Transcript FAO/EPSO consultation

Plant Sciences for Sustainable Crop
Production: Strengthening Partnerships
between Europe and Developing Countries
FAO-EPSO Consultation
25-27 June 2012
Africa Regional priorities for FAO
support
 increased agricultural productivity and
diversification;
 promotion of sustainable natural resource
management;
 support to market access and sanitary
measures for better trade;
 improved knowledge management,
information and advocacy in Africa.
Focus areas for support
 Policies and strategies on sustainable
agricultural production intensification and
diversification;
 Increased productivity from
more efficient utilisation of agricultural
inputs; with a focus on harnessing the
ecosystem;
Focus areas for support contd….
 Integrated systems approaches; using a
wide range of good quality genetic materials,
soil and water management systems and
integrated production and protection
systems;
 Capacity development drawing on local
knowledge, and support for adaptive
research and participatory training;
encouraging farmers' creativity in problem
solving;
Focus areas contd…
 Awareness creation / capacity development
for analysis of developments in
international agricultural trade, markets
and rules;
 Development of capacity to identify
opportunities to formulate appropriate and
effective trade policies and strategies;
Focus areas for support contd…
 Agribusiness and agro-industries
development, in relation to national and
regional policies, regulations and
institutions;.
 Capacity development in phytosanitary and
food safety programmes at every level of
producers and all other value chains actors
Focus areas for support contd…
 Policy advice for strengthening national research
and analysis, information sharing, dissemination
and its use to improve decision-making at all
levels;
 Consolidation of partnerships with regional and
international agricultural research institutions in
the formulation of strategies to improve
information management and access and actively
promote lessons learned and best practices;
Key features of SCP
 Increasing agricultural production/unit land area;
 Reducing environmental externalities;
 Improving resource use efficiency;
 Increasing the supply of ecosystem services;
 Improving the profitability of agriculture;
Examples of major SCP
interventions in SSA
 Promotion of adoption of Conservation
Agriculture
 Development of SSA CA strategy
(harmonising approaches of the concept)
 Addressing biophysical limitations (soil
fertility, water resources, varieties;
opportunities for seed systems, IPPM,
NRM, agroforestry systems etc).
Examples of major interventions in
SCPI- contd….
 Good example of climate-smart agriculture
technologies ( offering adaptation and
mitigation opportunities)
 Facilitating advocacy for socio-economic
and policy limitations (knowledge, credit,
markets)
Examples of major interventions in
SSA contd……
 Elements of networking in Conservation
Agriculture ( the CARWG in Southern
Africa)
 Thematic working groups on research,
extension methodologies, input supply,
advocacy, resource mobilisation;
 Broad membership (CGIAR, NGOs, private
sector, national CA Task Forces);
Examples of major interventions
in SSA contd….
• Cassava Central, Eastern and Southern
Africa (CACESA) Strategic Framework
2009 (FAO and Partners)

Comprehensively addressing production
challenges to cassava with emphasis on
management of Cassava Mosaic Disease
(CMD) and the cassava brown streak virus
(CBSV).
The Global Plan of Action for
PGRFA
Objectives:
• ensure the conservation and promote sustainable use of
plant genetic resources to foster development and reduce
hunger and poverty,
• promote the fair and equitable sharing of the benefits
arising from the use of plant genetic resources,
• assist countries and institutions to identify priorities for
action,
• strengthen programmes and enhance institutional
capacity.
 Supporting component of the International Treaty on Plant Genetic Resources
(and essential contributor to the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD)
SECOND GPA – KEY CHALLENGES
 Major gaps and needs with regards to conservation and
management, utilization and building of capacities still exist
 Linkages between the Conservation, Breeding and Seed sectors are
often weak or broken
 New changes and challenges have an impact on PGRFA, including
increased food demand, climatic changes and natural degradation
Second Global Plan of Action
(Second GPA) adopted by FAO
council in November 2011
ADDRESSING THE CHALLENGES – SECOND
GPA
Provides a set of 18 inter-related Priority
Activities to enhance the efficiency of PGRFA
conservation and improve their utilization
Four main groups of priority activities:
1. In Situ Conservation and Management
2. Ex Situ Conservation
3. Sustainable Use
4. Building Sustainable Institutional and
Human Capacities
 Comprehensive/flexible framework to adopt
supportive policies and programmes for PGRFA
 Facilitate implementation of the ITPGRFA and
the CBD .
Examples of on-going initiatives
 Networking support for the SPGRC to build capacity
for developing of the continuum from conservation to
sustainable use of PGRFA
 Development of National Plant Genetic Resources
Strategies in 6 countries
 Support for Harmonisation of the SADC seed
technical agreements.
 Dialogue on seed policy integration
Examples of country level
initiatives-EC
 SADP: Swaziland Agricultural
Development Programme,

crop production intensification,
Conservation Agriculture, Seed production
activities
 Mozambique:
 Boosting agricultural production and market
linkages for small-holder farmers to counter
soaring food prices
Country level initiatives contd…
Eritrea
 Increase agricultural production to
overcome the challenge of soaring food
prices through the urgent distribution of
agricultural inputs
 Zambia

 Farmer Input Support Response Initiative
(FISRI) to rising food prices ( with CA
promotion)
Country level interventions in Zimbabwe
Area under CA increasing
•Better Yields 1.53 tones/Ha
(0.7tonnes/Ha)
350,000
286,000
260,000
300,000
250,000
200,000
150,000
88,262
100,000
50,000
0
Crop Diversification
8,900 15,900
53,100 40,500
FAO TA delivery- Zimbabwe
 Line ministries
 Agriculture, Mechanization and Irrigation Development
 Lands and Rural Resettlement
 Health and Child Welfare
 Environment and Natural Resources Management
 Water Resources Development and Management
 UN agencies – UNDP, WFP, UNICEF, WHO, IOM and
UNOCHA, UNAIDS , UNWomen
 NGOs
 CGIAR (ICRISAT, CIMMYT, IITA)
 Private sector
With technical and back stopping support from HQ, SFS, RAF
Thank You