ONE-THIRD of all Africans are undernourished. It is shocking tolearn how rapidly and dangerously food security continues todeteriorate, particularly in sub-Saharan Africa. Soil fertility ison the slide, yields per hectare of principal food crops aredeclining and population growth has exceeded growth in foodproduction in most African countries over the last 15 years.Every year, more than four million African children die beforereaching the age of five. And the number of the poor isexpected to increase by 50 per cent by the year 2000.
The World Bank (WB) estimates that African countriesmust increase iigricultural production by four per cent perannum, if all its citizens are to becomesecure as far as food is concerned.African agronomists are optimistic. Forthem the brightest spots being thegrowing number of community basedefforts that are successfully increasingproductivity. But scattered local successstories are not enough to tackle the present situation.
Years of neglect and practice offaulty farming techniques have ruinedthe farmlands. Improvement of agricultural productivity and sustainability canbe achieved, since the land was once fertile. But the quick growth in productionthat one saw in south and southeastAsia during the Green Revolution of the'60s and '70s cannot be duplicated inmost African countries because thebasic infrastructure like the network ofroads, irrigation systems and agricultural finance and landtenure systems are not adequate. The continent's acute shortage of water for agriculture is particularly glaring.
High priority needs to be given to the establishment ofsecure land tenure systems. These systems must provide farmers with long-term loans so that they overcome investmentphobia. Also, farmer-oriented credit systems are essential forproviding funds for buying seeds and fertilisers. Upgradingthe fertility of Africa's soils is probably the most urgent, and inmany ways the most difficult part of anti-hunger strategy.
There is already an intense dialogue going on with the WB,the International Fertilizer Development Centre, theInternational Food Policy Research Institute and others onevaluating such an approach. The wB must, as a central part ofits overall food security strategy, examine how it can supportresearch on organic sources of nutrients carried on by theInternational Centre for Research in Agroforestry, theInternational Crops Research Institute for Semi-Arid Tropics,the International Institute of Tropical Agriculture and otherAfrican agricultural research organisations.
This support should be made available both directly to theinternational research centres and to African scientists working in viable national agricultural research systems and networks. The objective of this kind of effort is to make availableto farmers large quantities of organic nutrients, to produceenough surplus to ensure their country's food security.
In addition to this, the Bank should try to develop majoroff-farm sources of affordable phosphorus for African farmersas rapidly as possible. Here, the International FertilizerDevelopment Centre will have a key role to play. Withoutmore phosphorus in most Africanfarming systems, production will fall,even with the provision of enoughnitrogen.
How these nutrients can be produced, distributed and paid for is farfrom clear. Many Africans believe thatsome sort of temporary fertiliser subsidy, national or international, shouldbe considered, keeping in mind theurgency of restoring soil fertility.
Sustainable farming systems thatwill help farmers combat climatic stress,diseases and soil problems are yet to bedeveloped and tested for many ofAfrica's agro-ecological zones. Acidtolerant legumes, hardy food crops andintegrated pest management systemsmust be developed for the farmers.
Africans now depend heavily on theinternational agricultural research centres to develop andlocally adopt farming systems.
Given the weaknesses of most national agriculturalresearch systems in Africa, the magnitude of centres must havestronger multi-donor financial support. Likewise, donorsshould continue to support the special programme for Africanagricultural research, which will strengthen all agriculturalresearch going on in the country. For many years the wB hassupported agricultural research in Africa and this mustcontinue.
All efforts should be made to convince African govern-ments about the seriousness of their food security problems,and the inevitable damage if they fail to take early and effectiveaction to promote agricultural development and family plan-ning. The governments should aim at getting as much cooper-ation as possible from all donor countries for supporting theiraction plans.