Nutritional value of such foods, existing food habits and socio-cultural or psycholog.cal
factors.
59. Women's issues were highlighted in a study on the role of women in ^ Pr^^"
in the West African subregion (case studies of Benin, Burkina Faso, Mai. and Senegal)
and in a technical publication on subregional co-operation in the production of cereals and tubers with emphasis on the role of women. These documents reviewed the agricultural situation and contribution of women to food production, w'th emphasis on working conditions and the major constraints limiting productivity. The study also made recommendations on strategy, measures and programmes for .improving the conditions of women in agriculture and increasing their contribution to solving the Africanfood crisis.
60. A report was presented to the 1989 meeting of the Council of Ministers of the Lusaka-based MULPOC on progress in establishing the proposed maize research network for Eastern and Southern Africa (JEFAD/AP1SS/88/40). The countries of the subreg.on were invited to pursue their efforts to mobilize the requisite financial resources to set up a co-ordinating centre as part of the development of the network concept approved by the MULPOC Council of Ministers in March 1984. In the same context, two advisory missions were undertaken to Lesotho and Mozambique on testing and demonstrating improved technologies in maize production to small farmers. The results of both mis sions were very positive and the Governments involved have requested that the activi
ties be continued.
61. Activities undertaken in the livestock sector at subregional and regional levels
included:
(a) The preparation of three documents, namely (i) a report to the Conference of Ministers on the Harmonization of livestock development policies in Africa: The
performance of the sector and the impact of structural adjustment programmes (E/ECA/CM.15/12) which critically assesses governmental interventions in the livestock sector and puts forward recommendations for corrective measures and for the development of a master plan to prevent losses and waste in the livestock sector; In) a report entitled Framework for intervention in the livestock sector of West Africa (CEA/JEFAD/M/NIAMEY/CSE/2/3/Rev.2), which includes emphasizing self-reliance, environmental conservation, feed security, human health and food security. The report was prepared at the request of government officials responsible for the livestock sector in the West African subregion and submitted for approval to the eleventh meeting of the Council of Ministers of the Niamey-based MULPOC in February 1989; (in) Master plan for the prevention, reduction and elimination of losses and waste in the livestock sector of trie West African subregion (CEA/JEFAD/M/NIAMEY/88/CSE/3/3/Rev.2).
This plan is one of the subregional subprogrammes. The set target is a 25 per cent reduction in losses and waste by the year 2000 and the focus of action will be the implementation of practical development projects;
(b) The preparation and organization of two meetings related to the implementation of an operational project on trypanosomiasis control in the Kagera
toTfi^T. ."'™ preparatory project (RAF/87/32), which will be central to l,^6 project document, is to help design an integrated pest management system to control tsetse and trypanosomiasis in the Kagera river bMln. The two merinos
oMhe PnT'? ahI th%W°rk ,P'an and ""P'^^tation schedule and the f7rs. mee ?ng
of the Project Advisory Committee. y
^ddlVOn' aAsemjnar on. improvement of the management and administration
♦**Z Pm• PT?JeCItS WIth emPhasis on Pastoralists was organized in September
with the major objective of providing a forum for West African project managers in which to exchange and analyse national experiences in implementing rural pastora
development projects in order to determine the measures necessary to improve
management and administration. Recommendations for action were made, at projectH«e^ent mm\ d°T le.V!IS' At the re^uest of the Participants, a technical publication
has been completed entitled Improvement of the management and the administration
^rll^l^1 deVeI°pment Pro'ects wlth emPh«is on pastoralists
63. Advisory services were rendered to Liberia on the economic situation and the national economic recovery programme. In its report (JEFAD/API&/88/5) the secretariat commented on the Government's Proposal for the Green Revolution and made appropriate recommendations, especially in the area of food self-sufficiency.
Aqrkultural marketinq^ institutions, services and facilities
64. In the area of agricultural marketing services, secretariat activities concentrated on four areas: (a) improvement of marketing and credit institutions and services; (b) improvement of marketing and price policies; (c) training and manpower development in the field of agricultural marketing; and (d) food security.
65. The major aim was to improve efficiency in the marketing and distribution of agricultural products and inputs by formulating appropriate policies and developing manpower resources. Attempts were made to promote food security through the reduction of food losses and adoption of adequate pre- and post-harvest technologies.
66. Thus, two reports were prepared and submitted to the Councils of Ministers of the Yaounde- and Niamey-based MULPOCs, in January and February 1989 respectively.
They contain recommendations for the improvement of marketing institutions particularly by the adoption of appropriate managerial and infrastructural measures at national and international levels. In addition, a technical publication on improving the utilization and marketing of fish in Eastern and Southern Africa was produced and a report on improving the structure, management and operations of four regional co operative unions in the United Republic of Tanzania was submitted to the Government
following an advisory mission.
67. With regard to food marketing and price policies, two reports were prepared in the context of improving measures to harmonize staple food crop prices for the Gisenyi-and Niamey-based MULPOCs, in 1988 Gisenyi-and 1989 respectively. The problems of small farmers were addressed in a report prepared, in collaboration with FAO, on the improvement of marketing policies and programmes with emphasis on agricultural inputs rural savings and credit facilities for farmers, particularly livestock producers and women'.
This report (E/ECA/CM.15/10) was presented to the ECA Conference of Ministers in
April 1989.
68. In the field of training and promotion of the development of manpower resources a workshop was organized in September 1988, in co-operation with FAO, on policy changes and their implications for grain marketing agencies.
Sirs
for managers of marketing institutions.70. In the same field, several other reports were completed for the Councils of Ministers
of the individual MULPOCs, namely:
(a) The implementation of a pilot project on the imPr7*men* °* £°d
self-sufficiency and security through the reduction and prevent.on of post-harvest losses, (b) The improvement of storage facilities and services;
(c) The implementation of a pilot project on the reduction of food losses through insect pest management and the use of small-scale, low-cost farm equ.pment in South
Nyanza, Kenya.
These three were submitted to the Council of Ministers of the Lusaka-based MULPOC.
(d) The implementation of a project on prevention and reduction °[f™<* 'osuses' which was submitted to the Council of Ministers of the Niamey-based MULPOC, held
in February 1989;
(e) A feasibility study on the establishment of a processing plant to transform and conserve roots and tubers, submitted to the Gisenyi-based MULPOC, in March 1989;
(f) The secretariat also prepared a technical publication on the promotion of inter- and intra-regional trade in staple food crops, including increased inter-country
exchange of market information.
Integrated rural development
71 A study was made on the modalities of popular participation in selected African countries which noted that participation by the local people has always been a feature of African society and, therefore, the traditional village decision-making process should be accommodated, in order to avoid conflict between village leadership and government representatives. Furthermore, it was thought to be crucial to the success of activities in rural areas that the beneficiaries participate in all stages. Popular participation is a pre-requisite for sustained success after the formal period is over. The study also concluded that a degree of local power must exist in order for the people to participate fully; this entails a certain decentralization of the decision-making process.
72. The secretariat published two more issues of its journal on integrated rural develop ment. Rural Progress. The themes were (i) Technical changes in rural development and the development of the livestock sector; and (ii) Structural adjustment, decentraliza tion, rural energy sources and institution building.
73. The secretariat continued to participate in the activities of the Administrative Committee on Co-ordination (ACC) Task Force on Rural Development by submitting
Population
74. Secretariat activities continued to be focused on three subprogrammes- (a)
oooula-an'dT *,'!? '"f deVe'°PTent P'annin?; (W dem°9"Phic analysis inVcont™ of economtc
and soc.al development planning; and (c) regional training and research.