DOCUMENTS OFFICE
F i L i (J 8 -P \
NO TO BE TAKEN OUT UNITED NATIONS
ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL COUNCIL
' Distr.
GENERAL
e/cn.14/637
31 January 1975 Original1 ENGLISH
ECONOMIC COMMISSION FOR AFRICA
THE FOOD SITUATION IN AFRICA AND A PROGRAMME OF ACTION
CONTENTS
Paragraphs Page
I. INTRODUCTION 1 _ 4
II. THE INDICATIVE WORLD PLAN FOR AGRICULTURE AND THE
RECENT PERFORMANCE OF AFRICAN AGRICULTURE 5-32 2 III. CONSTRAINTS AND DISINCENTIVES TO EXPANDING FOOD
PRODUCTION IN AFRICA , 33-48 18
Human Resources v ---_______ \ 34-^7 ifi
Agricultural Institutions . 38-40 10
Marketing 41-42 19
Financial and Other Resources 43-45 20
Power in Agriculture 46-47 21
Government Policy ---_-________ ^g .2l
IV. REGIONAL ACTION FOR INCREASING FOOD PRODUCTION
IN AFRICA 49_ 70 23
An African Food Council - - -___ 57-63 2*5
Initial Areas of Action for the Council 64 - 70 27
V. CONCLUSION 71-73 29
THE POOD SITU*TION_IN AFRICA AND A PROGRAMME OF ACTION
I, INTRODUCTION
1. The reeont World Food Conference has-dramatically publicized the critical" balance between food supplies and the food needs of the billions
of people in the world- Indeed, recently there has rather been an imbalance which has resulted in hunger for much of the world. Nutritionists say. that over 400 million people subsist on a diet which is less than the sstimated
minimum daily requirement for health.
2. Most of theso unfortunate people"are'located in developing countries which 'include .most of the African countries where even-in the best years food production hac only kept pace with'population growth,- - In bad years this situation is much worso as evidenced by the recent droughts and. natural disaeters which have occurred in many places in the world. Some African r«tfons have been particularly hard hit rhile other have made steady but ^ slow progress. There, has been substantial progress made with some individual crops although total food production .has no-i been materially affected. On the inpu-b side, the "ase of fertilizers and pasticideo has-oven exceeded the projections -but tee not made a large impact because the total amount used *s still very io, in proportion to the needs of the continent. Consequently on an individual country basis, food production is still very much correlated
with veaiher-condi^ns, It should also, be borne in mind that, traditionally, food 1 trv-o not. rocaivod high priority becauss of the emphasis on expert
-rot-'whi-b o'"-i -Quch leodad foreign exchange. Demand continues to outstrip demonic supplies and place* great pressure on the individual countries import capacity and also on world utocto of food, which are at precarious ..
levels. - ■ ■ ■• .
3. This ha3 occurred at a time when African countries have placed 8™*
emphasis orveoonondc plannine and development programmes While this action hTpo-haps boosted food production, preventing it from lagging further behind"th^ rapid increase in population, the absolute effect sxill does not
measure up to expectations.
4. TJUs ntata of affairs calls for new initiatives and concerted action among £r<orn oo.mtrie.if real catastrophe .in food production in the region
^T*f--h~ -°o'ded WivOe the constraints to expE^.dinS food production in Africa ara =.anr," they'are not insurmountable. It is therefore P™P<>."* .
"at a r«riorai body az part of the World Food Council be established to p^rcLte concerted food action in the region aimed at ■ the euosxantial increas-
ing of food production-,
E/CH.14/637
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II, THE INDICATIVE_vroRLD PLAH^FOR AGRICULTURE "
AND THE RECENT PERFORMANCE OF AFRICAN AGRICULTURE
5. In 1963 the countries participating in the World Food Congress in
Washington called upon FAO to prepare ah Indicative World Plan for Agricul- . tural Development. This IWP was essentially a set of projections based
partly upon trends at the time-of compilation and partly upon the various
Governments' development plans. . ' '
6. In making the projections, many assumptions had to be made concerning the policies' and emphases of Governments on the many questions of agricul tural development. Many other■assumptions had to be made in respect of population, growth" of non-agricultural output, trading patterns, and the, like. The'resulting compilation of the IWP was thus meant to provide, as requested by the World Food Congress, a framework within which individual . country developments could be seen to fit, or otherwise, and to whioh
individual, country policies could be referred.
7. Because of varying availability, comparability, and reliability of data, the regional section of the IWP did not include projections for all the . African'countries, and only 27 countries were covered. These were, however, representative of the region, and it is useful to compare.the IWP pro3ections
with.estimates of actual performance. * ■ .
8. The IWP. used as a base period an average of production estimates for the years 1961-63. Projections were made for 1975 and I985. As the IWP waB published in 1969, it was possible to utilize the performance in the years from 196I up'to 1967 to provide a realistic basis for the projected
attainments of 1975. These have been done for. total agricultural production.
Estimates of actual performance, on the.other hand, have now been made for the period 1961-73. Although these estimates and the IWP pro3ections are not for the same periods, it is possible to make a rough comparison by usmg estimates of average annual rates of change in actual performance for the years included in the IWP projections. Table I compares projections and
'performance in annual growth rate terms.
9. Table I indicates (for the group of 27 countries for which there are IWP projections that production may have risen at the rate of about 2.4 per cent per year over most of the period for which the IWP projected a rate of 3.2 per cent. As population is estimated to have risen at the rate of 2,5 per cent per year, per caput production may actually have fallen by 1973.
Of the 27 countries, total production appears to have fallen in four countries and to have grown at a slower rate in fifteen countries than anticipated in the IWP. In thirteen of the 27 countries, production appears not to have
kept pace with the growth of population.
Aoproximate'
TAELE I
average annual rates of change 1 of total agricultural" production 19°1;-!2'ZJ.
compared to projections of the Indicative World Plan for Agriculture and to' Population
Apparent Growth of Production
1961-1973 .?/
PRODUCTION
LESS', THAN PROJECTED
IN IWP
1. PRODUCTION DECLINE
Congo -2.2
Chad 3/4/ -2.0 Niger 2>f 4/ -1-8 Mali l/ 4/ -Oo7
2. PRODUCTION INCREASE
ao At lower rate than population
Senegal 3/ 0.3
Mauritania 3/ 0*4
Nigeria 0.6
G\AOR* 1.0
Zambia 1« 8
Kenya 2a1
Uganda 4,/ 2C1
Madagascar .2*2
Algeria 2.7
"bo At higher rate than population
Ethiopia4/ 2,3 Dahomey 4/ 2.0
Growth Rates i/
Productions of
iwp 1961-1975
per cen
2.8
2,7
3.0-, ■ ' 3.0-- '3.2 2,7 3-1 2,o 5-0
>,8
3-9
2.2 5/
2c 5 .
