FOOD SECURITY IN ENGLISH SPEAKING AFRICAN COUNTRIES
COASAD/ UN HABITAT WORKSHOP
United Nations Office, Gigiri, Nairobi, Kenya
30th April to 2nd May, 2002

Summary of a food security workshop held under the auspices of
UN-HABITAT

There is a strong interrelationship between food security, world peace and security. Also the world is rapidly urbanizing with people moving from the rural areas and farms to the cities. It is for these reasons that the Coalition of African Organizations for Food Security and Sustainable Development (COASAD) and UN-HABITAT held a three-day workshop on food security in Africa, for parliamentarians. The workshop was officially opened by Hon. Francis Ole Kaparo, the then speaker of Kenya's National Assembly; while welcome addresses were delivered by Prof. Robert Mabele, the Chairman of COASAD International and Dr. Anna Tibaijuka, the Executive-Director of UN-HABITAT.

COASAD's mandate is to create awareness among and sensitize policy makers, legislators, national and local leaders as well as stakeholders or actors on the necessity for advancing policies, strategies and actions promoting food security. UN-HABITAT's mandate on the other hand is to promote sustainable development of cities and other human settlements, both urban and rural. The workshop, which was well attended, was an intersection between food, governance, shelter and people. The ninety- two participants included parliamentarians, academicians, researchers, NGOs, donor/ development agencies, representatives of governments and the media. During the workshop, there was exchange of information regarding Africa's food situation and the various factors affecting food production, food availability as well as food security on the continent. Parliamentarians were specifically targeted due to their greater ability to more favourably influence policies on agriculture and enhanced food production through legislative enactments.

The underlying problems were identified as: the weather, inadequate technology including biotechnology, HIV/AIDS, Rural- Urban migration, national as well as regional conflicts and cultural issues affecting access to food by women and girls at the household level. There were various recommendations on how these could be resolved. Risks to agriculture were to be mitigated through insurance and timely availing of information to farmers. In order to stem rural - urban migration, it was proposed that rural economies be improved and governments institute proper planning of rural and urban areas. It was possible to greatly reduce prostitution and HIV/AIDS among slum dwellers only through the alleviation of poverty. It emerged that NGOs played a crucial role in combating food insecurity. It was proposed that governments partner with NGOs, since donors preferred to deal with them (NGOs). In order to reduce dependence on donor institutions, nations were asked to commit themselves to good governance, accountability, transparency and political stability. The media, too, has a crucial role to play. It was proposed that the media should have correct reporting of issues affecting the nation such as science, agriculture and research while legislators should not censor publicized famine. The causes of poverty and hunger being many, Africa should adopt a holistic approach to problem solving.

URBAN POLICY IMPLICATIONS FOR FOOD SECURITY IN AFRICAN CITIES WORKSHOP
27-31st May 2002,United Nations Office, Nairobi, Kenya

Summary report of workshop held under the auspices of UN-HABITAT

It is estimated that by the year 2007, more than 50% of the global population will be living in urban areas. However, with this rapid urbanization has come increasing urban poverty. This has resulted in many low-income households suffering from food insecurity. Urban agriculture has been found to be increasingly important in production of food for own consumption and for income generation. It was in light of this that UN-HABITAT in partnership with the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), the International Development Research Center (IDRC) of Canada and the Strategic Initiative on Urban and Peri-Urban Agriculture (SIUPA), held a five-day workshop.

The workshop was officially opened by Mr. G. K. Nzuva, the Senior Deputy Director of Agriculture, on behalf of the then Kenya's Minister of Agriculture Dr.Bonaya Godana. The then Mayor of Nairobi, Cllr. Dick Waweru, delivered a welcome address. Other addresses were delivered by Mr. Daniel Biau, Acting Deputy Executive Director of UN-HABITAT, on behalf of the Executive Director, Ms Anna Tibaijuka, Ms Florence Egal (FAO), and Dr. Luc Mougeot (IDRC). The workshop was well attended by 113 participants who included central government officials responsible for urban development policy, planning, agriculture and national food security, representatives of non-governmental organizations, international and regional development agencies, as well as researchers.

The discussions centred around four themes namely:
" Urban food security and poverty reduction
" Rural-urban food flows, internal distribution, infrastructure and services
" Urban and peri-urban agriculture
" Credit and investment for urban and peri-urban agriculture (UPA1) interventions

The rising urban food insecurity is reflected in, among others: low income of the population, high unemployment and population growth, poor health and insufficient land (availability). The food poverty has in turn, resulted in protein as well vitamin A deficiencies, anaemia, malnutrition and food with low energy component. To tackle the problem of urban food insecurity the following were recommended:
" International agencies and NGOs were to be charged with awareness creation among the municipal authorities who would then put the thorny issue of food security, including the issue and contribution of UPA1, on the agenda of city authorities
" Local Authorities should set up inter-institutional committees to promote food security, nutrition and livelihoods for the poor

Of concern, too, was the issue of hygiene and food safety in production, as well as marketing in the informal food markets. Also noted was the dilemma posed by the persisting duality in the current planning tradition inherited from colonial systems, which poses a serious challenge to urban and peri-urban agriculture in Africa. It emerged that the local African reality, which requires that the inter-linked macro economic environment that necessitates the practice of UPA1 should be recognized. In order to deal with problems in urban food flows, the following recommendations were made:
" Food distribution and market access could be improved through better all-weather road networks, thus linking villages and main roads to cities. This would also improve supply of perishable foods to cities
" Care should be taken to ensure that the costs of recommended hygiene and related improvements would not lead to higher food prices

It emerged that policies were needed to address these areas: production, marketing, sales and processing of urban and peri-urban agricultural products. Of importance too, was the provision of credit for these activities. So as to enhance the role of this credit in alleviation of food insecurity, it was recommended that:
" The credit be accompanied by training in accounting for the beneficiaries
" Those who should benefit were the low income groups including the youth and those affected by terminal or debilitating diseases, especially AIDS

On matters relating to land, it was noted that access to land was a phenomenon that was difficult and complex, especially in Kenya. In addition, new migrants to cities were unable to readily access land. Most of the poor become squatters since land ownership and tenure systems make it difficult for them to legally access land. The following recommendations were made:
" Municipalities were charged with giving technical assistance to poor urban farmers on better nutrition and income generation from UPA*, and how to combine this with greening of the city
" Municipalities were to work towards adapting city planning policies to African cultural contexts and traditions
" International agencies were to be instrumental in ensuring that urban policy makers and planners recognized that UPA1 was a current form of urban land use and accommodated it in their land use planning and management

Finally, it was concluded that it was essential to adequately take into account the views of the poor, since they were the most affected. The relevant NGOs would be crucial in mediating between the poor and those involved in policy making as well as in project and programme development.

*UPA: Urban and Peri-urban Agriculture