Realizing the promise and potential of African agriculture Science and Technology Strategies for Improving Agricultural Productivity and Food Security in Africa Huub Löffler, Wageningen UR
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Realizing the promise and potential of African agriculture
Science and Technology Strategies for Improving Agricultural Productivity and Food Security in Africa
Huub Löffler, Wageningen UR
Food availability per caput
Source: FAOstat
50
60
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80
90
100
110
120
130
140
1960 1970 1980 1990 2000
Asia
S America
SS Africa
Index
Year
Kofi Annan
“I request the IAC to present to me, within a year, a report providing a technological strategic plan for harnessing the best science and technology to provide substantial increase in agricultural productivity in Africa”
“I would also welcome specific action proposals that could contribute to food security in Africa through a global collaboration of governments, civil society and the corporate sectors”
Study StructureCo-chairsSpeciosa Wandira KazibweRudy RabbingeM.S. Swaminathan
Panel membersMohamed BesriMaria Manuela ChavesAvílio Antonio FrancoOron GideonJikun HuangRyuichi IshiiRenald LafondPeter MatlonAhmadou Lamine NdiayeBongiwe NjobeEmmanuel OdigbohPer Pinstrup-AndersenElly SabiitiJosé SarukhanJennifer Thomson
DirectorateJim RyanHuub LöfflerPrem Bindraban
Special advisorLouise Fresco
Process4 Regional consultative workshops
Proceedings
Expert consultation
Resource documents
Study Panel meetings
Presentation, consultation, review
FINAL REPORT
Diagnosis
1. Absence of dominating food crops2. Multitude of farming systems 3. Weathered soils4. Erratic rainfall5. Endemic plant and animal diseases6. Land / Labor productivity low7. Dominant role for women – limited access to
resources
Diagnosis
8. Lack of investment in agricultural research9. Lack of knowledge infrastructure10.Lack of functioning academic institutions 11.Brain drain12.Not functioning local and regional markets13.Land entitlement inappropriate14.No stimulating political and economic environment15.Inadequate capacity to impact global policy formulation
0
20
40
60
80
100
120
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180
Irriga
tedMaiz
e mixe
d
Tree crop
base
dCom
mercial
Sparse
/arid
Forest
base
d
Cereal/
root c
rop ba
sed
Root c
rop ba
sed
Highland
perenn
ialAgro
/pasto
ral
Agricultural value added (worldbank)
Underweight children (CIESIN)
• Irrigated system• Maize mixed system• Tree-crop system• Cereal-root crop mixed system
Priority Farming Systems
Irrigated system
Maize mixed system
Tree crop based system
Cereal root crop mixedsystem
Hunger Hotspot (CIESIN)
P ilot Learning Sites (CP SSA )
Priority Farming Systems
Strategic recommendations – four domains
1. Technology options that can make a difference (11)2. Building impact-oriented research, knowledge and
development institutions (5)3. Creating and retaining a new generation of agricultural
scientists (5)4. Markets and policies to make the poor prosperous and
food secure (5)
Domain 1: Technology options that can make a difference
Adopt a market-led productivity improvement strategyAdopt a production ecological approach with a primary focus on identified continental priority farming systems Pursue a strategy of integrated sustainable intensification Bridge the genetic divide
Domain 1: Technology options that can make a difference
Adopt a market-led productivity improvement strategyAdopt a production ecological approach with a primary focus on identified continental priority farming systems Pursue a strategy of integrated sustainable intensification Bridge the genetic divide
POTENTIAL YIELD
ATTAINABLE YIELD
ACTUAL YIELD
AVAILABLE FOOD
NutrientsWaterLabour
Post harvest losses
Key-technology: Plant Breeding including GMO
Pests, diseases, weeds, pollutants
NERICA
TemperatureRadiationCrop characteristics
Production Ecological Approach
Domain 1: Technology options that can make a difference (cont)
Recognise the potential of rainfed agriculture and accord it priority Reduce land degradation and replenish soil fertility Explore higher scale integrated catchment strategies for natural resource management Promote the conservation, sustainable and equitable use of biodiversity as a component of future biotechnology initiatives Enhance use of mechanical energy and power
Domain 1: Technology options that can make a difference (cont)
Recognise the potential of rainfed agriculture and accord it priority Reduce land degradation and replenish soil fertility Explore higher scale integrated catchment strategies for natural resource management Promote the conservation, sustainable and equitable use of biodiversity as a component of future biotechnology initiatives Enhance use of mechanical energy and power
Mechanization
0.0
2.0
4.0
6.0
8.0
10.0
1960 1970 1980 1990 2000Year
Act
ual m
aize
yie
ld (t
ha
-1)
Africa South of SaharaEast & South East AsiaSouth AsiaLatin Amer & CaribbeanNorth America DevelopedEuropean Union 15
Labor productivity increasefrom 1960-2000 (%)
World 160SubSaharan Africa 121East&Souteast 203South Asia 165Latin Amer.& Car. 246North America 360Europe (15) 634
Land productivity
Domain 1: Technology options that can make a difference
Embrace information and communication technology at all levels Improve the coping strategies of farmers in response to environmental variability and climate change
Domain 2: Building impact-oriented research, knowledge and development institutions
Design and invest in national agricultural science systems that involve farmers in education, research and extensionEncourage institutions and mechanisms to articulate S&T strategies and policies Cultivate African centres of agricultural research excellence Increase support for agricultural R&D Strengthen international agricultural research centres (IARCs)
Domain 2: Building impact-oriented research, knowledge and development institutions
Design and invest in national agricultural science systems that involve farmers in education, research and extensionEncourage institutions and mechanisms to articulate S&T strategies and policies Cultivate African centres of agricultural research excellence Increase support for agricultural R&DStrengthen international agricultural research centres (IARCs)
Impact oriented research
Current agricultural R&D1.8 $Billion (70% SSAfrica)40% donor funding0.8% of GDPPrivate funding marginal
Increase support agricultural R&D10% annual increase required1.5% of GDPDoubling in 2015
Domain 3: Creating and retaining a new generation of agricultural scientists
Focus on current and future generations of scientists in Africa Broaden and deepen political support for agricultural science Reform university curricula Mobilize increased and sustainable funding for higher education in S&T, minimizing dependence on external donor support Strengthen science education at primary and secondary school levels
Research capacity(a) Estimated number of full-time equivalent (FTE)
agricultural researchers: 18700
North Africa9%
Egypt36%
Sub-Saharan Africa55%
Domain 4: Markets and policies to make the poor income and food secure
Increase investments in rural infrastructure Strengthen capacity to expand market opportunities Institute effective intellectual property rights (IPR) regimes to encourage the private sector and facilitate public-private partnerships Reduce barriers to increased African trade with OECD countries Improve data generation and analysis related to agriculture, food and nutrition security, and vulnerability
Markets and Policies
Increase investments in infrastructure
Domain 4: Markets and policies to make the poor income and food secure
Increase investments in rural infrastructure Strengthen capacity to expand market opportunities Institute effective intellectual property rights (IPR) regimes to encourage the private sector and facilitate public-private partnerships Reduce barriers to increased African trade with OECD countries Improve data generation and analysis related to agriculture, food and nutrition security, and vulnerability
Conclusions
Rainbow Evolutions rather than a Green Revolution is the best option for increased Agricultural Productivity in Africa,
Technology on the shelf is not sufficient for the African situation
Agricultural S&T is powerful but will only work in a conducive socio economic and political environment
Thank you
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