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

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

3. Achievements in Agriculture
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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 ( )
World 160%
Sub Saharan Africa 121%
Europe (15) 634%
GDP: $ 474
Growth : –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. Hunger Hotspots & Farming Systems
Irrigated system
Maize mixed system
Tree crop based system
Cereal root crop mixed system
Hunger Hotspot (CIESIN)

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

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

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 will Constant emphasis in dissemination
NEPAD
FAO
CGIAR
Appropriate instruments
Commitment of the world community
Adequate financial support

21. 15/05/2018
Thank you