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International Cooperation in Agricultural and Rural Development - Key Lessons from Africa

Session 2: Supporting agriculture, food security and rural development in Africa and increasing their impact on sustainable growth and poverty reduction Speaker 3: Helmut Asche, Professor and MD of Institute for African Studies, Leipzig University

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International Cooperation in Agricultural and Rural Development - Key Lessons from Africa

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  1. Session 2: Supporting agriculture, food security and rural development in Africa and increasing their impact on sustainable growth and poverty reduction Speaker 3: Helmut Asche, Professor and MD of Institute for African Studies, Leipzig University Title : Development Cooperation between Development Agencies and Africa in the Field of Agricultural and Rural Development; Key Lessons Language: English

  2. International Cooperation in Agricultural and Rural Development - Key Lessons from Africa “Agriculture, Food Security and Rural Development for Growth and Poverty Reduction” Conference organised by the China-DAC Study Group Bamako, April 27-28, 2010 Helmut Asche, University of Leipzig

  3. A complex story to tell • Agricultural development coop.(ADC) oscillated in several waves between project and programme approaches (as aid in general), • Similarly, and related to project-programme cycles, ADC iterated between sector- (“agriculture”) and territory- (“rural”) approaches • 70s + early 80s single crop- and livestock-centred projects • Meager results led to 1st wave of comprehensive “integrated, rural, livelihood” programmes, incl. agro-pastoral, agro-ecological and gestion des terroirs approaches, still valid today • In complicated interplay with food (nutrition) security programs • Yet, programmes did not address anti-agricultural policy distortions of the time (“urban bias”)…

  4. Structural adjustment and secular decline Policy distortions led in 1980s to sweeping Structural Adjustment Programmes that deeply influenced agriculture:> liberalized producer and input prices: “getting prices right”> removal of input subsidies> dismantling of market boards (cotton boards resisting…)> cuts in gov. budgets on agriculture (down to 2-4% of total) limited understanding of the political economy of African agriculture, on which these reforms were based Market-radical ideology and disappointment with aid impact / lack of convincing agro-technical solutions sent ADC on l-t decline (from 16% to 4 % in total ODA to SSA)

  5. Food Agriculture remained stagnant

  6. Three other – more positive – narratives L-t support to agricultural research in Africa, to NARIs Though affected as well by disappointments & decline… …has offered a number of single crop-related solutions: high-yield maize, the ‘Kassava revolution’, Nerica etc. Some of which are lasting achievements and show positive farmer reaction. Though no ‘Green revolution for Africa’. L-t support for participatory approaches in ADC project planning (PRA), extension etc.: lasting achievements, too… …and influencing modes of agricultural research in turn Global value chains (GVC) rel. new mega-trend for ADC, in order to help smallholder participation + chain upgrading

  7. Towards today‘s reality ADC emerging from 2 decades of relative neglect, without having well understood why the neglect occurred 2nd wave of program-based approaches, in broader MDG/ PRSP/ Paris Declaration Context Though first of new ASIPs rather a failure, for nr. of reasons And new round of project islands (‘Millennium villages’) All still marked by uncertainty over availability of appropriate ‘packages’ for African smallholders Now confronted with trend reversal in global agricult. prices, a new aid challenge as smallholder participation in upswing not guaranteed and acute competition for land

  8. Some lessons Not one recipe for success in ADC: single crop approaches can yield lasting results, as can integrated/program approaches Still better understanding of the political economy of agricultural reform and cooperation is needed Acceptance of mixed economy approaches, with public support via farm incentives and input subsidies, still not fully achieved Combination of private and public initiatives (as in GVCs, also in cotton) remains promising area of cooperation Capacity building for agricultural institutions still an important issue, with agricultural credit probably most lacking Debate on agricultural packages, with or without the ‘Green Revolution’ label, is still on. Viable farming systems typology and implementation is key to ADC success.

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