TOWARDS A ‘GREEN REVOLUTION IN AFRICA’-GOVERNANCE AND POLICY

PROCESSES

Lindiwe Majele Sibanda (CEO, FANRPAN)

lmsibanda@fanrpan.org

1 MAY 2008, Salzburg, Austria

Outline of Presentation

Overview of Challenges and Key Issues-WHAT

Making it Happen – Reforming Africa’s Governance and Policy Process- HOW

Revisiting the Architecture of Policy Development- FANRPAN MODEL & WHO DOES WHAT 2

Wanjiku’s Dream -2015

●Land Owned - 1 hectare

●Crop diversity- from maize to staples & high values crops

●Productivity: Maize yield from 250kg to 2.5t/ha

●Inputs: from recycled seed to highbrids &fertilizer use: from 10 to 50% recommended levels• Implements: from hand hoe to full span of 4 donkeys, eventually 2 oxen

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Wanjiku’s Question What will the African Green Revolution do for

me?

Governance and Policy Processes are about PEOPLE-The WHAT? The HOW? THE WHO?

AFRICA’s Green Revolution must be about POOR PEOPLE and IMPROVED LIVELIHOODS

How will the Green Revolution Policy and Governance processes help Wanjiku out of poverty? 4

AFRICAN HOPE & HYPE games?

LIBERALISATION

PRIVATIZATION

CORRUPTION

PATRONAGE

MINIMAL STATE

CONDITIONALITY

WAR

HUMAN RIGHTS ABUSE

FAMINE

CORPORATE CONTROL

ETHNICITY

IMPUNITY

MILITARIZATION

HIV/AIDS

DEBT

WOMENS RIGHTS ABUSES

GREEN REVOLUTION

AFRICA: 1970-90s

SCRUBBLE 70s-90s A TIME FOR– war of words in the colonies

AFRICA: 1990s- Structural Adjustment Programs (SAPS)

A TIME FOR SAPS- SNAKES AND LADDERS & Yo-Yo games

Living in Interesting Times: 2003-2015

SUDOKU games- Business of numbers: 10% national budgets to agric sector; 6% annual growth for sector NEPAD CAADP- Africans driving an African agenda

AFRICA sets TARGETS for AGRIC. Sector(Objective Verifiable Indicators-OVIs)

Continental CommitmentsMDGs –vision 2015

2003 -NEPAD CAADP- 6% annual growth and 10% national budget for agriculture

2006- Abuja Declaration from 8 to 50kg fertilizer/ha

2007- AFRICA’S GREEN REVOLUTION launched- OVIs?

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GovernanceIssue Where we are now Target- 2020?

Macro economic

Few African countries ranked in top 100 global investment destination

Checks and balances prevent powerful actors from circumventing and ignoring established rules and principles

Education Average of 4 yrs formal education for adult males and less than 3 yrs for adult females in sub-Saharan Africa

Improved use ICTs-Swaminathan Foundation model, Village Information Centres

Health services

HIV/AIDS and malaria reduce agricultural production

Better coordination of the agriculture and health agendas for improved productivity and welfare

Access to information

Not yet a constitutional right in all countries

Citizens be empowered to demand and use information and exercise rights to hold governments to account

Donor funding

Dubious quality, short term, serves interests of the donor countries; benefits powerful domestic interest groups; wasted on overpriced goods services from donor countries

Better aligned, packaging, coordination an delivery of donor funds

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Policy Processes Issue Where we are

nowMedium term: 2010

Long term: 2020

Participation Selected advisors, trusted partisans, donors

-Strengthen multi-stakeholder policy dialogue platforms at local level-Build trust between Gvt and CSOs

Strong networks with space and capacity to engage

Knowledge of the policy process

The elite, educated, technocrats , economists participate

Invest in building capacity of ordinary citizens to participate

CSOs participate and add value to policy processes

Evidence and policy options

Unreliable data, Weak infrastructure for data collectionWeak analytical skills

Invest in longitudinal household surveys, production data, use local researchers to collect data

Evidence is a public good and all citizens have access to information and voice

Long term-proactive planning

Knee jerk reaction

Aligned development agenda

Policies and programmes aligned to common goal

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What does it take-Go for RED-Networks

External Influences

Political context

EvidenceLinks

Politics and Policymaking

Media, Advocacy, Networking Research,

learning & thinking

Scientific information exchange & validation

Policy analysis, & research

Campaigning, Lobbying

Source: The Rapid Framework. Research and Policy in Development Programme Briefing Paper No1, October 2004 12

“AGR” What does it take- CSOs

Who WhatOrdinary Citizens Demilitarise and empower with evidence to

strengthen advocacy and hold GVT to accountFarmer Organisations

Honest , credible leadership, set the agenda communicate issues

National Research Organizations

Relevance, Credibility, Consistency, North-South and South to South Partnerships Inter disciplinary and multi-disciplinary teams Longitudinal studies

