Linking

A snapshot of challenges & opportunities for food

security & sovereignty in West Africa

Meredith Kushnir, REAP-Canada, Presentation for Dig In! Campus Agriculture at UofT, February 14,

2012

Helping rural communities in Canada and developing countries meet the challenges of ecologically sound production of food, fibre and fuel since 1986

REAP-Canada

Agriculture Sector Context...• More than 75% of active

population are engaged in agriculture;

• Agriculture accounts for 30% GDP in Gambia and 17% GDP in Senegal

• Exports < Imports = Net food importing countries

• Unsustainable agricultural practices & policy (geared towards cash crops)

• ‘Hungry Season’ – where many farmers experience food shortages for 2-4 months

=UNSUSTAINABLE

Food Insecurity

Common Socio-economic challenges in rural areas of the Gambia & Senegal

• Limited education• Lack of financial resources• Limited access to land • Chronic malnutrition• Gender inequality• Lack of sustainable resource

management

Low soil fertility

Severe erosion & loss of soil organic matter

Desertification

Salinization Vulnerabilit

y to climate change

REDUCED AGRICULTURAL PRODUCTIVITY

Common Agricultural Challenges in the Gambia & Senegal

• Monoculture farming • Overgrazing by livestock• Drought and low rainfall• Extreme weather• Deforestation• Crop residues removed

•Global Factors (global markets, trade policies, economies etc…)

•National Factors (policies affecting, rural extension, access to goods)

•Community Level factors (access to land, resource availability (i.e. water, soils, seeds)

•Household factors (

Agro-Ecological Village Approach

An interdependent community of individual households that are largely self-reliant through the creation of ecological food,

fiber & energy systems

Common Objectives

1. Self-Sufficient, integrated community

2. Poverty reduction & sustainable livelihoods

3. Protect/enhance natural and social capital

Self-sufficiency for rural villagesConventionalAgriculture

Agro-Ecological Village Approach

Food Supply Processed, imported foodsand animal feeds

Farm production of principal food crops

Soil tillage Annual crops and tractors Minimizing tillage, perennial crops anddraft animals

Seeds Hybrid, GMO seeds Community seed banking

Soil fertility Off-farm chemical N,P,Kfertilizer

On-farm: Biological N fixation, compost,crop rotation, green manures

Pestmanagement

Chemical herbicides,insecticides, fungicides

Mechanical weeders, crop rotations,intercropping, bio-controls

Marketing Cash crops for export Diversification of crops, value added products and a focus on local markets

Resources Loans for purchasing inputs Local Farmers Associations, efficient useof on-farm resources to minimize inputs

Gender Favors men; devalues ‘unpaid’ work of women

Values contributions from women + men, taps into knowledge on seed saving, vegetable gardening, pest/disease management, etc.

The Agro-Ecological VillageDeveloping the Social, Ecological and Technological infrastructure of communities

Movement towards Food Sovereignty in West Africa

Push towards the Alliance for a new Green Revolution in Africa (AGRA) / Comprehensive Africa Agriculture Development Programme (CAADP)•Bamako Declaration 2007 on food sovereignty Support the use of traditional seeds and animal breeds for food sovereignty Stop the privatization of seeds and biopiracy Ban GMOs on the lands of Africa Support farmer exchanges and innovations

•ECOWAP - 2008 Regional Agricultural Policy – ensuring: Food security for people in the region Reducing food dependence and achieving food sovereignty; Involving producers in markets; Creating jobs with guaranteed incomes in order to improve living conditions and services in rural areas; Intensifying production systems in a sustainable manner; Reducing the vulnerability of West African economies by limiting factors of instability and regional insecurity; Adopting appropriate funding mechanisms.

•ROPPA / People’s Coalition on Food Sovereignty

Farmer Service Organizations• In Senegal, the CLCOP (cadre local de concertation des organizations de

producteur) promotes the interests of small producers and facilitates their access to technical and financial support for agriculture.

• FSOs can support farmer communities in: - Agricultural production - Input supply & sharing (i.e. seeds, fertilizers; technologies), locally-

sourced technical advice; enhanced production volume through collective action

- Financing / Marketing: Enhanced capacity to access markets & demand good prices; joint venture to enable higher returns on products; credit & saving schemes.

- Information / Knowledge Services: peer-peer farming learning / trade fairs

- Research / Innovations: opportunity to support farmer-led research / sharing of innovations

- Advocacy: strengthened capacity to articulate local needs to potential service producers.

Thank you! Jire jeff!