Taking Action for the World’s Poor and Hungry People

C O N S U L T A T I V E G R O U P O N I N T E R N A T I O N A L A G R I C U L T U R A L R E S E A R C H

Taking Action for the World’s Poor and Hungry

PeopleThe promise and potential of African

agriculture to fight hunger and poverty

Prof. Dr Ir Rudy RabbingeChair Science Council CGIAR

G.5. Plenary Keynote AddressesOctober 19th 2007, Beijing

C O N S U L T A T I V E G R O U P O N I N T E R N A T I O N A L A G R I C U L T U R A L R E S E A R C H

Food availability per caput

Source: FAOstat

50

60

70

80

90

100

110

120

130

140

1960 1970 1980 1990 2000

Asia

S America

SS Africa

Ind

ex

Year

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Achievements in Agriculture• Food production per person increased by

30% over past 5 decades, despite doubling of population

• Discontinuous productivity rise• Major role for technology

• Fertilizers• Variety improvement (rice,

wheat, maize)• Mechanization• Irrigation• Biocides

• Proper institutions in place

3000

2000

1000

(kg/ha)

4000yield of paddy (Indonesia)

130

2,5

kg/haper year

1950 1960 1970 1980

year

3000

2000

1000

(kg/ha)

4000yield of paddy (Indonesia)

130

2,5

kg/haper year

1950 1960 1970 1980

year

C O N S U L T A T I V E G R O U P O N I N T E R N A T I O N A L A G R I C U L T U R A L R E S E A R C H

50

60

70

80

90

100

110

120

130

140

1960 1970 1980 1990 2000

SS Africa lags behind

GDP: $ 474

Growth 1988-2000: –0.6%

Increase labor productivity (1960-2000)

• World 160%

• Sub Saharan Africa 121%

• Europe (15) 634%

Population: 600 MBirth rate: 2.7%Malnourished: 180 M

C O N S U L T A T I V E G R O U P O N I N T E R N A T I O N A L A G R I C U L T U R A L R E S E A R C H

Diagnosis

1. Absence of dominating food crops

2. Weathered soils

3. Erratic rainfall

4. Endemic plant and animal diseases

5. Multitude of farming systems

C O N S U L T A T I V E G R O U P O N I N T E R N A T I O N A L A G R I C U L T U R A L R E S E A R C H

Diagnosis (cont.)

6. Land / Labor productivity low

7. Dominant role for women – limited access to resources

8. Lack of investment in agricultural research

9. Lack of knowledge infrastructure

10.Brain drain

C O N S U L T A T I V E G R O U P O N I N T E R N A T I O N A L A G R I C U L T U R A L R E S E A R C H

Diagnosis (cont.)11.Lack of functioning academic institutions

12.Not functioning local and regional markets

13.Land entitlement inappropriate

14.No stimulating political and economic environment

15.Inadequate capacity to impact global policy formulation

16.Lack of good governance

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Hunger Hotspots & Farming Systems

Irrigated systemMaize mixed systemTree crop based systemCereal root crop mixed system

Hunger Hotspot (CIESIN)

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Strategic recommendations – four domains

1. Technology options that can make a difference (11)• Pursue a strategy of integrated sustainable intensification

• Reduce land degradation and replenish soil fertility

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Recognizing the potential of rain-fed agriculture

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Mechanization

Labor productivity increase from 1960-2000 (%)

• World 160

• SubSaharan Africa 121

• East&Souteast 203

• South Asia 165

• Latin Amer.& Car. 246

• North America 360

• Europe (15) 634

0.0

2.0

4.0

6.0

8.0

10.0

1960 1970 1980 1990 2000Year

Act

ual

mai

ze y

ield

(t

ha

-1)

Africa South of Sahara East & South East AsiaSouth Asia Latin Amer & Caribbean

North America Developed

European Union 15

Land productivity

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Strategic recommendations – four domains

1. Technology options that can make a difference (11)• Pursue a strategy of integrated sustainable intensification

• Reduce land degradation and replenish soil fertility

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)

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Conclusion

• Ample opportunities for S&T to increase food security, to alleviate hunger and to strengthen development

• The African situation requires specific instead of generic S&T solutions

• Not one green revolution, but multitude of rainbow evolutions

• Full power S&T unlocked only when scientific development is accompanied by adequate enabling conditions (including the international community)

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Dissemination

• African organizations (Nepad, AU, FARA, SROs, NARIs)

• Multilateral organizations (UN, FAO, UNEP)

• Scientific organizations (IAC, national academies, ARIs)

• Donor organizations (DGIS, DFID)

• Creation of AGRA (Alliance for Green Revolution in Africa)

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Coordination with other panels

• Millennium Development Goals• MDG has eclipsed the IAC in most recommendation areas

• The global report of the Science Council of the CGIAR• Proposed programs of the two taskforces in line with the

recommendations of the IAC report • Sub-Saharan Africa Challenge Program

• Pilot Learning Sites

• The World Bank coordinated IAASTD• The IAC-report was presented and well received• Objectives correspond directly to IAC-report

• The World Development Report• Strengthens the role of research and technology

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Technology options that can make a difference

• Challenge Program

Irrigated systemMaize mixed systemTree crop based systemCereal root crop mixed system

Hunger Hotspot (CIESIN)Pilot Learning Sites (CP SSA)

C O N S U L T A T I V E G R O U P O N I N T E R N A T I O N A L A G R I C U L T U R A L R E S E A R C H

Technology options that can make a difference

• Challenge Program

• Program for Dissemination of New Agricultural Technologies in Africa (DONATA)

• SROs competitive grants

• Multi-country Agricultural Productivity Program (MAPP)

• Comprehensive Africa Agricultural Development Program (CAADP)

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Building impact-oriented research, knowledge and development institutions

• African Centers of Agricultural Research Excellence (ACAREs): Biosciences East and Central Africa (BECA)

• Network of African Science Academies (NASAC)

C O N S U L T A T I V E G R O U P O N I N T E R N A T I O N A L A G R I C U L T U R A L R E S E A R C H

Creating and retaining a new generation of agricultural scientists

• Building African Scientific and Institutional Capacity Building (BASIC)

• Regional Universities Forum for Capacity Building in Agriculture (RUFORUM)

• Global Open University• Economics of Agriculture and Natural Resources

• Agro-ecology

C O N S U L T A T I V E G R O U P O N I N T E R N A T I O N A L A G R I C U L T U R A L R E S E A R C H

Markets and policies to make the poor income and food secure

• Political willConstant emphasis in dissemination• NEPAD

• FAO

• CGIAR

• Appropriate instruments

• Commitment of the world community

• Adequate financial support

C O N S U L T A T I V E G R O U P O N I N T E R N A T I O N A L A G R I C U L T U R A L R E S E A R C H

Thank you