Livestock and Veterinary Services under the Division of Livestock Production and Development (DLPD) within the Ministry of Agriculture, Mechanisation and Irrigation Development of Zimbabwe.

In my free time, I enjoy science communication and volunteer work with the Zimbabwe Farmers Union / GiZ (German Agency for International Cooperation) Young Farmers Clubs. I am also the country representative for the Young Professionals in Agricultural Research for Development (YPARD).

References:

[i] Ajit Maru (2013). The Near Future of Agriculture: Opportunities for the Youth. Global Forum of Agricultural Research Secretariat, Rome Italy.

[ii] Food and Agriculture Organization (2013). A statement by FAO Director General Jose Graziano da Silva – 21 May 2013. Young Professionals Conference: Innovative Ideas to Feed the World Opening Speech.

[iii] Calestous Juma (2013). A Plea for Agricultural Innovation –Honorary Degree Acceptance Speech, McGrill University, Montreal Canada June 3, 2013.

[iv] Thomas R. Odhiambo (1993). The role of science in the development of Africa. Technical Center for Rural and Agricultural Cooperation (CTA) Special Paper. CTA Annual Report. Wageningen The Netherlands.

[v] InterAcademy Council. (2006). Realizing the promise and potential of African agriculture. The Netherlands.

[vi] CTA. (2013). Halting the brain drain of young researchers: Interview with Michael Osei of Ghana. Spore magazine. Technical Center for Rural and Agricultural Cooperation (CTA), the Netherlands.

On the picture:
Front row: Right to left – Raymond Erick Zvavanyange (with glasses), Ana Crespo (with neck scarf of Germany Agency for International Cooperation, GiZ) and youths involved in poultry and goat projects (names available on request).
Back row: Right to left – Agritex extension officer and mentor in ZFU/Cotton Training Center/GiZ Young Farmers Clubs project (with hat) and Mr. Machaka (3rd standing – Zimbabwe Farmers Union, ZFU) Picture courtesy Raymond Erick Zvavanyange

Blogpost by Raymond Erick Zvavanyange, uploaded by Robert Kibaya, two of the AASW social reporters.

www.aasw6.wordpress.com

FARA Lauds New Australian Food Security Research Center

Dec 6, 2012 by Idowu Ejere 

The launch of the Australian International Food Security Centre (AIFSC) last month ushered in a new momentum in north-south partnership for development. The aim of the AIFSC is to work though collaborative partnerships to help understand and overcome barriers to innovation uptake in order to increase agricultural productivity, income generation and food security. The forum is the first time that such a high level delegation of African Agriculture Ministers, bureaucrats, researchers, policy makers and extensionists will come together with Australian counterparts to focus on issues related to food security in Africa and the important role that Australia can play.

Source: Eric McGaw, FARA Executive Director of FARA , Monty Jones and Chairman of the FARA Board Tiemoko Yo inspecting a FARA-AfDB (DONATA) project potato field in Rwanda

The in Africa: Bridging Research and Practice" was opened by Senator Bob Carr, the Australian Minister of Foreign Affairs who announced  a $15 million partnership with Canada for agricultural research into improving food security for expectant mothers and children under five in sub-Saharan Africa to address Africa's high rates of stunted growth in children under five.

According to Senator Carr, "More than a quarter of sub-Saharan Africans – around 234 million people – will suffer from a lack of nutrition this year, under-nourishment is particularly acute among expectant mothers and young children in east and southern Africa. This research will focus on the needs of these women and children by examining ways to improve water use and reduce the post-harvest loss of crops from drought."

Also speaking at the high level international form ushering in the new Centre, the Executive Director of the Forum for Agricultural research in Africa (FARA), Professor Monty Jones lauded the efforts of the Australian Government in supporting agricultural development in Africa while maintaining that the main cause of food insecurity in Africa is low productivity levels which has caused food shortages and hindered production from keeping pace with population growth. 

