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

70

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