Taking Action for the World’s Poor and Hungry People

1. The promise and potential of African agriculture to fight hunger and poverty Taking Action for the World’s Poor and Hungry People Prof. Dr Ir Rudy Rabbinge Chair Science Council CGIAR G.5. Plenary Keynote Addresses October 19th 2007, Beijing

2. Asia S America Index SS Africa Year Food availability per caput Source: FAOstat

3. 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

4. SS Africa lags behind Population: 600 M Birth rate: 2.7% Malnourished: 180 M Increase labor productivity (1960-2000) • World 160% • Sub Saharan Africa 121% • Europe (15) 634% GDP: $ 474 Growth 1988-2000: –0.6%

5. Diagnosis • Absence of dominating food crops • Weathered soils • Erratic rainfall • Endemic plant and animal diseases • Multitude of farming systems

6. Diagnosis (cont.) • Land / Labor productivity low • Dominant role for women – limited access to resources • Lack of investment in agricultural research • Lack of knowledge infrastructure • Brain drain

7. Diagnosis (cont.) • Lack of functioning academic institutions • Not functioning local and regional markets • Land entitlement inappropriate • No stimulating political and economic environment • Inadequate capacity to impact global policy formulation • Lack of good governance

8. Irrigated system Maize mixed system Tree crop based system Cereal root crop mixed system Hunger Hotspot (CIESIN) Hunger Hotspots & Farming Systems

9. Strategic recommendations – four domains • Technology options that can make a difference (11) • Pursue a strategy of integrated sustainable intensification • Reduce land degradation and replenish soil fertility

10. Recognizing the potential of rain-fed agriculture

11. Africa South of Sahara 10.0 East & South East Asia South Asia Latin Amer & Caribbean ) 8.0 North America Developed -1 European Union 15 6.0 Actual maize yield (t ha 4.0 2.0 0.0 1960 1970 1980 1990 2000 Year Mechanization Labor productivity increasefrom 1960-2000 (%) • World 160 • SubSaharan Africa 121 • East&Souteast 203 • South Asia 165 • Latin Amer.& Car. 246 • North America 360 • Europe (15) 634 Land productivity

12. Strategic recommendations – four domains • Technology options that can make a difference (11) • Pursue a strategy of integrated sustainable intensification • Reduce land degradation and replenish soil fertility • Building impact-oriented research, knowledge and development institutions (5) • Creating and retaining a new generation of agricultural scientists (5) • Markets and policies to make the poor prosperous and food secure (5)

13. 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)

14. 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)

15. 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

16. Irrigated system Maize mixed system Tree crop based system Cereal root crop mixed system Hunger Hotspot (CIESIN) Pilot Learning Sites (CP SSA) Technology options that can make a difference • Challenge Program

17. 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)

18. 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)

19. 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

20. 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

21. Thank you