3° 41 Population Growth
Rates 1961-1973
2,1
2.3
.2,9 2.32.4
2.22.5
2,1 3,03.0 2.6
2,7 2*9
2.0
2.5 '
Average annual change in production per
oap_irt 1961-1973
-4.3 -4.3 -4.4 -2.9
" -2.2 -1.8
-1.9
-1.1 -1.1-1,0 -Oj 6
-0.5
-0.20,3 ■ 0,1
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Table I (cont'd)
Apparent Growth of Production
1961-1973 2/
II. PRODUCTION MORE THAN PROJECTED IN. IWP AND FASTER THAN POPULATION
Upper Volta?"/
Zaire Gabon Gambia
Ghana
Maiawi^/
Cameroun Tanzania
Togo Morocoo Tunisia Ivory Coast
WEIGHTED AVERAGES:
2.5 2.9
3.0 3.1 3.3 4.6 4.6
4.7
6.1 6.16.4 6.8
TOTAL 27 COUNTRIES WITH IWP
COMPARISONS TOTAL LESS II
WEST AFRICAN COUNTRIES TOTAL LESS
NIGERIA 6 SAHELIAN
COUNTRIES
TOTAL LESS SAHEL
2.4
3.3
3.2
-0.1 2.6 TOTAL LESS NIGERIA
AND SAHEL II WEST AFRICAN WEST AFRICA LESS
NIGERIA
7 EASTERN AFRICA 3.6
1.5
3.0
2.7 6 CENTRAL AFRICAN 2.6
Projections of
imp 1961-1975
2.4 2,7
1.4 3.03.1
3.3
3.62.9
2'8c/
3.55/
3.45/
4.7
3.2
3.0
3.2
2.9
3.1 3.0 3.23.3 3-3 2.4
Population Growth
Rates 1961-1973
2.1 2.2
0.7
2.03.0
2.5
2.02.5 2.5 2.9
3.12.3
2.5
3.5 2.5 2.4 2.5 2.5 2.5 2.4 2.5
2.1
Average Annual change in production per
caput 1961-1973
*
7
0.3
■ 0.7 2.4
1.00.3 2.1 2.6 2.0
3.5
3.2 3.2 4.2-0.2 ;
0.6
0.5
-2.6 :
0.1
1,1 -1.1
0.3
0.2 :
0,4
Table I (cont'd)
Apparent Growth of Production
1961-1973 2/
3 NORTH WEST AFRICAN
24 SUB*SAHARAN 24 SUB-SAHARAN LESS NIGERIA AND SAHEL III. COUNTRIES FOR
WHICH NO IWP PROJECTIONS -
AVAILABLE (l3>^
Equatorial
Guniea 4/
Lesotho 4/
Guinea 4/
Somalia 4/ ■
Siorra Leone
Botswana 4/
Liberia Mauritius Egypt
Rwanda 4/
Sudan ■ Libya Swaziland ' WEIGHTED. AVERAGE
ABOVE 13
WEIGHTED AVERAGE 40 STATES
'"5-2
: 2,0
3.2
!
/-1.6 0.0
l* 7
2.0 3.1 3.2 3.83.4
4.2
4.5 4.9
6.4■7.4
4,1.2.8
Projections of Population Growth
IWP 1961-1975 Rates 1961-1973
3.4 ■ 2.9
3.1 2.4
3* 1 2.4
... 1.3
1.7
2, 2 2.3 2.2 2. 21.7 2.6
... 2.8
2.8 ,3.0
■3.2 2.6
2.5 2.5 .
E/CNOd/^37
?i.:~ 5
Average annual change in production per
caput 1961-1973
1,8 -0.5
0.7
-3.0 -1.7
-0,2 0.8 1.0
1.7
1.2 ■• 1.3
1.6 1.8 2.8 4.4
1.7
0.3
it
it
Calculated from FAO revised index numbers of per caput food production, Sub-.resional and other group averages have been weighted by aggregates used in USDA ERS-Foreign 365* "IndioeB of Agricultural Production in Africa and tho 17ear Best", Washington June 1974, supplemented with estimates made in ECA/FAO Joint Agricultural Division^of aggregate weights for certain oountriee accounting for less than 5 per cent of estimated production.
Exponential trend; minus sign denotes percentage decrease per year.
Countries are ranked in order of asoending rates of growth of estimated
total agricultural produotio, Six Sahelian countries,
Beleaga to the group of "least-developed oountries", 1965-1975
6/ Excludes Burundi, for which comparable data unavailable.
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10. If we include the thirteen other countries for which there are no IWP j
projections, the apparent rate of growth of production rises to 2.8 per oent
per year for 40 of the 41^/ independent African states, slightly higher than
the presumed rate of population growth. Apparently in only 23 of the 40 states, production increased faster than population. -
11» Table I amply illustrates however the extremely uneven pattern of
performance, particularly the weight of Nigeria in the whole and the signi—
fioance of the recently drought-stricken Sahel zone. With the help of - production weights used by the U.S. Department of Agriculture in its calcula
tion of indices of production in Africa?/f it is possible to make estimates
of the weighted average growth rates for various -groupings of oountries.
These are indicated in Table I» The hoped for average rate of growth of the IWP appears to have been met in over half of the other 20 oountries,
that is, if we exclude Nigeria and the six Sahelian states. For these twenty
States with IWP projections (taken together) the IWP expectation of a 3-2 per
cent per year growth of agricultural output appears to-have been exceeded and, if Nigeria alone is excludeds the IWP rate appears to have been approximately equalled for all these countries taken together,
!?• The failure to achieve the IWP projected rate for the 27 countries is
thus chiefly attributable to the performance in West Africa, and especially in the Sahelian zone and Nigeria, A large part of Nigerian production is from the northern part, which was also affected by the Sahelian drought.
Nigerian production was also seriously affected by the warfare in the southeast in 1967-69. However, the Eastern African results are also very disappointing. On the other hand, the record for Africa has been helped greatly by relatively impressive growth rates in Tunisia and Morocco.
13. It cannot be determined to what extent bad weather is responsible for the failure of production to increase at rates anticipated by those who drew up the IWP, but this was surely an important contributing factor. The
severe effeots of the Sahelian drought are obvious when the separate
countries are compared, but it is also obvious that the performance in other countries was also much lower in the later years. Average rates of growth fell in the second half of the period in 18 of the 27 countries and rose in only six.
l/ Comparable data are not available for Burundi.
2/ See footnotes to Tables I and III,
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food production, 0M>les II and III illustrate the significance of
5 per cent.
