AOCC Launch - NEPAD Presentation

NEPAD — TRANSFORMING AFRICA

African Orphan Crops Consortium: African Plant

Breeding AcademyFoundational Address

Dr Ibrahim Assane Mayaki CEO NEPAD AgencyDecember 3, 2013


About Us - The NEPAD Agency

A programme of the AUImplementation/ technical arm of the AUHeadquarters - Midrand, South AfricaTransformed from the NEPAD Secretariat to NEPAD Planning and Coordinating Agency (NPCA)

1. Agriculture and food security

2. Climate change & sustainable development

3. Regional integration & infrastructure

4. Human capital development

5. Economic & corporate governance

6. Cross-cutting issues

NPCA (NEPAD Agency) NPCA’s Thematic Areas

NEPAD — TRANSFORMING AFRICA 3

NEPAD governing structures

• The General Assembly of the African Union

• Heads of State and Government Implementation Committee

• Steering Committee

• NEPAD Secretariat


Our Ultimate Goal….

“To spur food production through research and scientific breakthroughs, ….mobilize Africa’s own resources – brain power, technology, and funding must be geared up for an indigenous effort to get Africa moving again….”

Late Prof. Thomas Odhiambo, 1994Founding President of the African Academy of Sciences


Low Productivity

Challenges Faced by African Farmers –

Impacting Food and Nutritional SecurityPhoto Credit: IITA, ICRISAT

http://www.google.com/url?sa=i&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&frm=1&source=images&cd=&cad=rja&docid=lWQCvhQdOFW6kM&tbnid=z85OR335F4bq9M:&ved=0CAUQjRw&url=http://www.climatenewsnetwork.net/tag/africa/&ei=KFJdUvuEBIOA9QTtyoHgDQ&bvm=bv.53899372,d.eWU&psig=AFQjCNGl59gC19ubuZH-JPku6h3vWNBrJQ&ust=1381933982433964


Comprehensive African Agric. Dev. Programme (CAADP)

... common policy framework for accelerated agricultural growth ...

… to attain …

(agricultural-led socio-economic growth; inclusive development & poverty alleviation; improved food security and strengthen environmental resilience)

6% Annual AgricultureProductivity growth rate

(by 2015)10% Public Expenditureallocation to Agriculture

(by 2008)

The Ag sector annual GDP growth rates were 3.2% and 3.0% in 2000-10 and 1990-2000, respectively


Pillar 1: Sustainable Land and Water – (Production and Productivity)

Pillar 3: Primary Impact Area – Basic Livelihood – Food Security

CAADP Priority Thematic Areas (Pillars)

Research Gaps, Questions!!;

emerging challengesNew knowledge/

Technologies/Approaches

Business Opportunities;

IndustrialisationFinancing, Markets and

Trade opportunities

Pillar 4: Research & Dissemination support

Pillar 2: Infrastructure, Trade and Market support


45 Countries actively engaging

32 Country Compacts

29 Investment Plans

27 Business Meetings

CAADP Implementation: Key results and lessons

Regional Investment Plans (ECOWAS; COMESA; IGAD: SADC; EAC & ECCAS)


A Decade of CAADP Implementation

• Countries engaged in CAADP-related interventions- 45

• Signed CAADP Compacts- 30• Dev’d national agric. & food security invest’t

plans- 26• Regist’d more than 6% agric. growth rate- 10• Countries with 10% or more annual budgetary

allocation-6• Others within 5% to 10%-9


What is an orphan crop ?

Orphan Crops

unde

rutil

ized

crop

s

lost crops of Africa

minor crops

neglected crops

crops for the future


Role of orphan crops in African economy

Major staple food crops in many Africaning countries

Particular role in Food security, Nutrition, Income generation to resource-poor farmers and consumers

More adapted to the extreme soil and climatic conditions prevalent in Africa than the major crops of the world


Low yield in terms of both quality and quantity due to lack of genetic improvement

Major ChallengeShare of Africa in the world acreage and productionFor selected orphan crops in 2008

Source: FAOSAT


Eliminating Nutrient Deficiencies

“Modifying the nutritional composition of plant foods is an urgent worldwide health issue as basic nutritional needs for much of the world’s population are still unmet.”

DellaPenna, 1999

1. Enhancing health promoting substances

2. Vitamin and micronutrients fortification

3. Lower bad fats/anti-nutrients/allergens


Vitamin A deficiencies affect over 400 million people worldwide (ca. 7% world population), causing blindness, night blindness and vulnerability to disease. An estimated 250 million pre-school children are Vitamin A deficient. Each year two million children die and 250,000 - 500,000 go blind from lack of Vitamin A.

Iron deficiencies affect up to 1.4 billion people worldwide (ca 22% world population), particularly women, causing anaemia and complications during childbirth, and affecting body growth, mental and motor development.

Micronutrient Deficiency


Biofortified plants are improving nutrition for many

The non-profit organization HarvestPlus focuses on the development of biofortified crops for the developing world, including a provitamin A enriched sweet potato that is currently being grown by half a million families. Other biofortification projects are underway to increase levels of protein, iron, zinc, antioxidants and other beneficial components in food.

Sources: HarvestPlus; CIMMYT

http://www.harvestplus.org/

http://www.flickr.com/photos/cimmyt/4685845446

NEPAD — TRANSFORMING AFRICA 16

General considerations in priority list of Orphan Cropsi. Boost productivity and diversify the food system in

Africa orphan crops as an important (significant) component in attaining Nutrition Security

ii. The intrinsic values of the commodity in Africa’s Food chain (also culturally)

iii. Potential to contribute to expanding a stable food and plant commodity base

iv. Other associated non-food uses (value)

v. Diminishing or neglected in research: (could benefit from modern techniques - marker-assisted breeding, and whole-genome sequencing; tissue culture, etc. )

Genetic and genomics research in Nutrition Security


Genetic and genomics research in Nutrition Security

17

Specific considerations

Securing Quantity and quality of the food resource base• Yields (supporting intensification agenda) and Production potential• Diversifying the Nutritional base (e.g. biofortification) in line with

food cultures and ecosystem potential• Securing long term genome stability• Protect / adapt to natural and artificial stress / changes

Other economic value factors• Importance to the economy (local economy and potentially

international / now and in future)• Need /contribution to securing biodiversity and resilience• Potential to expand use/value (e.g. by removing toxic

substances)


Required Actions (NEPAD) to promote orphan crops

Need of coherent policies at different levels:Environmental policiesAgricultural policiesAgricultural Research policies

For NEPAD there is a need of a strong African ownership at:Political levelTechnical level from African research institute and

knowledge center and breeding centers


Our Goals• To reduce hunger & poverty and the

associated effects for millions of Africans• Increase agric. productivity in a sustainable

wayConnecting Farmers with Innovation• Relevant science• Local ownership• Meaningful partnership• Build scientific capacity


THANK YOU

THANK YOU