1. CHALLENGES AND OPPORTUNITIES IN POVERTY/HUNGER REDUCTION IN EASTERN AND SOUTHERN AFRICA ERASTUS J. O. MWENCHA, MBS COMESA SECRETARY GENERAL BEIJING, CHINA, October 17-19, 2007

2. OUTLINE OF PRESENTATION
INTRODUCTION
SUMMARY OF CHALLENGES
SUMMARY OF OPPORTUNITIES
CONCLUSION

3. INTRODUCTION: AGRICULTURE - KEY TO POVERTY REDUCTION IN E &S AFRICA
ABOUT 85% of the POPULATION DERIVE LIVELIHOOD DIRECTLY FROM AGRICULTURE
CONTRIBUTES ABOUT 32% of GDP
CONTRIBUTES ABOUT 65% of FOREX
50% of RAW MATERIALS FOR INDUSTRIAL DEVELOPMENT

4. SUMMARY OF CHALLENGES TRENDS CONFLICT Low Productivity POLICY
TECHNOLOGICAL
CONSTRAINTS/
CLIMATE
CHANGE
MARKET /
INFRASTRUCTURE
CONSTRAINTS
CONFLICT
POLICY
(LAND/TRADE)
RELATED
CONSTRAINTS

5. SPECIFIC AGRICULTURAL SUPPLY SIDE CONSTRAINTS
Lack of capacity to manage land/water resources (only 6% cultivated land is irrigated; inconsistent agro-input policies)
Under developed market/trade related infrastructure (high cost of doing business)
Gender disparities
Weak capacity to disseminate technologies
Macroeconomic challenges/High cost of finance
Inconsistencies in trade/investment policies

6. OPPORTUNTIES SUMMARY
CAADP PILLARS: COMPREHENSIVE APPROACH TO DEVELOPING AGRICULTURE (LAND/WATER, MARKETS/INFRASTRUCTURE, EMERGENCIES/FOOD SUPPLY, SCIENCE/TECHNOLOGY (6% GROWTH TARGET, 10% PUBLIC BUDGET, LINKED TO MDG attainment)
EMERGING MARKETS: WFP, URBAN DEMAND, COMMODITY EXCHANGES
ORGANIZED FARMER GROUPS: SACAU, EAFF, EAGC, etc
FOOD ENHANCING AREAs: HIGH RAINFALL AREAS
REGIONAL INTEGRATION: WIDER MARKETS
MULTILATERAL NEGOTIATIONS: AID FOR TRADE; GLOBAL MARKETS

7. CONCLUSION KEY FACTORS TO OVERCOMING POVERTY:
(i) CAADP: COMPREHENSIVE SECTOR APPROACH TO ADDRESSING SUPPLY/DEMAND SIDE CHALLENGES
(ii) REGIONAL INTEGRATION / HARMONIZATION
(iii) GLOBAL TRENDS/ TRADE
LIBERALIZATION: SUBSIDIES; BIOFUELS; URBAN DEMAND
(v) SMART PARTNERSHIPS IN PROGRAM IMPLEMENTATION

8. THANK YOU