Sah'elian zone,
production had increased at the sane rate £ ^1£1°^£U^°tha Sah,l.
countries. But for the 19fU s xne ra^w , - 1Q61-1973 shows that in
27 ^"i ZMZ^TJflTllolft of^ nothave^ept pace .ith ^SftioL0 F- /he °cZtrrieSs ta»cenPtogether .er^ut food prod.ct.on ^
have grovn only at 0.1 per cent per year.
the poor performance of the period since
18. ^e.reiatively good performs of North
f^
3/ ^ X964 crop year is not ^f^f^ i. ^
^T^ 1^^^ in Tanzania and 80-lU.
e/oil 14/637
Pago 8
:TABLE II
IndioeP of per .'caput food production Ij
Tunia .la Sudan Morocco
Egypt"
Algeria
1969 118 79
105 .10583 119
93 ISO
113
10486 97
13.2 121
117
10480 99
107
118 115
104 90125
Ghana" . . Liberia ■ . Gambia Ivory Coast Sierra Lecne Tcgo * \ Dahomsy
Uppor'M.Toxfa-- -.
9 /
ia'r-'
95
10587 - 117
109 .114 107 ..103;1C5.
■95 -■
101
91
■ 9?
SI
103
89
110
94
107 113 3.06 103 101 90 7093
20 93
109
.83
100 120 109 110 106 103 9689 91 95 97
82101
89 118 91
106105 9-;
96 93
8854
88 6669
xTorfh Africa, v-rLglrsed average 109118 104 104 103
75
96
■88
101 112103
10496
9485 77
61■ 78 60 52
Per cent Chango 197
1-9. 0.6 -9*5
0.0
-16.7 -17^6 -4c 5 -5.
-l.
11.
-5"
—9 10.
-Go
-2,-8.
-12.
13=
-11- -24.
-9-
0 . 1 o.
i -
8'
6 6 1 6-5
0 4 ,1 ,6
Average annual per cent
change 1969-73 8.9
0o 0 0.0-6. 2 ' ■ ■
-1.4 ■ ■
-1,9 " -West itfrion,, weighted average
0.2
0.5"
0,2
-0.5 -0>9.
-1.4
-1.9 -2.6
-2*1-4.7
-5.0:-5.:2
-6,2 -10»6
-4/3
ll roffl FtO : I!Th«S State of Pood ai^d Agriculture", for PAO
Courotl Fov.'MVRon.e (d, 64/2, «mex Table 23). For woigbted
averngU -I footnote 1 ^1^ I. . Burundi is omitted because ooBparebl-
data are un&'nila'bXtie
2/ Six Saheliau'o-ountrioo.
Pa,,a 9
Table H(cont'd)
Average
Botswana Tanzania Swaziland Malawi Mauritius Ethiopia ' Somalia ■ Uganda Madagascar Kenya Zambia Lesotho
12°2
119 97 137
120 101 103 103 109 101 106 10795
1970
94
143 108145
10485
102 104
98
10689 99
1221
104 136
117 147
90 104 100 100 101
95 89 98
mi
103
137 155
120 105
95
98 99
93 102 10067
1973
112 - 130
148
121 100 10295
94 9389 94 73
Per cent change 1972-73
8.7 -5.1 -4.5
0*85-3
.-2.9 -3.1 -5.1 0,0 -7.8 -11.011.9
annual per cent
change 196°,-73
3.8 2.4 2.0 0.4 0. 2 0, 0
-0.8
-2«0 -2.9 -4.8-4-4Eastern and Southern Africa, weighted
average
Gabon Cameroun CA.R.
Rwanda Zaire Congo Equatorial
Guinea
Chad 2/
Central Total,
116 112
94 114 117 78
80 87
Africa 118 111 118
94 117 73
8983
121
115
11895
118 7075
81, weighted 40 countries
122
113
11194
102
63 63 59
123 113 93 111 112 62
59
56average
, weighted averago
0.8 0*0 -1.1
0,0
9.8
-1.6-6,3 -5.1
3O 3-5.4
1.5
0,2 0.6
0.3 0.7
-6.7
-9.82] Six Sahelian countries.
E/CN.14/637
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TABLE III ■
Approximate average annual percentage .changes in per caput food, production
in Africa 1961-1-973 1/
1961-1969 1969-1973 1961-1973
per cent per year _ Tunisia
Morocco Libya Sudan Egypt Algeria
North Africa Ivory Coast
Togo Gambia
Sierra Leone Ghana -
Liberia
Upper Volta 2/
Guinea Dahomey
Mauritania 2/
Nigeria Senegal 2/
Mali 2/
Mger 2/
West Africa
West Africa less Nigeria 5 Sahelian
West Africa less 5 Sahelian West Afrioa less Nigeria
and 5 Sahelian
0 4 4 2.
2, 0,
2,
"6.
6.
1.
1.
0.
-0.
2.
0.
0.
0.
-0.
-0.
0.
0.
.8
• 5 .4
.6 .3 .4.5"
■ 5
,28 9
2 12 8
.•
4 2
6 3 5 0,4
1.30,4
0.4li'7
8.
0, -1.
0.
-0,
—1X a
9
09
0 2 4 0.2
-0.9
-0 -1
-5
.4
0.5
0.2
-4.
-2.
-2, -6, -5.
—>•
-10.
-14.
-4.
-6.
-3.-3-
.7 ,7
,6 ,2 ,0 ,26 1
3
15
63
3-
2, 1.1, -0,
1, 4.
3.
1.
0.
0*
0.
-0.
-0.
-Oi -1.
-2.
—j. ■
-4..
.3
• 2
► 3.8
.5
.2.8
0 6 0 8 3 01
4
6 8 8 24
4-0.7
-1.1 0.06.6 -0.8 1.2
Table III (cont'd)
e/cu 14/637
" P'll
Swaziland Tanzania Malawi Mauritius Botswana Ethiopia Somalia.
Madagascar Uganda . . Kenya Zambia Lesotho
East
Cameroun Gabon . Rwanda Zaire C.A.R.
and Southern Africa
Equatorial Guniea Congo
Chad 2/
Central Africa M
Africa 4/ .
Africa less Nigeria and 6 Sahelian
Sub-Saharian Sub-Saharian Nigeria and
Africa 5/
Africa less 6 Sahelian
5.7
■ 2.4 ■■
2.8 1.8
-0,4 0.5
0.6 0.4 1.2 0.30-5 -0c9
0.9 2.8 3.7
2o81.7 -1.9
- -0.9 -3.6 -2.21.2
1.6
0.8
1.21961-1969 1969-1973 1961-1973
per cent per year
2.0
2.7
0.20.4 3.8
0.0 -0.8 -3.0—1 ■ \
-4I4
—2 9-4.8
-0.5
0.2 -0»6
1.5
-0.7 -o;3"-6.7 -5-5 -9.8
-2.0
-0.4
-2.6 -0.84-5 2.5
2.0 1.2 1.1•0.3
-0.3 -0.4-0.4
-0.8-2.2
0.3 2.6
2.4 1.6 0.8
■1.3 -2.9
-4.3-4.7
0.1
1.1
-0.3 0.7
l/ Calculated from FAO revised index numbers of per caput food production
December 1974« Averages of sub-regions and groups of countries have been weighted by production aggregates 1969-73 from USDA ERS Foreign 365$
Indices of agricultural production in Africa and the Far East; June 1974- Aggregates for countries not included in above, about 5 per cent of
African production, have been estimated in the ECA/FAO Joint Division.