Private Sector (input suppliers, processors, wholesalers, retailers)

Contribute to policy process in a transparent manner

Women Empowerment, Have a voice and insist on being heard; Honest representation

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CSO Influence on GVT Policies

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“AGR’-What does it take- African Gvts? What

Policy ProcessesProvide information, and space for CSO engagementBuild the infrastructure to do policy analysis within and outside government- use local experts

Policy InfrastructureBalance social protection and economic growth agendaInvest in data collection-household surveys to understand livelihoodsBe responsive to present and future NeedsDeveloping policies that safeguard the interest of local farmers

GovernanceAccountability-transparent financial systems, peer review Create a conducive environment for investments protect property rights, peace and safety

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Public Service Delivery-not monitored

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Rule of Law

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“AGR” -What does it take? Cont.Who What

RECs AU Provide political leadershipAlign green revolution agenda to CAADP policy frameworkStrengthen technical and administrative capacity of RECs, promote regional integration

Finance Institutions (AfDB/WB/private)

Increase funding for hardware- infrastructure for agriculture-energy, telecommunications, irrigation, roads

Donors Obligation under the Paris Declaration –Support policy processes with funds and technical assistance Less on food and more on long term development programmesSupport empowerment programs capacity building programs in totality Align to local priorities don’t divert the agenda

CGIARs Work in partnership with and strengthen capacity of NARESProvide evidence to support policy development at regional level, Analyse impacts of policy options, Evaluate policy outcomes

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Learning from Success and Failures

Malawi Green Rev 2004-7

Presidents makes public announcement

National budget includes subsidy

Can we Sustain the Success

Legitimatize the policy

Zimbabwe Green Rev.1980-90

Gvt intensifies extension, inputsupply, hybrids, produce markets

Gvt1990 abandons subsidies, private sec. active on input, but

no link to value chain

In 2000 Gvt re-introduces subsidies

Gov. controlled interventions Limited private sector involved

Collapse of the agric sector

Previous Gvt – offered subsidy

New Gvt with support from IMF abandons subsidies

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Constitutional Checks

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Including the Excluded-9 Step Participation Model

Citizen Power

Tokenism

Nonparticipation

Citizen control 8

Delegated power 7

Partnership 6

Placation 5

Consultation 4

Informing 3

Therapy 2

Manipulation 1

21Sherry R. Arnstein. ‘A Ladder of Citizen Participation’ http://lithgow-schmidt.dk/sherry-arnstein/ladder-of-citizen-participation.html

Channels for Reaching the Excluded

Local drama groups-theatre for community action

Video, television, news print, radio

Farmer field schools

Posters, stickers and banners

Local Indabas- Dialogues

Structured Multi-stakeholder Networks

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Policy Networks

Invest in Regional and national multi-stakeholder networks

Promote platforms for policy dialogue –African Oral Culture

Sharing knowledge interact ion with policy makers

Promote Innovation Systems Approach -Cultivate and promote interactions between research, knowledge use and policy development

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What value will Policy networks bring?

● All inclusive multi-stakeholder platform -government, technocrats, farmers, private sector, consumers, journalists, politicians, technocrats

● Build credible dialogue platforms at local level use evidence to support policy development

● Facilitate linkages and partnerships between government and civil society , Linking policy supply to demand

● Partnerships for building the capacity for policy analysis - regionally, North-South, South-South

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What value will Policy networks bring to GR

● Promote peer reviews

● Host high level policy events

● Capacity enhancement-collation of dispersed skills

● Platform for action research , knowledge production, documentation and articulation of own story,

● Identifying strategic issues to amplify

● Encourages solidarity with vulnerable groups without seeking to brand

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YEAR Number of Delegates Stakeholders2001 23 Govt (Perm Secs), Researcher, Donors, Pvt Sector2002 35 " " " " "2003 105 " " " " "2004 51 " " " " "2005 125 " " plus CSOs2006 46 " " plus CSOs, INGOs2007 81 " " plus CSOs, INGOs, Parliamentarians

Sep-07 155 " plus CSOs, INGOS, Parliamentarians, Journalists

Example from practice- FANRPAN Regional Policy Dialogues – 2001-

2007

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Wanjiku’s CALL for Action

●Demystify Policy Processes

●Give me a VOICE

●Create Space & Political cover

●Provide Options & Means

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Key Questions for a Uniquely African Green Revolution

1. How can we ensure that all stakeholders and particularly the vulnerable groups and ordinary citizens have a voice in policy processes?

2. What role can regional policy networks play to align policies and political processes to support pro-poor growth and Africa’s green revolution?

3. What information should African governments provide (key indicators) as evidence of commitment to pro-poor growth and African green revolution goals?

4. How can donors make development assistance to the green revolution more effective?

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FANRPAN Regional Policy Dialogue, Lusaka Zambia

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THANK YOU