According to Jones “to put the African food security problem in the context of developments elsewhere in the world, from 1963 -2010, food production per capital fell by 13% in sub-Saharan Africa but rose 44% in Asia and 48% in South America, even where food is available, million cannot access or afford it because of underdeveloped markets and weak infrastructure.”

Speaking on behalf of the CGIAR, Karen Brooks Director of the CGIAR research programme on policies, institutions and markets spoke on how pro-poor policies, inclusive institutions and markets can improve food security, create jobs, raise incomes and generally improve livelihoods for smallholders and women.

Mellissa Wood, Director of the CHOGM Australia noted that “African farmers manage complex systems, often in drought prone areas with risky market access; many Australian farmers operate under similar conditions and are some of the most innovative and successful in the world. She noted that a blueprint for improving African agriculture has been developed (Comprehensive African Agriculture Development Programme, CAADP) existed and iterated the AIFSC's  support to this initiative. 

Policy makers present at the event included the Ministers of agriculture from Burundi, Ethiopia, Kenya, Malawi, Mozambique and Rwanda. Also present was the African Union Commissioner for rural economy and agriculture.

The new Centre will build on Australian farmers’ and researchers’ ingenuity and success, as well as strong partnerships in Africa to identify innovative strategies to improve food security. The Centre’s partnership with Canada is part of more than $500 million in long-term Australian commitments to African development. Recent outcomes include new livestock vaccines for East Africa; tools, fertilizer and seeds to support 376 000 Zimbabwe farmers and improved harvest conditions for 500,000 African maize farmers.

The Sustainable Development Report on Africa

The Economic Commission for Africa (UNECA) has released the second edition of its flagship publication, the Sustainable Development Report on Africa (SDRA), as the 16th Session of the Commission on Sustainable Development (CSD 16) opened in New York on Monday 5th of May.

Almost 60 ministers attended the 16th Session of the CSD which took place from 14-16 May, along with 680 representatives from 126 nongovernmental organizations (NGOs). Representatives from civil society, including women, farmers, science, business, children and youth, local authorities, workers and trade unions, indigenous peoples and nongovernmental organizations participated far more extensively than in the past.

The edition of the Sustainable Development Report on Africa (SDRA) was devoted to a five-year review of the implementation of the World Summit on Sustainable Development Outcomes in Africa (WSSD+5). CSD16 will address the following thematic issues: Agriculture, Rural Development, Land, Droughts, Desertification and Africa.

SDRA is chaired by Francis Nhema, Zimbabwe's Minister of Environment and Tourism.

Resources:

• The Sustainable Development Report on Africa Download SDRA here
• Backgrounder: The Food Crisis and Sustainable Development
• A press briefing was held on Tuesday, 6 May on Agriculture, Drought & Desertification; and on Friday 9 May on Africa.
• The last press briefing in this series was held on Tuesday, 13 May on the topic of Water and Sanitation.
• UN sustainable development forum ends with call for more investment in research 16/05

Note:
The Commission on Sustainable Development was launched by the UN General Assembly in December 1992, with the purpose of securing the effective implementation and follow-up of the decisions from the UN Conference on Environment and Development, including the "Land Summit" or "Rio Summit". Grouping 53 member states, the commission is a functional organ of the Economic and Social Council of the United Nations that has been meeting every year since June 1993.

Participants at the 16th Session of the CSD also elected Gerda Verburg, the Minister of Agriculture, Nature and Food Quality in the Netherlands, as the next chair of the CSD – the first time that the subsidiary body of ECOSOC will be led by a woman.

Agriculture and the Third High-Level Forum on Aid Effectiveness in Accra in September 2008

A paper produced by ODI (April 2008) sets out areas requiring focused attention in the run-up to Accra 2008.

The 2005 Paris Declaration on Aid Effectiveness will be reviewed at the Third High-Level Forum on Aid Effectiveness in Accra in September 2008. The Paris Declaration establishes operating principles for donors and recipient governments to improve the effectiveness of aid.

