This document summarizes a presentation on agricultural information and knowledge for food security in Africa. It discusses that Africa has the lowest food production and is the most food insecure continent, facing challenges of ineffective responses, underdeveloped agriculture, and lack of political focus. Coordinated efforts are needed between different sources of agricultural knowledge, including research organizations and governments, but there is currently poor information sharing and networking. Initiatives like CAADP and FARA aim to improve food security and revitalize agricultural research and technology adoption, while the partnership CIARD promotes more coherent approaches to sharing agricultural knowledge globally. The conclusion emphasizes the need for participatory knowledge systems to facilitate widespread and equitable sharing of innovations, with agricultural information and knowledge needing to be

1. 6th
Africa Agriculture Science Weekand FARA General Assembly
Justin Chisenga
Knowledge & Information Management Officer
FAORegional Office forAfrica, Accra, Ghana
Accra International Conference Centre
Ghana, 15 – 16 July 2013
Side Event on:
Information& KnowledgeforFoodSecurityinAfrica
Making Agricultural Information and
Knowledge WorkforFood Security in Africa

2. Presentation Outline
• Introduction – Food (In)Security
• Food Security Situation in Africa
• Political Will
• Agricultural Information and Knowledge
• Need for Coordination
– CAADP
– CIARD
• Conclusion

3. Food Security exists:
...when all people, at all times, have
physical, social and economic access
to sufficient, safe and nutritious food
that meets their dietary needs and
food preferences for an active and
healthy life.
Wo rld Fo o d Sum m it, 1 9 9 6

4. Food Security - dimensions:
• Physical AVAILABILITY of food
• Economic and physical ACCESS
• Food UTLIZATION
• STABILITY of availability, acce ss and
utiliz atio n

5. Food Insecurity exists:
• When food is not available, when individuals
or households lack the means to access it,
when it is not available all the time and
when individuals or households are unable
to consume it
UNECA, AU, AfDB& UNDP, 20 1 3
• Hunger is an element of food insecurity

6. Food Security Situation in Africa
• Lowest average value of food production of
any region (1990 – 2010)
• Net food importer
• Low rural incomes
• High rates of malnutrition
• About 240 million hungry people (almost 25%
of total population)
• World’s most food insecure continent

7. Food Security in Africa - Challenges
• Ineffective regional and global
responses
• Underdeveloped agriculture
• Lack of modernization
• Chronic poverty
• Lack political focus
[UNECA, AU, AfDB & UNDP, 2013]

8. Food Security Situation in Africa…
Africa is off track...
Slow progress on the health
MDGs

9. Political will
Strong leadership and political will be
critical determinants of success in
eradicating hunger from Africa
High Level Meeting of African and
International Leaders
29 June – 1 July 2013
Addis Ababa, Ethiopia

10. Agric Knowledge and Information
...several other factors, including
agricultural knowledgeandinformation,
also come into play

11. Knowledge and Information
The farmers and the people who support
them need agricultural knowledge and
information for sustainable food
security
[van Crowder, 1998]

12. Knowledge and Information…
Knowledge and information are important
factors for accelerating agricultural
development by increasing agricultural
production and improving marketing and
distribution
[Bertolini, 2012]

13. Knowledge and Information –
focusing on:
• Crop production
• Post-harvesting
techniques
• Livestock production
• Marketing
• Water & irrigation
management
• Climate change &
Environmental issues
• Rural development
economics

14. Sources of knowledge
∼ Farmers
∼ Agriculture research organizations
∼ Governments and government agencies
∼ International development organizations
∼ International and local non-state actors
∼ Private sector
• Agricultural knowledge, research
development ideas and best practices
come from different sources:

15. Sources of knowledge… Challenges
• Poor information/knowledge sharing
• Lack of/inadequate access to best
practices at continental level
• Low level of networking and
partnerships at continental level
General absence of institutional and
national ICM policies and strategies

16. Need for Coordinated Efforts
• Information and knowledge initiatives to
address the food security and hunger
situation on the continent MUST exist
within [national], regional and global
frameworks

17. Regional Initiatives: CAADP & FARA
• Comprehensive Africa Agriculture
Development Programme
• July 2003, Maputo, Mozambique
• To improve livelihoods, food security,
andenvironmentalresilienceinAfrica

18. CAADP Pillars
• Pillar I - Extending the area under
sustainable land management and
reliable water control systems
• Pillar II- Improving rural infrastructure
and trade-related capacities for
improved market access

19. CAADP Pillars…
• Pillar III - Increasing food supply and
reducing hunger
• Pillar IV - Agricultural research,
technologydisseminationandadoption

20. CAADP Pillar IV
• Strategy for increasing agricultural
productivity by revitalizing, expanding
and reforming Africa’s ag ricultural
re se arch, te chno lo g y disse m inatio n
and ado ptio n syste m s
[FARA, 2011]
• FARA leads implementation of CAADP
Pillar IV

21. • Partnership of organizations involved
in:
– Agricultural innovation
– Opening access to agricultural
information
– Development assistance
Coherence in Information forCoherence in Information for
Agricultural Research for DevelopmentAgricultural Research for Development
A Global MovementA Global Movement

22. • CIARD partners create coherence by:
(a) coordinating their efforts
(b) promoting common formats,
(c) adopting open systems and standards
Coherence in Information forCoherence in Information for
Agricultural Research for DevelopmentAgricultural Research for Development
A Global MovementA Global Movement

23. • 5th
FARA General Assembly endorsed
CIARD and recommended to:
Coherence in Information forCoherence in Information for
Agricultural Research for DevelopmentAgricultural Research for Development
A Global MovementA Global Movement
∼ advocate for more coherent approaches to
knowledge sharing and communication of the
outputs of agricultural research and support
development of national capacities for all types of
stakeholders

24. Conclusion
• There should be synergy between
farmers, researchers and policy
markers
• There is need for participatory
knowledge systems to facilitate
sharing of innovations widely and
equitably

25. Conclusion…
• Agricultural information and knowledge
for food security m ust be accessible to
all
∼ Especially to the farmers and poor
families who arethemost affected

26. justin.chisenga@fao.org