2/ Sahelian oountries.
"hj Excluding Burundi, for which comparable indices are unavailable.
4/ Excludes South Africa, Rhodesia, and non-independent territories as of
1973.2/ Excludes the 5 Mediterranean coastal countries.
E/CN. 14/637,
Paga. 12 * ,
19. To recapitulate, agricultural production, and within this, food
production, tended generally to increase at a slightly faster rate than • population during the decade of the 1960's, particularly if West Africa is excluded, hut since 1969 performance has notably worsened generally, though the influence of the recent special circumstances of the Sahel and of Nigeria weigh very heavily in any quantitative estimates of the performance of African
agriculture since i960. '
20. Over the same period, urbanization has increased, at rates of from 4 to 7 per oent per year. This -has increased further the demand for food and
significantly altered its pattern. Higher incomes and the altered tastes of urban people have increased the difficulty of providing sufficient food. It is apparent that the supply for urban markets has fairly generally lagged behind the growth of demand'.in Africa, though,there has not been sufficient
detailed, study of this, -
21. A great part of the problem of urban food supply however is the special
one of wheat bread and rice.
22. Although the conditions for growing wheat, especially bread wheats, are generally unfavourable in much the greater part of Tropical Africa, wheat- ■■"' bread is increasingly becoming the staple foodstuff of choice in virtually all urban areas. African Governments largely have accommodated to the' tastes of their urban citizens and have followed a very liberal import policy on wheat (or wheat flour). The reeult has been an enormous increase in imports,
as seen in Table IV. /
23. These figures of imports of wheat have, been disaggregated for clearer interpretation. North Africa has been a long-standing wheat deficit area.
The six -North African countries accounted for over 8l per cent of the wheat imports of Africa in I96I-65 and, despite substantial increases in imports -to Sub-Saharan Africa in recent years, almost 73 per cent in 1970-72.
24. In per oaput terms, wheat and flour imports appear to have accounted for
about 40 kilogrammes in North Africa in 1967 as well as in 1972. In the
remainder of Africa, despite the great increase in these imports, consumption
of wheat still amounted only to about 4 and 6 kilogrammes per caput in 1962
and 1971 .respectively. (See Table V).
TABLE IV
Imports of Wheat and Wheat Flour in Wheat._Esui_valent
14/637
Average
1961-65
1970197-2.
in r000
Index 1970-72
(1961-65 - 100)
Algeria ■ ■ ' . ' . . .
Egypt ' ' .
Libyan Arab Republic Morocco
Sudan Tunisia
Total - North Africa Dahomey
Gambia Ghana Guinea' Ivory Coast Liberia Mali
Mauritania Niger Nigeria Senegal Sierra Leone Togo
Upper.Volta
.Total - West Africa Burundi' * ■ ■ Cameroon
Centra]. African Republic Chad
Congo Gabon Zaire
Total - CenLral-Africa Ethiopia
. Kenya Lesotho Madagascar Malawi Mauritius Somalia Tanzania Uganda
Zambia
Total - East Africa
Total Africa l/
403-8
1*780.3 126.9 309.7
113.4210,8
"430.5
1,232.4 238.4
414.6
■ 229.0
712.3 2,409.3 243,8
708.4 185-4 338.9
188
1,685-9-
286.1 396,3.
212.9
277.9
202
164 184 J69
3,629-9
Includes in addition to the above countries t Angola. Mozambique, Territory of Afars and Issas, Cape Verde Islands, Comoro Islands, Rhodesia, Sao Tome, Seychelles and Guinea-Bissau
Source: FAQ Trade Yearbook, 1973.
French Reunion,
E/CIM4/637'
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TABLE V
Rice and Wheat (and Wheat Flour in Terms of Wheat) Imports 1961-65 and 1971-73
Imports oft
Approximate kgs. per caput per year from imported grains
1961-65 . 1970-72
Wheat Rice Total . Wheat Rice Total
North Africa West Africa Central- Africa East Africa All Africa
"Tropical" Africa
39
45
3 14 40.2 4
■1 ■ 2 2 3
39
8 - 6 165 7
41 7 7
16■5
6(>. 4
4
1 ' 2 ..2 3
41
129 7 19 . . 9 25. Wheat imports thus represent possibly about 20 per cent of the calorie
intake" in North Africa whereas they still are at best 2 or 3 per cent for the - rest of Africa. In most countries imported wheat is even a much smaller
fraction of total food consumption.
26. Wheat imports for Tropical Africa, (as opposed to the entirely different ecological zone of. North Africa) usually, and for much the greater part, do not represent a response to inadequacy of domestic supply of food, but to urban preferences for wheat bread and governments1 acceptance of these.
27. .Emergency cereal contributions to drought areas are exceptions of course, but to a great extent the nutritional value of wheat in sub-Saharan Africa could be met by locally produced maize and sorghum, for instance, if wheat imports were discouraged. An acceptable approximation to wheat bread could be produced, perhaps on a sub-regional soale, by blends of flours from various other African products (sorghum, groundnuts, cassava, e.g.) with a very much smaller proportion of wheat flour. Governments have not pursued these courses at all actively7 and established importing, milling and baking interests have not been led to reduce the ever-rising imports of wheat. It. should be clear
that the expanding consumption of wheat bread discourages further expansion of other African crops for market and weakens foreign exchange positions of African countries, especially today, when wheat prices have more than trebled and promise to remain'high. Though still small in the total pattern of consumption, it is clear that the rate of increase in wheat imports in Tropical Africa oannot long
be maintained without severe strain on balances of payments,,
28. Rice imports (see Table V and VI) should be interpreted differently, in that domestic production, is potentially capable of meeting the rising demand.
In fact, West African countries in recent years have been expanding production rapidly in the coastal zone, roughly doubling output in ten years, and rice
imports are no longer increasing rapidly*
14/637
aLe 15
1 1 1
1
1
I t
i
>
i
i
j
« -■
Algeria
Egypt . '
Libyan-Arab Republic* ■
MoroccoSudan
Tunisia ■--••■ • .->•■*
.Total- North Africa
Dahomey :
Gambia . Ghana . Guinea ...
Ivory Coast Liberia. ■; . Mauritania Niger Nigeria Senegal-
Sierra. Leone ■ ' Togo ■ ■ ■■. •■
Upper. Vol-ta
Total r'West Africa
Burundi Cameroon
Central African Republic Chad " .-
Congo Gabon Zaire
Total - Central Africa Ethiopia
Kenya Madagascar Mauritius Somalia Tanzania Uganda Zambia
Total -'East Africa _^ Total Africa above
Source: PAO Trade Yearbook,
TA.BLE Imports
Average
. ;;19.6l-65-
1.5 .
_
' "5.7
..
4-4
•2.3 13.9- 4-8 8.6 ■
30,047.7 32.9 32/5
7*0 2.0137.8
1.3- - 14.4
2.9- 3.2
325.1
■ . 1.6.