These include government leadership of the development process, a focus on policy results, greater alignment by donors with national policies and management systems, harmonisation between donors with division of labour, and mutual accountability for development results.

These principles are broadly sound for guiding development cooperation with national governments. However, they do not help in addressing the challenges arising in certain areas of assistance.

In agriculture, the overwhelmingly private nature of agricultural activities, the roles of non-governmental service providers, the significance of context and the cross-sectoral dimension of policy challenges are some of the reasons why development cooperation in that sector struggles to comply with the Paris principles.

New network seeks to break down science barriers

Scientific organisations and researchers working in developing countries will be brought together through a network to be launched later this year.

The programme, Scientists Without Borders, is an initiative of the New York Academy of Sciences. It seeks to integrate the efforts of the scientific and health community to address global health, agriculture and energy challenges in accordance with the Millennium Development Goals.

The Academy has chosen Africa as the starting continent, with Ghana as the pilot country. As much information as possible is being extracted from Ghana to serve as a "proof of principle" for what the database will eventually look like.

Reference: Scidev

AAAS - Annual Meeting 2008

14-18 February • Boston. Each year FARA participates at the AAAS Annual Meeting. Science and technology professionals - from across disciplines and around the world-gather to discuss new research, emerging trends, and exciting new possibilities.

The American Association for the Advancement of Science, "Triple A-S" (AAAS), is an international non-profit organization dedicated to advancing science around the world by serving as an educator, leader, spokesperson and professional association. In addition to organizing membership activities, AAAS publishes the journal Science, as well as many scientific newsletters, books and reports, and spearheads programs that raise the bar of understanding for science worldwide.

Science and Technology from a Global Perspective emphasizes the power of science and technology as well as education to assist less-developed segments of the world society, to improve partnerships among already-developed countries, and to spur knowledge-driven transformations across a host of fields.

With more than 150 symposia as well as plenary and topical lectures and a variety of special events to choose from, Boston is the place to be from 14-18 February for anyone with a passion for science or a desire to meet the world's leading experts. View the full program.

Events will be held in the Hynes Convention Center, the Sheraton Boston, and the Boston Marriott Copley Place, conveniently located in the heart of Boston's historic Back Bay.

Knowledge Sharing and Knowledge Management in Latin America and the Caribbean

The new KM4Dev journal edition entitled “Knowledge sharing and knowledge management in Latin America and the Caribbean (Part I)” is now on-line at www.km4dev.org/journal (click on CURRENT on the top of the page).

This is the first part of a double-back issue focused on experiences in Knowledge Sharing and Knowledge Management from Latin America and The Caribbean.The two parts contain three contributions from CGIAR Centers and many articles related to the agricultural sector.

First scientific meeting of the Global Cassava

First Scientific meeting of the Global Cassava Partnership - GCP-I, in Ghent, Belgium July 21-25, 2008.

The Global Cassava Partnership (GCP) was formed unanimously in 2003 by 45 institutions throughout the world, under the umbrella of the Global Cassava Development Strategy (GCDS) of IFAD/FAO.

GCP is the organization dealing with the international cassava research and development community (R&D) and is now assuming the traditional roles of the former CBN. GCP is, first and foremost, the focal advocacy platform for global cassava issues, and it leverages cassava R&D through:

• Facilitating discourse amongst key cassava stakeholders - farmers, end-users, researchers, and donor agencies;
• Organizing scientific and technical meetings;
• Collective seeking of funding opportunities;
• Catalyzing the overcome of major bottlenecks such as cassava genomics…

More information on Casavanet: Casavanet wish to bring as much information as possible together in once place and to make this accessible to a worldwide audience of laypersons and specialists. The goal is to provide an interactive portal for knowledge concerning cassava, thereby improving access and links to information which can increase the understanding of the crop. Casavanet's ultimate aim is that facilitating access and exchange of information will contribute to the well-being of cassava farmers throughout the tropics.

