Cameroon 12.0 15.7 4.0 4.0 1.0 33 25
C. Afr. Rep. 3.0 3.8 1.5 1.7 1.1 50 45
Chad 6.0 8.3 3.5 2.7 0.8 58 33
Congo, The 2.6 3.6 1.4 1.2 0.9 54 34
Dem. Rep.
of the Congo 38.8 51.3 12.2 37.0 3.0 31 72
Gabon 1.0 1.3 0.1 0.1 0.7 10 5
Total 63.4 84.1 22.7 44.8 2.1 36 54
East Africa
Burundi 5.7 6.6 2.7 4.5 1.6 48 67
Eritrea 3.2 4.0 2.2 2.9 1.3 45 73
Ethiopia 55.6 69.0 38.2 31.5 0.0 61 46
Kenya 24.4 31.5 9.5 9.7 1.0 39 31
Rwanda 6.4 8.2 2.8 3.0 1.1 43 36
Sudan 25.5 32.9 7.9 8.8 1.1 31 27
Uganda 17.9 25.0 4.2 4.4 1.1 24 19
United Rep.
of Tanzania 27.0 36.3 9.9 16.1 1.6 37 44
Total 167.8 223.0 75.1 84.9 1.2 45 39
a. Source: The State of Food Insecurity in the World, 2008, Table 1. © 2008 Food and Agricul-ture Organization of the United Nations. Used with permission.
The potential to achieve objectives
region continue to live under this condi-tion, with a disturbing increase by some 22 million people in Central Africa alone.
In SAS, the number of undernourished people increased by some eight million during that time span.
On the whole the percentage data, to which the World Development Goals refer, give a more favourable picture.
From our point of view, however, those data are skewed under the influence of the rapid economic development in China.
The absolute number of undernourished people requires our attention. As shown in Table 7.5 (see page 129) the WFS target of halving this (target ratio = 0.5) by 2015 seems beyond reach. This quite appalling situation may well continue unless there is a radical change in the international politi-cal will and drive towards achieving sus-tainable food security. It is argued in this writing that small-scale agricultural devel-opment should play a major role in this endeavour.
FIGURE 7.2. The overall connection between factors influencing food security.
Ecosystem processes
GPP Climate
Land management Infrastructure
Soil management Political
environ-ment
Crop production management Human resources
Natural biosphere
International institutions National institutions
Chapter 7 The Competition for Resources for Food Production
7.2.2 The effects of human activities - some examples
Democratic Republic of the Congo As indicated in Table 7.5, progress for the sub-region of Central Africa has been falling behind all other sub-regions of AFR. Table 7.6 (see page 130) shows that this is largely due to the number of under-nourished people in the Democratic Republic of the Congo having increased from 12.2 million by 1990-92 to 37.0 mil-lion by 2001-03.
Internal conflict in that country, which began in August 1998, lasted until late 2002 with the withdrawal of invading for-eign troops. This conflict significantly reduced national output and government revenue. As a result external debt increased, and more than 3.5 million peo-ple died from violence, famine, and dis-ease. Due to the adverse operating environment, lack of infrastructure, uncer-tainties about the outcome of the conflict, foreign businesses curtailed operations.
From early 2003 recovery has been slow and hampered by an uncertain legal sys-tem, corruption and lack of clarity in gov-ernment policy (CIA, The World Fact Book - https://www.cia.gov/library/publi-cations/the-world-factbook).
General comment
When considering that food security relies on ecosystem processes, which require efficient soil and land manage-ment, which in turn require institutions such as agricultural services to perform effectively, situations, such as those referred to above, cry out for institutional reform. The situation which occurred in 2008 in Zimbabwe is another such exam-ple, promoting food insecurity, rather than food security.
In 2009 there are still some 800 million plus people suffering from chronic hun-ger, compromising health and productiv-ity and therefore their efforts to escape poverty. It has a serious negative effect on the potential economic and social devel-opment of society (see Figure 4.3 on page 47). AFR is the most seriously affected WDR, some 33% of its popula-tion (some 200 million people) living under this burden by 2001-03.