7.1.
0.1 , 1.0 . 1.1
1.4 ■
25.637-9
1,6■ ' 4.7
17.0 68.1 22o 2 13. 2 ■
■ 6,6 1.7 ' 135-1
51200
1973.
VI of Rice
. 1970
3.5
__
' 18.5
ll.l ' 1.7 34.8 7.6 14-2
■ 53p4 :78«8
25*0 49-0 15.8- 0.11,8
■ 119.2 86.9
3.1 1-4 456.3
0.2 0,8.
7.8
„
1.5
2.2 25.639.1
1.0 . 1.1
58.8
20.323.3 4^0'
7-3 4-6'120.4
650.6■"■ 1971
6.0 ' 22.8 8.9
2.039.7
5.5
7.6 35.3 25.0
97.3 54-1 28.0
0.1
184.5
0.327.4
1.0
1.4
■4.67.5
. 8.9
0-1 1,01.5 2,2 .
18.3
32, 0 1.0 10.2
' 61. 3 54,1 380 0
10.0 - 4.1" 6*3 185,6 ■
724.8. ... ■ . ..
(' 000 m. t
1972
15.9
23.0
9.0 2.0
■ 49.9
6c0 11.0 40.0 40.088.0
25 0 5 10.0 0.10.3 242.7
5.2 1.0 1.6
'471.4
0.1 9.0 0.6
■1.5 ■283
21.034.5
1.0 10.0 43*4
72,3 36.2
9-0 4.2 7.0183O1
738^9
• )
. Index
T *"\ ^T ^\ n ^\
,1970-72
(1961-65
- - 100)
564
376.,, ,.
220
83
■298 133 '
. 127143 --I85
91
132
256 ""
5 62 133
277 :
46 59 143 . -. 83
121
800
13G 160. 85
93
. 62 151245 91
146
66 62 . 362 121138
E/CH. 14/637
Page 16
29- Fertilizers and Pesticides. The IWP foresaw a sharp rise in the use of modern technical inputs, particularly of inorganic fertilizers and pesticides, as follows:
Expenditures in African Agricultur
Estimated Projected Implied
1962 1975 Average Annual
($ million, 1962-prices) Growth Rates (%)
Fertilizers 14.2 75.7 13.6
Pesticides 13*6 43.5 9.4
3Q. There are no strictly comparable data, but it seems that the use of these
inputs so critical to expanding production has indeed met expectations. The ' use of fertilizers has apparently grown at over 14 per cent per year for the1961-72 period and there has been an even faster acceleration since 1969,
particularly in those sub-Saharan countries in which the use of fertilizers is relatively new.. If Kenya and Mauritius, the previous heaviest users, are excluded, fertilizer use has grown at about 19 per cent per year. Pesticide use has increased even more compared to the IWP anticipations, rising at a rate of over 16 per cent per year,31. Despite the lack of firm evidence, it appears however that an important
part of the expanding use of fertilizers and pesticides is often for special export orops, with relatively less being used for local food production. In .this connection, mention should ..be made of the growth of so-called "package- projects" for small farmers, principally in Kenya, Malawi and Ethiopia. In such projects input supply- credit, and extension are provided to ever-increas ing numbers of small farmers. These promising activities rely primarily on an assured supply of fertilizers (increasingly, on pesticides also) at prices making their application to food crops profitable. The recent escalation of fertilizer and pesticide prices threatens possibly to choke off one of the most promising developments in African food production and in serving the needs of small farmers. The continuation of the recent upsurge in use of fertilizers depends largely upon the spread of this type of-programme and upon special arrangements to assure the growing supply of such inputs at tolerable prices.32« Conclusion, This review of the recent performance of African agriculture, compared to the IWP assumptions, and of food production compared to population growth, may be summarized briefly: .
(l) Total agricultural production in the, 27 countries, for which there are IWP projections, rose much'more slowly from I96I to 1973 than
had been predicted in the Indicative World Plan for Agricultural Development - about 2,4 per cent per year instead of 3.2 per cent.
1/ In 27 countries covered in the region, excluding north east Africa and
southern Africa.,
17
The greater part of this short-fall may "be accounted for by the production in Nigeria and its weight in the total, together with the severe deterioration in output in the six Sahelian countries.
Many of the remaining countries (9 out of 20 countries), however,
failed to increase their production at the rates assumed in the IWP, most of these "being in eastern Africa.(2) In food production, significant and fairly general progress may
have occurred during the 196O's. Food production appears, then
to■have increased faster than population (1.2 per cent per year per caput, and 0.8 per cent in sub-Saharan Africa), Since 1969?
however, food production appears to have increased significantly more slowly than population and per caput output may have fallen at a rate of 2 per cent per year, there being decreases in 27 out of 40 countries. Since 1969> in "the independent African countries as a whole, perhaps as much as 75 per cent of the failure of food production to keep up with population growth may be accounted for by the Sahelian drought and the poor performance in Nigeria,
However, besides the circumstances in these countries, food production per oaput may have fallen in 20 of the other 33
countries during 1969-1973.
(3) For the whole period since 1961, because of the especially poor
record of the 197O's, food production for Africa may have only just kept pace with population growth, although the performance varied on sub-regional and group-country basis. Substantial
increases in per caput production and qualitative improvements in diet required for economic progress have, therefore, not been achieved*
(4) There have been rising imports of foodstuffs which reflect the
failure to improve and adjust African agricultural production structures and which aggravated many African countries' trade . balance problems,
(5) Most countries, however, seemed to have made progress in the
1960's, and there was an improvement in rice production in several countries of West Africa. There has also been a shifting policy emphasis in some countries toward increasing assistance to small farmers and increased credit and input supply. As a result, fertilizer and pesticides use has even exceeded the expectations of the Indicative World Plan. All
these notwithstanding,.the performance of the agricultural sector in Africa in the last ten years has been poor, and the small
farmer and the input supply schemes may be very adversely affected resulting in even poorer performance unless special arrangements are made to secure allocations of agricultural chemicals at economically tolerable prices.
U
III, CONSTRAINTS AND DISINCENTIVES TO EXPANDING FOOT) PRODUCTION IN AFRICA
33- These conclusions are extremely disconcerting. The poor performance of
the agricultural sector in Africa has occurred in spite of the fact that thereis a vast untapped food production potential. The reasons why this potential has not been exploited are various and, to some extent,'vary from country to
country. Some of the major constraints are discussed here with a view toindicating the type of action that needs to be taken in order to effectively exploit the agricultural potential of the Africa Region and substantially
increase food production.Human Resources
34- The World Food Conference has classified the major constraints which
slow down food production in the developing countries into three broadcategories, namely, human resources, marketing, and financial resources and
agricultural inputs. Among these, the human resources constraint presents the most important problem.35, In most African countries there is shortage of manpower* there is instead an aburidanoe, resulting in widespread under-employment and unemployment. ■ However,' this manpower is largely untrained. An untrained farmer can hardly do more 'than farm in the traditional way, securing only a subsistence for himself and his family. For his food production to increase, he needs technical know-how,, He must be made aware of the new techniques available for increasing his food production and also taught how to adopt these
techniques.
