Africa has great potential for feeding itself through agroecological intensification. Its diverse smallholder farming systems currently feed half the population using only 42% of the land. Doubling yields is possible within 4 years using organic fertilizers like compost and cover crops to rebuild soils. Studies show compost can increase yields by over 100% for various African crops. Ecological practices also sequester carbon at rates of 0.15 to 0.46 tonnes per hectare annually. The African Union supports organic farming and developing sustainable systems through research, markets, policy, and capacity building via its new Ecological Organic Agriculture Initiative for Africa. With investment in soil health and stability, Africa can realize food security and sovereignty

1. Africa can feed itself:
its potential for agro-ecological
intensification
Sue Edwards, Tewolde Berhan Gebre Egziabher, Hailu
Araya, Fentaw Ejigu and Arefayne Asmelash
Institute for Sustainable Development,
Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
Tel: 011-618-6774; Fax: 011-618-6769; e-mail: sustaindeveth@ethionet.et;
sosena@gmail.com; hailuara@yahoo.com; webpage: www.isd.org.et

2. • This presentation is largely based on the
chapter
• AFRICA’S POTENTIAL FOR ECOLOGICAL
INTENSIFICATION OF AGRICULTURE
• And others in the book
• CLIMATE CHANGE AND FOOD SYSTEMS RESILIENCE IN
SUB-SAHARAN AFRICA

3. Africa’s challenges
• Africa is the second largest continent after Asia
• Its agriculture is diverse, with both TK and genetic
resources under-valued and poorly studied
• It is the least populated, e.g. DCR is the size of Europe
but has a population the same size as Belgium
• Its population is young, 75% under 30
• It has lost countless people through the slave
trade, and continues to loose its brightest and best to
‘brain drain’
• Infrastructure investment has focused on extraction
(minerals) and not internal communication and
integration
• Very poor R&D investment, particularly for agriculture
• It continues to be disturbed by conflicts

4. AFRICA’S AGRICULTURAL SYSTEMS

5. THE MAIN FLORISTIC
REGIONS OF AFRICA
AND MADAGASCAR
FROM WHITE (1983)

6. Africa’s Agricultural Systems
• Diversity is the norm – 10 or more crops plus
livestock
• Smallholder farmers, mainly women, are the
main producers
• Four farming systems—maize mixed, cereal/root
crop mixed, root crop, and agro-pastoral
millet/sorghum—provide the livelihoods for half
of the population and occupy 42 percent of the
land area in Sub-Saharan Africa

7. AFRICA’S AGRICULTURAL SYSTEMS

8. Ecological Intensification
• Before a Green Revolution, Africa needs a
BROWN REVOLUTION
• The soil needs to be built up and maintained
through establishing effective cycling of nutrients
• Organic fertilizers:
– Compost (including bioslurry)
– Cover crops
– Agroforestry with multipurpose trees
• THIS CAN DOUBLE YIELDS IN AROUND 4 YEARS

9. Impact of using compost - Results from over 900 samples
from farmers fields over 7 years, 2001-2006 inclusive
Average mean grain yields in kg/ha for 4 cereals and 1 pulse crop from
Tigray, northern Ethiopia, 2000-2006 inclusive
4000 Check
3500 Compost
Chemical fertilizer
3000
2500
kg/ha
2000
1500
1000
500
0
Barley (n=444) Durum wheat Maize (n=273) Teff (n=741) Faba bean (n=141)
(n=546)
Crop (n=number of observations/fields sampled)

10. Figure 1: Effects of bioslurry compost, chemical fertilizer and no
inputs (check) on wheat in Waza, Hintalo Wejerat, 2010
Grain Straw
4000 3756 3617
3500
3000 2739
2578
Yield in kg/ha
2500 2322
2000
1494
1500
1000
500
0
Compost Fertilizer Check
Treatment
Note: This is from the first year of using bioslurry compost

11. Impact of ecological agriculture on food
production and carbon sequestration
Average increase in crop Carbon sequestered
FAO farm system category yields (%) (tonne C/ha/year)
Smallholder irrigated 129.8 (±21.5) 0.15 (±0.012)
Wetland rice 22.3 (±2.8) 0.34 (±0.035)
Smallholder rainfed humid 102.2 (±9.0) 0.46 (±0.034)
Smallholder rainfed highland 107.3 (±14.7) 0.36 (±0.022)
Smallholder rainfed dry/cold 99.2 (±12.5) 0.26 (±0.035)
Dualistic mixed 76.5 (±12.6) 0.32 (±0.023)
Urban agriculture & kitchen 146.0 (±32.9) 0.24 (±0.061)
garden
All projects 79.2 (±4.5) 0.35 (±0.016)
Source: Menale Kassie & Precious Zikhali, May 2009 – Sustainable Development Innovation Briefs, Issue 7
Ecological Sustainable agriculture = low external input with soil improvements through conservation tillage,
and/or incorporation of animal manure, compost, green manures etc

12. Organic Agriculture in Africa
• African Union, Executive Council, Eighteenth Ordinary Session,
24-28 January 2011
• EX.CL/Dec.621 (XVIII), DECISION ON ORGANIC FARMING
• Doc. EX.CL/631 (XVIII)
1. TAKES NOTE of the Report of the Conference of Ministers of
Agriculture held in Lilongwe, Malawi on 28 and 29 October 2010
on Organic Farming, and ENDORSES the Resolution contained
therein;
2. EXPRESSES concern over the current practice of exploitation of
the organic farmers in Africa;

13. 3. REQUESTS the Commission and its New Partnership
for Africa's Development (NEPAD) Planning and
Coordinating Agency (NPCA) to:
i) Initiate and provide guidance for an African Union (AU)-led
coalition of international partners on the establishment of an
African organic farming platform based on available best
practices; and
ii) Provide guidance in support of the development of
sustainable organic farming systems and improve seed
quality;
4. CALLS UPON development partners to provide the necessary
technical and financial support for the implementation of this
Decision;
5. REQUESTS the Commission to report regularly on the
implementation of this Decision.

14. Ecological Organic Agriculture Initiative
for Africa
• This is supported by Sida through SSNC
• It has 6 pillars:
1. Research, Training and Extension
2. Information and Communication
3. Value Chain and Market Development
4. Networking and Partnerships
5. Policy and Programme Development
6. Institutional Capacity Development

15. • Therefore, we need to invest in the ecological
intensification of Africa’s agriculture
And
• Show that the Africa CAN feed itself and
provide food for people in other parts of the
world
BUT
• Peace and Security must prevail

16. THANK YOU