Related:

Non-food uses of Cassava

Cassava is multifaceted crop that is finding many industrial applications, worldwide. Some of the current applications include; adhesives, corrugated boards, gums, wallpaper, foundry, well drilling, paper industry, textile industry, wood furniture, particle board, biofuels, alcohol products, dusting powders, drugs, plastics, packaging, stain remover, concrete stabilizer and moisture sequester. Key words: cassava, multifaceted crop, industrial applications, non-food uses

Water for food, water for life

The International Water Management Institute had 500 scientists examine the water we use for agriculture.

Their report took five years to complete. It found that we will not have enough water to supply global demand for food during the next few decades unless urgent and substantial reforms in water and agriculture are undertaken. Climate change will create this situation more quickly and make it worse. The latest Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change report says that if global average temperature rises by 3C, hundreds of millions of people will be exposed to increased water stress. It provides the wake-up call we all need to start acting on water.

Comprehensive Assessment of Water Management in Agriculture. 2007. Water for Food, Water for Life: A Comprehensive Assessment of Water Management in Agriculture. London: Earthscan, and Colombo: International Water Management Institute.

By Africa, For Africa: Creating Wealth Through Investing in Agriculture.

Upcoming congress scheduled for Uganda next September 2008. Organized by the World Agricultural Forum, the congress aims at bringing together agricultural companies, African government leaders and non-profit organizations to discuss ways of improving crop yields and increasing profits.

New impetus to China-Africa agricultural cooperation

Agricultural cooperation between China and Africa, which dates back to 40 years ago, has seen further development in 2007 with the impetus given by the China- Africa Cooperation Forum Beijing Summit held in November last year.

The Beijing summit has indeed given priority to the Sino- African cooperation in the agricultural sector which, according to Chinese and African leaders, has great potential given the strong complementarities between China and Africa in the agricultural field.Since the mid-1990s, China, through its policy of reform and opening up, has encouraged agricultural firms to "go outside the country" and participate in international competitions in order to accelerate the process of restructuring the Chinese agricultural sector. Many agricultural enterprises, which emerged through the provision of soft loans and favourable policies, have taken charge of various farming projects across the African continent.Suddenly, farms are springing up like mushrooms all over the continent, especially in countries such as Zambia, Gabon, Tanzania, Guinea, Ghana, Niger and Cameroon, where the Chinese companies were very active. --> More information

Agriculture Resources

Agriculture Resources (AgricultureResources.info) is a Subject Tracer™ Information Blog developed and created by the Virtual Private Library™. It is designed to bring together the latest resources and sources on an ongoing basis from the Internet for agriculture resources.
-->More info

The African Food System and its Interactions with Health and Nutrition

Sub-Saharan Africa is facing some of the highest mortality rates in the world as a result of disease and starvation, which is why on Nov. 15 Cornell hosted a conference on the African food system, health and nutrition, bringing together researchers and policy analysts to address the issues.

It was preceded on Nov. 13 by a twin event, co-sponsored by Cornell, at the United Nations in New York City. It was one of five events on Africa that Cornell and the United Nations University have jointly planned for 2007-08.

"Universities have a significant ability to address global inequalities, and
they will make their greatest contributions by focusing on the development of
human capacity," said Cornell President David Skorton, addressing the New York
City group.

The Cornell campus event, "African Food System and Its Interaction with Health and Nutrition Symposium," examined why Africa is lagging in efforts to achieve the U.N.'s 1990 Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) to halve the number of people in the world living with hunger and extreme poverty by 2015. More Africans suffer from these problems today than when the MDG period began in 1990, and the trend continues to worsen, conference organizers stressed.
Read more

How effective is the World Bank's assistance on agriculture in Africa?

The World Bank Independent Evaluation Group (IEG) has released a report on World Bank assistance to agriculture in Sub-Saharan Africa. (October 2007, 204 p.)

This study assesses the development effectiveness of World Bank assistance in addressing constraints to agricultural development in Africa over the period of fiscal years 1991–2006.