36, The education and training of the millions of farmers in Africa requires much financial and manpower resources. All the same, the level of farmers' technical know-how determines the level of their production and the level of agricultural development in general. When the farmer know how to adopt
improved technology and organize his farm efficiently, he very readily adapts his production pattern to changes in natural and economic situations, and this provides an insurance for steady increase in food production"and supply.
Indeed, agriculture in Africa cannot be said to be developed until most of the farmers have acquired the capacity to adopt new techniques and increase
their agricultural production.
37, In addition to farmer training, there is the problem of trained personnel to man the agricultural institutions and services* This is particularly
important with regard to the extension/advisory service. At present, the extension service in most African countries is extensive, diffused and badly managed. Experience has now shown that for an extension service to be effective, it needs to be intensive. This makes it possible to teach the farmers on their own farms how to plan the farm and organise the production pattern efficiently*
Suoh an approach is better suited to the level of education of the farmers. «•*-
Page 19
/
Agricultural Institutions
38. Related to the problem of human resources is the problem of badly planned
and badly staffed agricultural institutions. The intensive extension service
needs to be weli organized to be effective. The agricultural inputs need to
be supplied in time and in a manner that will put them within the reach of the poor farmers. This may require supplying the inputs in kind and recovering the cost during harvest in addition to the establishment of an effective credit system that will avoid bureaucracy and the provision of securities for loans which the small farmers generally do not have.
39- Agricultural research has developed many high-yielding varieties of food
crops but the results have, in most cases, not been adopted. This isprimarily because much of the research has not been problem-oriented.
Research has been divorced from the practices of the mass of the farmers.
It has largely been based on single cropping whereas most farmers practise mixed cropping. Also little attention has been given to the existing farm practices and crop rotations. As result, the farmers find it difficult to adopt the results since these are unrelated to their practices. For agronomic research to be effective, it needs to be directed to up-grading the production pattern and practices of the farmers and should, therefore, be based largely on the existing systems of production. Also, it should show the profitability of the new technology to the farmer in the way he will readily understand
rather than in such scientific terms as "the result is statistically significant!,' This necessitates that research should be multi-disciplinary. Not only should agronomists and plant breeders work together but soil chemists, agricultural economists, production economists, social scientists and nutritionists should also be involved. The staffing of most African agricultural research establish ments is very defective and incomplete so that the input package prepared by thorn are incomplete and generally unacceptable to the farmers.
40, The present land tenure system in most African countries ensures that
any person who is willing and able to farm has some portion of land to cultivate9 However, since there is no security of tenure, the system does not provide sufficient incentive for the farmers to make medium-and long-term investments. For the adoption of improved technology, which necessitates
fertilizer application, good crop rotation and soil management, it is necessary that the farmer should "be assured security of tenure for a sufficiently long period to encourage him to make the necessary investments on land improvement.
Marketing
41"» The role of marketing in increasing agricultural production is so important,
that it needs to be singled out from other agricultural institutions. Theimprovement in marketing, which has been effected by the Produce Marketing Boards for the export crops, has not been extended to the marketing of food crops. The system of marketing food products in most parts of Africa is such that the farmer does not benefit from any rise in the prices of the food
^products,' much of the gain goes to the middle-man. The farmer lacks financial resources and this forces him to sell some of his products at harvest when the prices are generally low. It also makes it difficult for him to have suitable
E/CN.14/637.
Page 20
storage facilities so that much of his produce gets spoilt and he usually disposes of the reet before planting season and often has to go back later to the market to purchase additional food supplies at exhorbitant prices.
As a result1, he does not have'sufficient incentive to adopt new technology, neither -does he have the' means to purchase the necessary inputs for increasing
production. • ■
42« In'selling his products, the farmer is often faced with many unfair
practices. He does net know the current market prices except what the middle man tells him, arbitrary deductions are made for impurities and through under- grading, and false weights are not unknown* Even if the farmer suspects that he is not being paid a fair price, there is little he can do if there is no other buyer within easy reach' or if he is in debt to the middle-man concerned)' as happens quite often. Produce evacuation is also inadequate. Consequently, famine sometimes exists in one part of a country while another part has 'bounti ful harvest. Marketing improvement, thus, needs to include improvement of storage facilities^ a good price for the producer and a scheme to minimize
price variations over the year, - ■ .
Financial and Other Resources . ■
43. There are many good agricultural lands in Africa-, In some cases, however, land resources present an important constraint to the expansion of agricultural production, especially in cases where the resources "do not exist in the right proportion. For example, there are some fertile lands with inadequate water supply, and there are highly fertile areas that are infested with human and animal pests and diseases,: Much investment is required for the development of"water resources for agriculture in dry areas and for the eradication of - such diseases as trypanosorciasis, river blindness and malaria in the infested areas. Much financial resources are needed for this purpose and these aro generally not available in sufficient amounts.
44«, The natural conditions alone cannot ensure increased farm production over time and have to be supplemented vith other inputs like fertilizers and pesticides in order to ensure increase in yields, The use of fertilizers and ' pesticides is y-3t not widespread; partly because the technical know—how is lacking among the farmers and partly because the farmers do not have the resources to purchase the inputs. More recently, there has been a shortage of supply of these inputs in the world markets and their prices have- been very high. This has created additional problems. In cases where the farmers have utilised the inputs they have not realized much profit either because, the input3 have been supplied piece-meal and., therefore, the yields have been low, or because the products have not been sold aJ; p. good price as a result
of the poor marketing system. . . . - ■ •
45* The constraints are inter-related and inevitably need to be tackled in a package? It is necessary not only to provide financial resources for the developne.it of land resources but also to provide finance for the multiplication of improved seeds and for the purchase of fertilizers, pesticides and other "
inputs for increasing crop yields It is also neuessary to ensure that these inputs are made available to the farmers under the conditions that are accept able to themo At the* same time, they have to be assisted to adopt and utilise these inputs efficiently and profitably.
Power in Agriculture
46S Ee3ido3 i;he supply of inputs, it is necessary to minimize the drudgery in farming in Africa through the provision of farm machines and equipment.
The system whereby the farmer works from da:m to dusk with simple hoe and matchet cannot offer much for increasing food production,. Part of the work needs to be done with machines in ordor both to lessen the physical exertion and also to provide incentive, especially for the young, to accept farming as a profession,
47, Various schemes of farm mechanization have been tried in Africa, In some cases, fchomos that are too advanced for tho local conditions have been
implemented and found to be unprofitable resulting in much wasto of resources.
