2010 FANRPAN Regional Food Security Policy Dialogue

FANRPAN Annual High Level Regional Food Security Policy Dialogue 2010

Theme: Livestock & Fisheries Policies for Food Security and Trade in a Changing Climate
30 August - 3 September 2010
Windhoek, Namibia

30th August - 4 September 2010. Namibia is playing host to the annual Food, Agriculture and Natural Resources Policy Analysis Network (FANRPAN) Regional Food Security Policy Dialogue, where over 200 policymakers, farmers, agricultural product dealers, scientists and non-governmental organisations from across Africa and the world have gathered to address African priorities on climate change and its impacts on food security, agricultural development and natural resource management.


A recent report by consulting firm McKinsey and Company estimated that Africa produced only 10 percent of the world's crops despite representing a quarter of land under cultivation. In another report, they noted that 60 percent of the world's uncultivated arable land lies in Africa with the potential for African yields to grow in value more than three-fold by the year 2030, from $280 billion today to $880 billion.

African agricultural research programmes are beginning to blossom, as illustrated ina new map of 300 such programmes launched at last month's Forum for Agricultural Research in Africa science week in Burkina Faso.

Increasing the collaboration between public and private sector organisations can also help build infrastructure, secure better access to natural resources, improve the distribution of agricultural inputs and services, and share best practices. The Farming First coalition is a successful example of farmers, scientists, engineers, industry and agricultural development organisations coming together to push for improved agricultural policies which benefit farmers while safeguarding natural resources over the long term.

For instance, FANRPAN is currently working in partnership with the Rockefeller Foundation to improve food security throughout sub-Saharan Africa by promoting the understanding of climate change science and its integration into policy development and research agendas. 

FANRPAN is also working with the International Food Policy Research Institute to help inform agricultural policymakers on the most effective policies for helping Africa's rural poor adapt to global climate change.

This project, called 'Strategies for Adapting to Climate Change in Rural sub-Saharan Africa: Targeting the Most Vulnerable', recognises the interrelated impact of climate change on household poverty, hunger and food security and takes into account different climate change scenarios to project the impact on crop and livestock production systems, also considering constraints to adaptation, including household well-being and related costs.


Background


Lindiwe Majele Sibanda is the CEO of the Food, Agriculture and Natural Resources Policy Analysis Network(FANRPAN) and is a spokesperson for the Farming First coalition. FANRPAN conducts research and advocacy across 14 sub-Saharan countries.