For Asia and the Pacific, that is includ-ing China and the SAS area with India, these figures were some 16% and 510 million. The primary responsibility to bring these figures down rests with indi-vidual governments. They are responsible for the essential stability of civil society by preventing this kind of serious political instability.
7.2.3 Independent control variables and agricultural production The regime imposed by state fac-tors demands specific techniques for specific areas if the need for a secure supply of food is to be ensured.
The overall connection between factors driving food supply is depicted in Figure 7.2 (see page 131). This shows various factors affecting both landscape stability and food security. With respect to the ongoing and rapid increase of world pop-ulation, especially in the developing world, nations carry a heavy responsibil-ity to ensure that the Millennium Devel-opment Goals (MDGs, see Appendix 8 on page 227) be met. This is a challenge of historical importance, facing especially the rich and developed world. In the longer term priority should be given to assisting the developing world to bring infrastructure, schooling and health
facili-The potential to achieve objectives
ties up to minimum standards. Due to the new world of virtually unlimited and rapid communication now upon us, this is seen
as in the vital interest of all, including the developed part of the world.
Political will is needed in the developed rich nations to at last meet the commit-ment of 0.7% of GDP to official develop-ment assistance. This was pledged in a 1970 General Assembly Resolution and affirmed in many international agreements since, of which the March 2002 Interna-tional Conference on Financing for Devel-opment in Monterrey, Mexico and the World Summit on Sustainable Develop-ment held in Johnannesburg later that year, are examples. Especially when tak-ing into account that the developed world has become richer since 1970, it is disap-pointing that so little progress towards this objective has been made (see Table 7.7).
Although due to progress made by some of the ‘poor’ nations, it might be argued that less than 0.7% of GDP might suffice to meet the MDGs, for national and inter-national stability, the matter needs urgent and positive action.
International and national agencies must work together towards the eradication of hunger and poverty. The technology and resources are available. In the interest of motivating rural people to stay on the land, stopping the trend of ‘disappearing small-scale and subsistence farmers’ [Bry-ceson et al., 2000 (increasing urbaniza-tion)], it is high time that this intolerable
TABLE 7.7. Official development assistance in 2005. a
Country
Aid as a % of
GNI Country
Aid as a % of GNI
Australia (*) 0.25 Japan (*) 0.28
Austria 0.52 Luxembourg 0.87
Belgium 0.53 Netherlands 0.82
Canada (*) 0.34 New Zealand 0.27
Denmark 0.81 Norway 0.93
Finland 0.47 Portugal 0.21
France 0.47 Spain 0.29
Germany 0.35 Sweden 0.92
Greece 0.24 Switzerland (*) 0.44
Ireland 0.41 United Kingdom 0.48
Italy 0.29 United Sates (*) 0.22
a. Source: OECD pdf. (*) indicates countries that have not set a timetable for 0.7%.
Chapter 7 The Competition for Resources for Food Production
situation is turned around. At the same time political will and insight are needed in the developing world to place the inter-ests of the general population ahead of personal interests of the most advanced groups in society.
In overall context. The availability of resources, suitable for use by humans, depend on the sustainability of ecosystem processes (see Figure 7.2). This means that in the long term human activities will be futile unless ecosystem processes are
protected. Amongst these processes are the formation of soils, microbial activity and moisture resources in soils, sustaining their suitability for food production. As indicated in Figure 7.3 above, the state factors of climate, topography, soil parent material, potential biota and time play a decisive role in this ecosystem ecology on which all depend. The greatest respect in protecting these ecosystem processes when competing for resources therefore is vitally important.
FIGURE 7.3. The relationship between state factors and planning for small-scale agricultural development.
International donor community Small-scale
farming commu-nity
Needs and requirements
Participation Village and household micro-planning
Policies and resources
STATE FACTORS