Experts outline options to end famine in Africa

[TGD]

 EXPERTS on food security and agricultural development have advocated greater investment in agricultural research, increased cooperation among scientists, governments, local enterprises and rural communities, as critical steps that must be urgently taken to reduce the Horn of Africa's vulnerability to future droughts and extreme weather.

According to a joint statement from experts attending a conference on the current food security crisis in the Greater Horn of Africa in Nairobi, Kenya, the famine is stark evidence that insufficient attention has been given to addressing the root causes of vulnerability in the arid and semi-arid lands (ASALs) of this region.

The statement said it was not drought but rather vulnerability to drought that has thrown the region into repeated food crises. Yet in contrast to this vulnerability is the fact that the ASALs produce most of the livestock traded in the region, typically contributing over 40 per cent agricultural GDP to the national economies.

The meeting was hosted by the International Livestock Research Institute (ILRI) and convened by the African Union - Interafrican Bureau for Animal Resources (AU-IBAR) and the CGIAR Consortium.

The Chief Executive Officer of CGIAR Consortium, Lloyd Le Page, said: ""The emergency humanitarian aid interventions that are now underway are vital and welcome. We must each do all we can to help. But to avert future famines, we need lasting solutions that foster resilience amongst the vulnerable. While these are complex issues, we must move quickly and decisively to scale up success on the ground."

Several days of expert consultations brought together experts from governments, research institutions, non-governmental organisations, regional organisations, and development agencies from the Greater Horn of Africa and globally that are or have been engaged in addressing the challenges to the development of the ASALs.

One panel included experts from the CGIAR Consortium, the Alliance for a Green Revolution in Africa (AGRA), the Kenya Agricultural Research Institute (KARI), the World Food Programme (WFP) and the United States Agency for International Development (USAID).

While discussing the main topic, "Famine in the Horn of Africa: Challenges and Opportunities for Mitigating Drought-Induced Food Crises," they unanimously called for a priority focus on agricultural research innovation and matching investments. They stressed that market infrastructure development, robust policies and partnerships must go together to get research outcomes to farmers and herders on the ground.

"Livestock management and farming conditions in the Horn of Africa are challenging.

But let's be clear: they are not fated to produce famines. The current situation should serve as a wake-up call for everyone: farmers, politicians, donors and scientists working in the region," Le Page added.

In his contribution, Jeff Hill of USAID stated: "It is not drought, but vulnerability to drought that is eroding livelihoods in these areas. This vulnerability is largely a result of decades of under-investment in agriculture and sustainable food security in the region."

The President of AGRA, Dr. Namanga Ngongi, noted that the 12 million mark of those that are affected by the famine is too large a number and lamented the that timely measures could have reduced the catastrophe.

His words: "The 1985 drought-induced famine in Ethiopia was a terrible catastrophe that cost over a million people their lives. Even though the region's population has more than doubled since then, and is now faced with the worst drought in 60 years, the number of affected people remained unchanged. "There has been some progress. But this is still 12 million people too many. This could have been prevented if appropriate measures were taken."

Mark Gordon from the WFP cited the main drivers of the current crisis as failed rains, which, over the last two seasons, have dried up water points used for animals and crops; persistently high food and fuel prices; and intensified political and resource-based conflicts.



The Guardian