Africa Human Development Report 2012Towards a Food-Secure Future

Empowered lives.Resilient nations.

Linking Food Security and Human Development

Where Are We?

In much of Sub-Saharan Africa people are trapped in a vicious cycle of low food security and human development

Two disturbing paradoxes: Recent significant economic progress has not had

commensurate impact on malnutrition, and

Food insecurity exists and persists despite abundant natural resources

This is the tainted inheritance of misguided policies, weak institutions and failing markets.

Trapped in low Human Development

In much of Sub-Saharan Africa people are trapped in a vicious cycle of low food security and human development

Two disturbing paradoxes: Recent significant economic progress has not had

commensurate impact on malnutrition, and

Food insecurity exists and persists despite abundant natural resources

This is the tainted inheritance of misguided policies, weak institutions and failing markets.

Where Are We?

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Tanzania: Misguided policies, weak institutions or failing markets?

Cereal yields have stagnated for decades

• Tanzania yield is 10% lower than the SSA average.

• 45% lower than Zambia’s

• Almost 20 % lower in per capita terms.

Food Self Sufficiency

Sub-Saharan Africa has the highest prevalence of hunger in the world

Percentage of undernourished population, 2006-2008

Human Development Report 2011: Sustainability and Equity: A Better Future for All. New York, Palgrave MacMillan.

• Under-nourished PopSSA- 27%,

Tanzania 34%, similar to Kenya but worse than Malawi or Uganda.

• Anemia prevalence 72% against regional average of 67%.

Less success in reducing malnutrition inSub-Saharan African than in Asia

Proximate and deeper causes of food insecurity

• Key proximate causes: High levels of rural poverty, low agricultural yields, poor infrastructure, limitations in access to health and education services in rural areas

• Food price volatility, erratic weather patterns and violent conflict add to instability in food systems

• Deeper causes of food insecurity include: – high levels of inequality, skewed control over resources and access to

opportunities; – policy bias especially against rural areas and against women;– detrimental international practices, including the lingering effects of

structural adjustment, lavish agricultural subsidies, the rise of bio-fuels and neglect of agriculture in ODA

Emerging threats: Things can go from bad to worse

• Changing population dynamics as the world’s fastest growing population is in SSA: from 856 million in 2010 to 2 billion in 2050. Tanzania’s Pop could reach 125 m; migration and urbanization

• Environmental challenges: in mid-1990s almost one quarter of agricultural land was degraded, up to 40% loss in yields

• Perils of climate change could increase water stress for 250 million people and halve yields from rain-fed agriculture, maize yields could fall by 30% by 2030; 25-40% of species habitats could be lost

Overarching policy focus

• No blue print for development—but guidelines for countries and many examples that must be tailored to country needs and circumstances

• Food sector is not a narrow issue for line ministry or specialized agency alone—should be at the centre of national development

• Championing the process: by President or Prime Minister and coordinated by ministries of finance, planning and/or economic development

Four key areas:

• Increase agricultural productivity• Faster uptake of inputs, investing in rural infrastructure and R&D, Smart

subsidies• Strengthen nutrition

– Nutrition interventions; fortification, including bio-fortification; improve basic services, remove inequalities, integrate nutrition into national development policy

• Build resilience– Controlling population growth, agro-ecological approaches, social

protection• Empower women and the rural poor

– Boosting participation and voice, advancing social justice and accountability by defining rights, improving equity in land access

Thank you