In order to effectively support the implementation of the Africa Action Plan and its appropriate focus on agricultural development as a key priority, the study recommends that the Bank:

• focus attention on achieving improvements in agricultural productivity


• increase the quantity and quality of analytical work and ensure that policy advice and lending are grounded in its findings, and rebuild its technical skills


• establish clear benchmarks for measuring progress

A community of practice around the challenges of pro-poor science and technology for agricultural research and development

FARMER FIRST REVISITED:
FARMER PARTICIPATORY RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT TWENTY YEARS ON
Institute of Development Studies, University of Sussex, 12-14 December 2007

The Future Agricultures Consortium in association with the STEPS Centre at Sussex are hosting an international workshop, ‘Farmer First Revisited', at IDS from 12-14 December 2007 to coincide with the 20th anniversary of the original ‘Farmer First' event.

The December 2007 workshop at IDS will be organised around three inter-related themes:
1. Agricultural innovation systems – putting farmers first?
2. Organising agricultural research and development for the 21st century
3. Methodological innovation, personal and organisational change

Expected Outputs and Outcomes: Towards a ‘Pro-Poor Innovation Alliance’

The full workshop outputs, including presentations, papers and proceedings, will be posted on a dedicated web page for the event. In addition, a book will follow in 2008, offering (highly edited) highlights of papers and plenary discussions.

In bringing together a diverse range of participants the aim of this ‘Farmer First Revisited’ event will not only be to spark critical reflection and debate, but also to build a community of practice around the challenges of pro-poor science and technology for agricultural research and development. Such a network – which we have provisionally labelled the ‘Pro-Poor Innovation Alliance’ – can potentially develop as an important player in emerging global initiatives in the field of agricultural research and development, whether in the context of the follow up to the International Assessment of Agricultural Science and Technology for Development (IAASTD), the implementation of the science and technology strategies of the African Union’s NEPAD CAADP agenda or the Gates/Rockefeller Alliance for a Green Revolution in Africa (AGRA).

Building an economic market in Ethiopia: Eleni Gabre-Madhin on TED.com

Economist Eleni Gabre-Madhin outlines her ambitious vision to found the first commodities market in Ethiopia. Her plan would create wealth, minimize risk for farmers and turn the world's largest recipient of food aid into a regional food basket. "There is no place in the world and no time in history that small farmers have had to bear the burden of risk that African farmers bear today," she says. "But I'm not here to lament or wring my hands. I'm here to tell you that change is in the air." (Recorded June 2007 in Arusha, Tanzania. Duration: 20:46.)

Topical issues: Agriculture

The Overseas Development Institute (ODI) in London-UK has posted a set of new resources to complement the release of the World Bank's World Development 2008, Agriculture for Development.

Much of ODI's current work on agriculture takes place in association with partners in the Future Agricultures Consortium. Research focuses on the political economy of policy reform, social protection and agriculture, and pathways of commercialisation for small farmers. Hereafter some references linked to agricultural issues in Africa.
Opinion papers
Funding agriculture: not 'how much?' but 'what for?' (PDF, 146kb)
'Before calling for an increase in the volume of funding to agriculture, we need a better understanding of how resources are being used'
ODI Opinions 86 - October 2007

The first Millennium Development Goal, agriculture and climate change (PDF, 70kb)
'Over 60% of people in sub-Saharan Africa are reliant on agriculture for their income. However, the potential impacts of climate change pose two key questions for current agriculture-led strategies to reduce poverty.'
ODI ODI Opinion 85 - 19 October 2007

Making contract farming work with co-operatives (PDF, 74kb)
A greater focus on strengthening market-orientated producer organisations and dispute-resolution mechanisms between farmers and firms may increase the chances of win-win outcomes from this form of institutional innovation'
ODI Opinion 87 - October 2007