Farm mcobe^-i^tion needs to be geared to patterns of production and to the
levels of t&chnical know-how available in the particular area concerned.Considering that farms are generally small, that farmers are generally poor,
that the facilities for servicing and maintaining big nachir.en are inadequate and th^t African noils generally do not require deep ploughing, it is necessarythat small machines should be utilised rather than the big tractors. Unfortun ately, manufacturers of agricultural machinery, -.Tho are all located in the
developed countries, make machines which are too advanced for Africanagriculture* Even in cases where these manufacturers are given the docigns
of machines and equipment suitable for African agriculture, they have quoted
exhorbitaiit prices for their i?.anufacturyo This necessitates that th3development of agricultural mochanisaxion in Africa needs to be geared to the establishment of farm machinery factories in the Africa region At present, cose einall machines and equipment are available :-.n African markers which can
provide a starting point for farm mechanization*, These include o;c-drawn equipment vrhich has been found to be very useful and suitable in livestock- producing areas*<
Government Polioy
48, Above all theaej. there is much need, for governments to give greater
attention to policies and programmes for increasing iood production,, In most
cases, governments allocate less than 20 per cent of their recrurrent orcapital expenditures to agriculture; yet agriculture is the mainstay of the
economy of"most of the countries and provides livelihood for over 70 per oent
E/CH. 14/^37
Paga 2?
of the population. A government agricultural development polioy which is directed merely to conducting research that is not related to practical problems, organizing very extensive advisory service and providing very limited inputs and credit which are often given piece-meal, can hardly promote and has, in fact, not succeeded in promoting the expansion of food production in Africa. Such agricultural development policies need to be revamped and special attention directed to bold and constructive policies and programmes aimed at transforming agricultural production and ensuring sustained increase in food production and food distribution for the elimination of rural
poverty and famine. .
e/cn.
Page 23
IV. REGIONAL ACTION FOR INCREASING FOOD PRODUCTION JN AFRICA
49,. Such "bold and constructive policies and programmes need concerted action on the part of' African countries if the basic constraints to agricultural development in Africa are fo "be removed and the desired increase in food production achieved. Such concerted action necessitates the establishment of a regional body with the primary responsibility of promoting food
production in Africa*
50. Much action has been taken by various organizations and agencies for increasing, agricultural and food production in Africa, The Pood and Agricul ture Organization (PAO) is the United Nations agency responsible for food and agricultural development,- Besides its regular programmes, it obtains financial resources from the UNDP for undertaking studies and pilot programmes for
agricultural development- It also has a special agreement with the IBRD under which a' Co-operativo Programme has been established between the two bodies for undertaking feasibility studies and financing investment programmes for increasing agricultural production. Much of these resources have been spent in the Africa Region; indeed; Africa has had ite due share of• PAO resources.' It is, thereforo of special interest to note that these activities have not resulted in much improvement.in" agricultural and food production in Africa.
51. The PAO ascertains the requirements of the Africa Region through the
African Regional Ministerial Conference and through the Regional Representative for Africa. The recommendations of the Regional Ministerial Conference, which meets biennially to propose PAO programmes for agricultural development in Africa.,, are taken into account in formulating the final Programme of Work and Budgot cf the FAO. These recommendations are, however, not binding either to the FAO Secretariat or to the PAO Biennial Conference vhich is the supreme body responsible for formulating FAO'a Programme of Work and Budget. African countries do participate actively in the FAO Biennial .Conferences and also in the meetings of the PAO Administrative Council, which is PAO's governing hody.
Moreover, several African countries have Agricultural Attaches in Rome who havo to ensure that sufficient attention is giv.en to the recommendations of the FAO Regional Conference in the. formulation of FAO's Programme of Work and
Budget- ....
52 I* spite of all these, much has not been achieved in improving the agricultural situation in Africa. . This is because the coverage given by the Regional Conference in the. consideration of the programme of work ismucn Hunted and it^has no resources.of its own to implement any projects and oro-crammes. Moreover, the FAO. has so/far concentrated mainly on undertaking studies and offering advisory .services It ha* not done much to ensure that the studies it has undertaken are put into practical use for increasing food production, These are very important lacunae which need to be filled if any progress is to be made.in increasing agricultural and food production in
Africa,
E/CN,14/^37-
Page 24
53* The FAO also has a Regional Office' for Africa, which proposes and imple ments some of 'the FAO's activities in Africa. This Office is, however, too small to effectively ensure dynamic action on the part of FAO for increasing agricultural and food production in Africa. A move was made two years ago. to expand the area of responsibility of PAO Regional Offices "but the proposal was not finally approved by the PAO Biennial Conference. At present, the Regional Office for Africa does not have sufficient staff and resources to undertake important programmes and projects for agricultural development in Africa.
54. As already indicated, the UWDP finances much of the FAO's activities in the field of agricultural development. It also helps to co-ordinate the activities of the United Nations System related to agricultural and rural development. The UKDP resources' are, however, spent largely on studies and pilot projects and programmes. The resources for actual investment are
generally provided by the IBRD and by bilateral aid agencies. Initially, the
IBRD did' not find it possible to finance many agricultural projects since agricultural projects often failed to meet the financial feasibility require ments of the Bank. In recent years, however, the basis for project appraisal has'been modified somewhat and the Bank has started to finance small farmdevelopment projects and programmes once the government concerned undertakes
to pay back the loans. It happens, however, that much of the Bank's loans are faily hard loans, especially for agriculture. The resources of the International Development Association (IDA), which gives soft loans, are much
limited and grossly inadequate to ensure much development in the agricultural
sector.
55. Many bilateral aid agencies have also undertaken important programmes for expanding agricultural and food production in Africa. In many cases, the efforts of these agencies are directed to actual investment projects and programmes. It happens, however, that these projects and programmes have
been undertaken on piece-meal basis. Attempts have been made to gear the
projects and programmes to government priorities but, as indicated in the last section, the government priorities themselves have not been sufficientlybold and constructive to ensure the required results. Moreover, the disparate and piece-meal activities of the agencies need effective co-ordination as well as orientation to the basic problems facing agricultural development in
Africa.
56. It thus becomes necessary that special action should be taken to remove
or, at least, minimize the main constraints and disincentives for expanding food production in Africa and to ensure that the numerous studies that have been undertaken in the form of pilot projects for increasing food production.
It is also necessary that the activities of the bilateral and the United
Nations Agencies are adequately co-ordinated with a view to giving emphasis to
projects and programmes for solving the basic problems for expanding food
production, that the efforts of the .individual governments are effectively
co-ordinated for the mutual benefit of all the countries, that action is
promoted for joint endeavours and that additional resources, both local and
foreign, are mobilized for increasing food production in Africa.
E/CN.14/637
?5
An African Food Council
57. It is in.this respect that a new body is not only necessary but
Operative. There is no doubt that the African- Ministers «d«xpert. under
stand better th« African problems. So far, there has not been an effective
forum for
'2; *
it were function asthe regional arm.of the proposed .World Food.
willhX ^e power to mobilize resources and undertake programmes and
projects for increasing food production in Africa.
Tn order to facilitate the execution of such functions, this regional
3HFPfiSS ss
s
effort for promoting food
fro. *eadvioe of ^ Nations Agencies,
izations
resources ana
advisory functions.
