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The Role of FARA in Advancing Ecological and Organic Agriculture in Africa
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Forum for Agricultural Research in Africa
Wole Fatunbi
Forum for Agricultural Research in Africa
The Role of FARA in Advancing Ecological and Organic Agriculture in Africa
Forum for Agricultural Research in Africa
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.
Forum for Agricultural Research in Africa
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
Forum for Agricultural Research in Africa
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?
Forum for Agricultural Research in Africa
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.
Forum for Agricultural Research in Africa
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
Forum for Agricultural Research in Africa
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
Forum for Agricultural Research in Africa
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
Forum for Agricultural Research in Africa
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.
Forum for Agricultural Research in Africa
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.
Forum for Agricultural Research in Africa
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
Forum for Agricultural Research in Africa
Thank youfor the attention
To get bi-monthly news onAfrican agriculture research for development
visit www.fara-africa.org
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