EC Communication on: "Advancing African Agriculture"

Rural Development Briefings- A series of meetings on ACP-EU Development issues EC Communication on: “Advancing African Agriculture Brussels 17th Oct. 2007 By: P.M. KIRIRO PRESIDENT EASTEN AFRICA FARMER FEDEATION (EAFF)

INTRODUCTION 3. Africa Agriculture 4. Small Scale Agriculture 5. Small Holder Market Concerns 6. Farmer- Private Sector Partnership 7. Getting Farmers Organized

1. Africa Agriculture • Agriculture in the region a primary activity • It is predominately small scale • Need to understand its character and challenges • Has many functions – social, economic etc • It is adequately supported – domestically and through development assistant • With agriculture performing, it will be possible to realise; – Economic growth – Reduce poverty – Enhance food security

2. Small Scale Agriculture • Need for transformation • Need for adequate support • For sustainable food security there is need for commercialization • Target domestic and regional markets • Need to address the question of safety and standards • Need to be efficient and competitive

3. Small Holder Market Concerns • Concerns – High cost of marketing overheads reduce profit in some cases up to 20% – Unfair competition – Inability to accumulate large quantities to access profitable markets – Farmers poorly organized to have significant power at the market – Liberalized markets a problem. They are expensive to access, very competitive and profit margin are small – Efficiency of production key to being competitive (input markets)

4. Farmer- Private Sector Partnership Business like approach to farming • Influence input and output markets – manage them better • Change attitude and practice business agriculture • Reach out to the private sector – benefit from experience and capacity in the private sector

5. Getting Farmers Organized • Get organized – good for service providers to sector and the small farmer himself • Farmers of Africa have tried to organized themselves although they need capacity to speed up the process and strengthening their organizations

Comprehensive African Agriculture Development Programme-(CAADP) 6. The CAADP initiative that targets NEPAD Pillar 4- agriculture- rests on 4 sub-pillars 7. Farmers Involvement in the CAADP Initiative 8. Agriculture – Vision and Goals 9. Farmers Involvement in CAADP- Pillar Elaboration

6. The CAADP initiative that targets NEPAD Pillar – 4- agriculture, rests on 4 sub-pillars • Extending the area under sustainable land management and reliable water control systems • Improving rural infrastructure and trade related capacities for market access • Increasing food supply and reducing hunger • Agricultural research, technology dissemination and adoption

7. Farmers Involvement in the CAADP Initiative • NEPAD awareness creation • Regional planning implementation (RIP) meeting of CAADP • Launching of the implementation of CAADP IN Accra Ghana on May 5th to 6th 2005 • EAF and ROPPA are now part of the CAADP Pillar II Expert Reference Group that is developing the framework

8. Agriculture – Vision and Goals • This process led to a Farmers of Africa Pretoria Declaration. It is within this declaration that farmers of Africa outlined their own vision on the type of agriculture they would like to see developed in Africa I.e. • Vision – Modern and sustainable agriculture – One that assures social, economic and ecological functions – One that is able to guarantee family solidarity, equity and sustainable management of natural resources

8. Agriculture – Vision and Goals (continued) Goals • Ensure remunerable and stable revenues • Guarantee descent livelihood for family farmers and agricultural producers

1. Farmers Involvement in CAADP – Pillar Elaboration • The content of CAADP Pillar II is of great importance to farmers of Africa • Agricultural profitability in Africa has very seriously been affected by infrastructure and market access • Farmers organizations have continously lobbied governments for improvement of rural infrastructure • Farmers organizations to be part of CAADP Pillar II Expert Reference Group

Conclusion • To benefit from markets small agriculture must create surplus for the market • Must remain organized • Must diversify in production • Need to increase their incomes to be sustainably food secure • Support of agriculture – Maputo Declaration – 10% • Budgetary allocation to agriculture • Farmers participation in CAADP Pillar Development

EC Communication on: "Advancing African Agriculture"

by Euforic Services on Oct 17, 2007

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EC Communication on: "Advancing African Agriculture" — Presentation Transcript