59. 'The basic objectives of the Council should include the following:
+o facilitate an increase in food production;
I to anticipate the consequences of drought and other vagaries of
nature affecting food production?
- to abolish hunger and malnutrition.
Page 26 /
60, For the achievement of these objectives, the Council is not to duplicate the efforts of the existing bodies and institutions in Africa, particularly
PAO, UNDP, IBRD, WFP and' ADB, Its main role should" be sometimes to serve as
a catalyst,, promoter and fund-raiser, sometimes to participate as partner in implementing the activities of these "bodies and at all times to monitor closely
the implementation of the relevant policy decisions and programmes. .61 • Specifically, the functions of the Council should include: . ■ . (i) -Promotion of effective application of the results of agricultural
research for the improvement of farm technology and expansion of
food production; ..■.■■'.(ii) Mobilization of funds for. agricultural inputs;
(iii) Sponsoring of inter-country.capital investment schemes for
increasing food production;
(iv) Promotion of storage and distribution programmes(
(v) Promotion of inter-country" co-operation for agricultural development,, including co-ordination of food reserve policies
■ and promotion of inter-country trade agreements; ■
(vi) ■ Promotion of credit institutions and programmes;(vii)' Promotion of food technology.and crop research; and
(viii) Sponsoring of special programmes to expand food production
in food deficit countries. . .
62 The Council will establish priority programmes for agricultural development and, in particular, for the expansion of food production and improvement in food distribution which will be more in conformity with the aspirations of the countries of the Region, and also offer advice on orienting the activities of the UK and bilateral agencies to conform to the priorities- which it will have established. It will also fill the gaps that may exist in the priorities established and mobilize financial and other resources, both for implementing its own programmes and for assisting the other bodies m the
implementation of their programmes. . .
63. The Council should meet periodically but sufficiently often to ensure
effective implementation of its functions. It should also prepare periodic
reports for the OAU Heads of State, including recommendations to governments
with regard to policies and programmes for expanding food production.
e/ch. 14/637
Pago 27
Initial Areas of Aotion for the Council
64* The programme of work of the Council will-be determined at its first meeting. In order to enable it to-have a.broad view of the situation which will facilitate its action, the Council; may undertake a study on the food
situation in Africa with emphasis on the analysis of food production potential
and identification of food surplus and food deficit countries,, The study mayalso include identification of the special constraints on expanding food
production and the possible measures for removing the constraints.65. Along with this study, the Council may also initiate action on a programme
to solve the production problem of family farms and thereby minimizo rural
poverty. Already, several oountries are-undertaking programmes for th&development of-small farms. Some bilateral aid agencies are participating
in such programmes and the IBRD is assisting in financing similar programmes.The objectives of. such programmes is to up-grade the production technology of the mass of small farmers and improve their capacity to increase their
production and to "become more productive farmers,, Such programmes will help to ensure more steady and dependable supply of food products and thereby help to minimizo famine and the adverse effects of drought and other vagaries of
weather,,
66O At present the activities in this respect are isolated and limited. The Council may serve as a promoter for such programmes and may initially under take an evaluation study of some of the existing programmes with a view to
identifying tho factors, that can help promote the expansion of the programme.It may then assist countries in planning such programmes and in formulating
technical assistance requirements for their implementation. In this respect,
it should also mobilize resources for the purchase or production of theagricultural inputs necessary for successful implementation of the programmes-
67^ Linked to this small form development programme is the programme for the establishment of food reserves, both in order to meeu- emergencies and in order to ensure price stabilization as an incentive to the farmers and for ensuring better distribution of food supply. Such a programme will best be organized on group-country basis and will supplement the present FAO's programme which is aimed at establishing emergency food reserves on national basis. The price stabilization aspect of it will ensure that the farmers obtain fair prices for
their products; that price variations are minimized and that suitable balance is maintained between supply and demand. The Council may undertake feasibility studies for the establishment of such food reserve programmes and the formulation of technical assistance requirements for their implementation*68. An important programme for joint action by African countries in the promotion of livestock production is the eradication of tse-tse fly and
trypanosomianie., Already, WHO is planning to implement a project on applied
research which includes human trypanosomiasie control, FAO assisted in getting the World Pood Conference to pass a resolution on tse-tse fly eradication and is now formulating' a project to this effect. The Council may assist inPago 28
/
ensuring proper, effective and timely implementation of these projects.
Since these projects cannot be effective unless they are undertaken on group-
ooiintry basis, the Council can play-a special role in ensuring support and co-operation anong the countries affected* It could also promote expansion
of agricultural production in the areas where the tse-tse fly and trypano- somiasis have been eradicated.69* Thero are other programmes that will demand the attention of the Council.
One of them is the composite flour programme. Wheat consumption in Africa has been increasing very rapidly over the. years; and yet, there are limited areas in North Africa and still more limited areas in Africa South of the Sahara that are suitabl3 for economic production of wheat. PAO has promoted research into substitutes for wheat in the making of bread and other bakery products. Cassava starch,- maize starch and sorghum/millet flour oan convenien tly be subctitutod up to 30-40 per cent for wheat flour to produce acceptable composite flcur3. Some projects are being implemented in a few African
countries to produce bread and other bakery products from composite flour.
The Counoil could.popularise such projects and assist countries in saving foreign exchange and also provide additional outlets for local products.
It can organise inter-governmental meetings to discuss the scheme and assist countries to undertake feasibility studies for establishing oomposite flour
factories, ■■ ■
70. The Council -could also, participate in feasibility studies for the.
establishment of fertilizer factories. It could also promote group-country
market research projects on food, for both internal and external markets, and
common export policies for the export produots on group-country basis.
E/CN.14/637
Page £9
V, CONCLUSION
71, Food production in Africa over the past ten years has barely kept paco with population growth. The situation has been worsened by drought and by world food shortage, and many African countries have had to import food _ products at very high prices. Yet Africa has great potentials for increasing food production. While some areas are rather dry for agriculture and some other aroas are infested with animal pests and diseases, vast areas are suitable for agricultural production and have been under-utilized. The main reason why this vast potential has not been exploited much is that the mass of the African farmers do not have the technical know-how for the adoption of improved farm technology. Also, the marketing facilities and channels are grossly inadequate, the supply of agricultural inputs is inef^^llf
organized and the manpower and financial resources for capital investment and for the supply of inputs are greatly limited,
72. In order to remove these constraints and substantially increase food
production in Africa, concerted action among the African countries "imperative,
The activities so far undertaken have been piecemeal and disparate- mere not been a central organ to promote Regional approach to the probl<
mobilize the necessary financial and manpower resources, local and for the implementation of priority programmes. For this reason, i
recommended should have
other international institutions and organizations in the
7> It is also recommended that the first meeting of the Council be oonvened eVon to adopt its detailed terms of reference, the ruleB of procedure and the
prograrcmo of worko
