Cautious optimism as stakeholders end meeting on agriculture

27 June 2007, Africa News
URL: http://www.africa-interactive.net/index.php?PageID=5001

There is cautious optimism for agriculture in West and Central Africa as players in the sector ended two days of deliberations on Friday to boost production and end poverty. "Yes, the meeting was successful. There was commitment on the part of delegates," Dr Emmanuel Owusu-Bennoah, President of West and Central African Council for Agricultural Research and Development (WECRAD), told PANA after the meeting.

"There were more than 100 delegates from all the sectors and we agreed on eight programmes. About 100 million dollars was pledged for work to go on," he said. That sounds encouraging as the - scientists, farmers and extension officers, NGOs, universities, the private sector and business - prepared to return to continue their efforts to improve agricultural production.

However, several key factors are not their friends - the weather, conflicts, politicians and unfair world trade.

Paco Sereme, Executive Secretary of the Dakar-based WECRAD, told a press conference that they expect visible changes in agriculture from their activities in 10 years with an average of 6 per cent agricultural growth in West and Central Africa. He said there was consensus by the delegates and all partners validated a strategic plan.

Sereme listed the eight programmes they agreed on as livestock, aquaculture and fisheries; staple food for food security; non-staple crops; marketing and trade; strengthening the capacity of actors such as scientists, researchers and extension officers; natural resource management; knowledge management and bio-tech. "There was consensus on the programmes and a strong commitment of our partners for their implementation."

Dr Didi Sanyang, Scientific Research person of the Forum for Agricultural Research in Africa (FARA), acknowledged that climate change is a reality saying water is the baseline. There is the need for adaptation or mitigation by looking at agroforestry and the type of crops that are cultivated.

The weather has not been kind to many areas, such as the Central African region where Lake Chad, which was about 25,000 square kilometres and was used to irrigate the land has shrunk to a mere 2,500 square kilometres. Rev. Father Godfrey Nzamujo, a farmer, agrees saying there is the need for new ideas, new technology and genetic inputs, such as new seeds for dry areas.

However, Desire Porquet another delegate says he is not so optimistic. "The problem is not finance, but access to credit," he said. "We can obtain money from donors, but how to get the farmers have access to it is the problem. We face this problem daily. Once a farmer does not plant at the right time, he loses the whole season and this is a big loss," Porquet said.

There is also the problem of the effects of wars on agriculture. Crops, livestock and research materials have been destroyed by war. Joel Beassem, Coordinator of the Regional Programme for Food Security, notes that of the 11 countries in Central Africa, seven are either at war or are in their post-war period. Access to agricultural land is constrained because of landmines that kill livestock and are dangerous to farmers.

There is also the problem of access to markets as businessmen see farming as a business and want to invest in it, but are beaten back because of unfair trade practices. "The agricultural trade agreements are not good for us but the politicians are signing them," noted Gisele d´Almeida, chairperson of an organisation in the private sector.

"We are not poor. We're rich but the environment is not favourable to us," she said. That may sound up the task ahead of WECARD as it celebrates its 20th anniversary and seeks ways to boost agricultural production.