June 3, 2008, Pretoria, South Africa -- The recent surge in food prices and how Africa can best respond was the focus of a recent African Union-sponsored food security workshop held in Pretoria, South Africa from May 10-13 .
The week-long event brought together some 170 delegates from 19 African countries to discuss the impact of high food prices on consumers, producers, and government budgets.
The rich dialogue during the workshop, which was sponsored by the AU’s New Partnership for Africa’s Development (NEPAD), included contributions from bilateral and multilateral development partners, including a large delegation from the World Bank.
Delegates met to discuss and identify both short-term and long-term food security interventions, and acknowledged the threat of rising food prices on gains made in poverty reduction and improved nutrition.
In addition to the problems associated with rising food prices, many delegates also noted hidden benefits. For instance, high prices for basic cereals in the years ahead could provide the needed impetus for reinvestment in Africa’s productive potential.
Short term challenges and long term promises co-exist, the delegates agreed, and the workshop provided good discussion on how to address both.
NEPAD’s agricultural program head, Richard Mkandawire, described the current crisis as a matter of urgency requiring a collective response within the framework of the Comprehensive African Agricultural Development Program (CAADP) established in 2003.
“There is recognition that repairing the current low productivity will take a number of years, due to past neglect of agricultural interventions,” he said. “So we have to look at a broad growth agenda.”
“I am confident this is a great opportunity to deepen understanding of CAADP and to draw on our partners’ support for African solutions for agricultural growth,” he added.
Mkandawire noted the importance of not derailing economic gains that have been achieved over the last two decades.
“Any financing, any solutions, have to be consistent and in context of CAADP,” he said. “That takes additional funding because what is available now is not going to be enough to reduce poverty and hunger by 2015. We need to mobilize resources from bilaterals, the private sector, foundations and development partners.”
The World Bank’s Karen Brooks told delegates that the Bank is ready and committed to working with other development partners to deliver a coordinated response.
“The short-term concerns are real and the World Bank will help assist our clients to meet the increased needs of the vulnerable and assure a good supply response in the coming season,” she said. “We can adjust our programs and respond flexibly and quickly once we know what our clients need.”
Brooks also noted that responses to immediate needs should be aligned to the long-term measures to boost growth in agriculture.
“We can help countries understand responses in the short run that will assist them to face the crisis now,” she said. “But the immediate needs are very consistent with the longer-term growth.”
African farmers, Brooks said, can respond provided there are adequate policies and additional investment. She noted that the Bank expects to roughly double funds available to African agriculture (from $450 million to $800 million) in response to priorities expressed in country programs.
Organizers of the conference noted that consumers in developing, developed, and transition countries are facing higher prices for basic foodstuffs such as bread, milk and meat. Development agencies have noted the growing threat of malnutrition and hunger, with millions of the most vulnerable people at risk because they cannot afford to buy sufficient food to meet their nutritional requirements.
The ultimate goal of the workshop, according to organizers, was to help participating countries share experiences and formulate country specific frameworks for food security in an era of high prices. These interventions will seek to boost production, availability and access to food for the most vulnerable and cope with higher and more volatile food prices.
African Union Agriculture Representative Ahmadu Babagana emphasized the shared responsibility of countries and partners.
“We need to come away with a clear understanding on the part of the countries themselves as to what form of support they want to get from their partners and what they can contribute themselves to enhance that support and fill the gaps,” he said. “At the end—we know we all have to work together to address the crisis.”
The workshop was attended by: Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Ethiopia, Kenya, Lesotho, Malawi, Mali, Mauritania, Mozambique, Niger, Rwanda, Sierra Leone, Senegal, Swaziland, Uganda, and Zambia.
Egypt , Nigeria and South Africa also attended to share their experiences.
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