The Entrepreneur - Cameroon's Premier Economic & Business Journal

Farmers Mobilise to Find Solutions Against Land Grabbing

More than 250 small farmers and representatives of farmers' organizations from over 30 countries participated in the first International Farmers' Conference to Stop Land Grabbing from November 17 to 20 in Southern Mali. Participants at the conference shared testimonials of local struggles and discussed solutions to the global land rush. The conference proposed replicating a program in Senegal that would monitor land grabbing cases and then alert journalists, NGOs and policy makers...More

Scarcity and degradation of land and water: growing threat to food security

New FAO report profiles the state of the natural resource base upon which world food production depends

Widespread degradation and deepening scarcity of land and water resources have placed a number of key food production systems around the globe at risk, posing a profound challenge to the task of feeding a world population expected to reach 9 billion people by 2050, according to a new FAO report. The State of the World’s Land and Water Resources for Food and Agriculture (SOLAW) notes that while the last 50 years witnessed a notable increase in food production, “in too many places, achievements have been associated with management practices that have degraded the land and water systems upon which food production depends.” Today a number of those systems “face the risk of progressive breakdown of their productive capacity under a combination of excessive demographic pressure and unsustainable agriculture use and practices,” the report says.

"Land Grabs" in Agriculture: Fairer Deals Needed to Ensure Opportunity for Locals

Critics of international land acquisitions believe land grabs do not represent the interests of the host country and jeopardize its food security. This article from Nourishing the Planet, a project of the Worldwatch Institute, makes recommendations for ensuring that global land deals are beneficial for local residents. Host countries must identify who owns the land-whether on paper or in practice- and foreign investors must receive consent from local residents before purchasing the land, protecting the rights of small-scale farmers, says Nourishing the Planet. Most importantly, local residents should have the opportunity to be involved with infrastructure development in their communities for it can create jobs and fuel local economies. Such considerations, if practiced, may improve prosperity and food security for foreign investors and small-scale farmers...More

"Africa Can Feed the World"

The neglect of sustainable agriculture in Africa must end says Kanayo Nwaze, president of the UN's International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD). The Somali famine serves as a warning to African governments and the international community to invest in small-scale farming. Development assistance for agriculture fell from $20billion (in the 1990s) to $3billion (in the early 2000s) due to an emphasis shift from agriculture to industrialization. Agriculture accounts for approximately 30% of sub-Saharan Africa's GPD but represents 80% of export earnings in other countries. Nwaze is confident that diversification, rural investment, the stemming of migration, and reduction in the gap between rural and the urban populations can boost food productivity and generate income for countries in Africa...More

Famine the World Could Avoid

The UN has declared parts of Somalia to be in famine; a direct effect of the most recent drought that has taken hold of the Horn of Africa. According to journalist John Vidal, climate change is however only partly to blame for the ensuing humanitarian disaster. Decades of wars, including the US' 'War on Terror', have stripped people of their assets and abilities to secure a decent standard of living. Causes of the current situation have had foreseeable consequences and now command that Britain, the EU, the US and Japan help the people of the Somali Peninsula to adapt to the changing and ever-harsher conditions, says Vidal...More

Targeting Gaps in the Food Supply Chain: Going Beyond Agricultural Production to Achieve Food Security

This identifies inefficiencies within the current food system and outlines ways in which producers and consumers can work together to increase food security. Recommendations include using low-cost technology, such as cell phones, to give farmers direct access to market information and ensure fair pricing. Such practices will increase market transparency and allow for the fair distribution of food, says Nourishing the Planet. With a growing global population, it is important to address problems in the current food system, rather than only channeling efforts into producing more crops...More

Africa's Latest Food Crisis Needs a Long-Term Strategy

The Horn of Africa is experiencing its worst drought in six decades due to changing global weather patterns. Harvests have failed and food prices have skyrocketed in the past few months. It is estimated that over 10 million are currently suffering from food insecurity and rainfall is predicted to be insufficient in the coming years. These changes are expected to have dire effects on the region and NGOs that currently provide short-term emergency relief are working towards creating long-term solutions. Lack of access to markets, soil erosion and land tenure are a few of the problems which, if addressed, will make people less likely to be affected by droughts and failed harvests in the future. There must be a push to find political solutions at a national level and an international commitment to address climate change in order to create a more food secure world...More

Enabling Africa's Next Growth Decade

The G-20's Role in Supporting Infrastructure Development and Global Food Security

In November 2011, France will host the sixth G-20 Summit in Cannes.  In count down to this historic capitalist cometogether, the G-20 will be exploring a range of coordinated actions to advance its agreed development roadmap – with a heavy focus on two central pillars: Africa Infrastructure and Global Food Security. Over the last decade, Sub-Saharan African economies grew by an average of nearly 5 percent annually.  To maintain and even accelerate growth and economic opportunities going forward, countries must address the binding constraints posed by the region’s lack of infrastructure. 

Stakeholders to zero in on the governance of fisheries and aquaculture

The first Stakeholder Consultation Meeting jointly organised by NEPAD and the FAO in support of the implementation of the FAO Strategy for Fisheries and Aquaculture in Africa will take place on 10-12 May 2011 in Midrand, South Africa. It will bring together participants from regional fisheries organisations, regional economic communities, donors as well as civil society. The three-day event will consist of a one-day plenary session and two days of consultation in working groups.

East Africa to boost Cassava and Potato

By Ben Nakomo

An array of technologies that could propel the use of cassava as an a significant economic crop for farmers in East Africa. Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda have announced processing standards for the two root crops which will mean farmers should be able to use new technologies to tap into growing local and international demand. Both cassava and potato have been identified by Nepad as crops that could alleviate proverty and increase growth in Africa. Nepad has launched a pan African Cassava Initiative that seeks to tap the continent’s potential for boosting for boosting food security and generating income. Though cassava has several drawbacks like the presence of poisonous cyanide and its perishability in which it loses its freshness after just two days. These disadvantages can be minimized by waxing, fermenting, the application of fungucides and storage in plastic bags. Experts say new technologies will improve storability and help add value for smallhlders’ access to different niche markets. “This brings hope to cassava farmers whose welfare and incomes will improve with the efficient processing into a wide range of products,” he says. High-quakity cassava flour has many uses – as n extender in urea and plywood adhesives and for conversion into sugar syrups, bio-ethanol products and livestock feedstuffs. The rising demand for cassava as animal feeds is rising, and high quality cassava flour for human consumption is now on the supermarket shelves.