Fara presedntation at wa organic agriculture congress cotonou 2014

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Wole Fatunbi

Forum for Agricultural Research in Africa

The Role of FARA in Advancing Ecological and Organic Agriculture in Africa

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Why Ecological Agriculture is suitable for Africa

• 4 out of 10 Africans survive on less < US $1 per day

• Number of poor has increased by 50% in last 14 years

• In the last seven years more than 50% of the countries that required food emergencies were found in Africa

• Acute food insecurity currently affects 38 million people in Africa

Food and nutritional security remains a major challenge in Africa.

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State of Food and Nutritional Security in Africa

• The state of food and nutritional security in SSA is still not encouraging

4%

40%

56%

North Africa Central Africa West/ East/South Africa

Figure 1. Proportion of malnourished population by region in Africa

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Poverty still lingers

MDG 1: Eradication of extreme poverty & Hunger

Target I: Halve the proportion of people who live on less than $1/day by 2015

Target II: Ensure full and productive employment for all including Youth and Women.

Target III: Half the proportion of people suffering from Hunger

Why the slow progress?

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Challenges of Food & Nutritional Security in Africa

Old challenges• Population growth against economic and agricultural productivity

growth.• Rural poverty• Environmental degradation• Market access and policies• Natural resource management

Additional challenges - Unstable commodity prices- Globalization and Global financial crises- Increasing protectionism of the West - Climate change- Traceability etc.

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Defining food securityFood security has been defined as a situation in which all people; at all times have physical and economic access to sufficient, safe and nutritious food to meet their dietary needs and food preferences for an active and healthy life (IFPRI, 2002)

Food Security

Food Availability Food Access

Food Adequacy

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FARA’s Specific ResultThe specific objective of FARA is to engender broad-based

agricultural productivity, competitiveness and markets in Africa.

FARA Core Functions, • Facilitating collective action around the promotion of innovations

in Africa.• Strengthening capacity to enhance the functionality of agricultural

innovation systems in Africa• Offering intellectual leadership for AR4D in Africa• Building partnerships to enhance broad-based productivity,

competitiveness and markets in Africa• Carrying out advocacy and communication for improved AR4D in

Africa.• Tracking progress in Africa agricultural development

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FARA Outlook for Ecological Agriculture

Crop

Forestry

Tree crop Livestock

Fish Microbe

Generation of new products (rural Income / poverty reduction)

Policy research, Market research etc.

Support for access to information / Knowledge sharing

Resource mobilization and Capacity strengthening

Research and technology generation,

dissemination and adoption

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Importance of Ecological Agriculture to food security

Facts• Africa production resources (natural & Biological) are

enormous and it spans across crop, trees, fish, livestock, microbes, insects, etc.

• These resources offer the natural safety net and give a resilient base to the Africa production domain.

• These resources can be maximized for today and future need in the confines of ecological agriculture.

• Climate change and sources of genetic variability for scientific intervention in plant and animal is now crucial.

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Importance of Agricultural Biodiversity to food security

Facts• Untapped advantages in Ecological and organic

agriculture and resources could play an important role in rural poverty alleviation and improvement of smallholders livelihood.

• Conservation and judicious utilization of Africa biodiversity is a key factor to resolve Africa challenge of food and nutritional security.

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In ConclusionAdvancement of ecological and organic agriculture in Africa can be achieved through:- regional cooperation- recognition of ecological agriculture as a priority niche- increased investments- improved human and institutional capacities - improved access to markets

FARA advocates for sound agricultural policies that encourage resource conservation through ecological agriculture as a vital component of the production system

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Thank youfor the attention

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