Farm Subsidies: a problem for Africa too (PDF, 66kb)
'The level of farm subsidies in rich countries is now a well-recognised barrier to Africa's development. But are Africa's own farm subsidies also a barrier to development?'
ODI Opinions 47 - September 2005

Growth in African Agriculture (PDF, 56kb)
'Interest in African agriculture is being rekindled after two decades of relative neglect by both governments and donors - and corresponding slow growth of the sector. For most countries, agriculture has to grow if the economy is to develop, if rural poverty is be alleviated. It is now clear that getting the ‘Washington Consensus' conditions right for business may be necessary, but is certainly not sufficient to get agriculture moving. So what more needs to be done?' ODI Opinions 45 - July 2005

ODI Briefing Papers

Climate change, agricultural policy and poverty reduction – how much do we know? (PDF, 166kb) Projections suggest that, by the end of the 21st century, climate change could have had substantial impact on agricultural production and thence on the scope for reducing poverty.
Climate change, agricultural policy and poverty reduction – how much do we know?

The Millennium Villages Project – a new approach to ending rural poverty in Africa? (PDF, 149kb)
Proponents of the Millennium Villages Project argue that the complex problems facing rural development in Africa require a ‘big push’ if substantive progress towards the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) is to be made – and propose the simultaneous introduction of improvements in agriculture, health, transport, energy, technology, telecommunications and internet connectivity, costing US$110 per person per year over 5 years, and funded mainly from aid flows. This paper examines the challenges this initiative faces, and the questions it raises, in its search for ‘quick wins’ to reach the MDGs.
Natural Resource Perspective 101 - August 2006

Narratives of Agricultural Policy in Africa: What Role for Ministries of Agriculture? (PDF, 55kb) Which of the different models for Ministries of Agriculture make sense today.
Future Agricultures Briefing Paper - 2006

The enabling environment for agricultural technology in Sub-Saharan Africa and the potential role of donors (PDF, 34kb)
To improve agricultural technology development in Africa requires strengthening of the enabling environment, including policies, public institutions and regulations. Various types of market failure imply that markets, by themselves, will not elicit the optimum amount of technology for Africa’s farmers. Priorities include more responsive regulations for input supply, support for emerging enterprises, strengthening input marketing, establishing adequate intellectual property protection, and addressing the challenges of biotechnology. Donors can play an important role, but short-term project interventions must give way to longer-term strategies for support to institutions including formal policies and regulations and informal rules and procedures that encourage indigenous organisational innovation.
Natural Resource Perspective 84 - April 2003

You can find more on the ODI agriculture thematic page

World Food day 16th October 2007

The theme for this year’s World Food Day on 16th October is the Right to Food. During this week the World Bank will also be publishing its World Development Report 2008 that focuses this year on Agriculture.

The UK Food Group will be marking World Food Day with a series of member-led seminars, briefings, publication launches and debates. These will describe how food providers should be integrated into decision making processes and could be better supported in order to realise the Right to Food and food sovereignty. This will help to ensure food for the hungry and poor consumers, to secure the livelihoods of small-scale food providers and to sustain local environments, enabling adaptation to climate change.

The UK Food Group is the principal civil society network of organisations concerned with global food and farming issues. It provides a forum for debate on topical issues, conducts research and provides information to members, the public and decision makers. It serves as the BOND working group on these issues and is the UK focal point for relevant regional and international networks and organisations. http://www.ukfg.org.uk/


Defending Farmers and the Right to Food is organised by
Practical Action, Concern UK, Progressio, and Send a Cow.
Tuesday 16 October 2007, 10am - 5.30pm
NCVO, Regent's Wharf, 8 All Saints Street, London N1 9RL

The Global Campaign Against Poverty (GCAP) event follows the next day with 24 hours of action against poverty ‘Stand up Speak out!’ Before the end of the year there will also be the conclusion of the European Economic Partnership Agreement (EPA) negotiations and the publication, later, of the final report of the World Bank’s International Assessment of Agricultural Science and Technology for Development.