Leaders pitch for small scale farmers at an agricultural forum

Posted on | september 28, 2012 | No Comments

Jakaya Kikwete

The Christian Holy Book talks of use of ox-plough several times both in its Old and New Testament but for Jakaya Kikwete, President of the United Republic of Tanzania, nothing testifies of the backwardness of African agriculture than the continued urging of farmers to switch from using hand hoe to ox-ploughing.

“It is now over 2000 years since Jesus of the bible walked on the earth and Africans are still being urged to switch to a technology that is now over 2000 years,” he said adding that on the contrary time was ripe for agricultural experts told Africans on their face to mechanise their farming to achieve food security.

Speaking while officially opening the second African Green Revolution Forum in Arusha, Tanzania, President Kikwete said despite abundance of water and other natural resources, Africa is still incapable of feeding her population because its agriculture remains backward due to application of inappropriate technologies which include traditional farming and dependence on rain.

Coupled with small farm sizes, low fertilizer and pesticide and herbicide use, poor skills and a lack of access to financial services, President Kikwete said it is not surprising that the 80 per cent of who produce food eaten by African population is also the poorest living on less than a dollar a day.

According to research, on average a small-scale farmer in most rural Africa holds less than 2.5 hactares of land and uses less than 8kg of fertilizer per hectare and uses only 10 per cent of the global fertiliser usage.

The continent is also the least irrigated at only 5 per cent compared to Asia at 37% and Latin America 14%.

Kofi Anan, former UN Secretary General and Chairman of the Alliance for Green Revolution in Africa said no one can talk of revolutionizing African agriculture without addressing challenges faced by small-scale farmers, 80 per cent of who are women.

Melinda Gates, co-chair, Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation said tthinking about investment in farming is by building strategies around the small-scale farmer, often a woman…and seeking ways to better things for them taking into account different contexts within which they live.

Jane Karuku, President of AGRA agrees. She said small-scale farming is the business and governments must create enabling environment that would help these farmers realize their potential.

“We can’t increase food production without mobilizing small-scale farmers…their needs and aspirations must be brought at the center of discussions,” added Kofi Anan.

In a global food system under rising pressure, added Anan, Africa is the continent most affected by sharp rises in food prices. Yet it is also the continent, with its abundant land resources with 60 per cent of untapped land, where long-term solutions to global food and nutrition security can be found.

At the 2010 Forum, Mr Annan said a “tipping point” had been reached in the challenge of scaling up Africa’s Green Revolution.

Much had been achieved over the last two years, proving that investments in agriculture work.

African governments must in turn, uphold their end of the bargain.

Agricultural investment must rise to at least the 10 per cent levels of national budget pledged under the 2003 Maputo Declaration. The right policies are also needed to increase public and private investment.

Larger farms also have a critical role to play, particularly in testing and disseminating new technologies and providing opportunities for aggregating smallholder production for market.

Anan asked developed countries and private sector organisations to keep promises of increased support for Africa’s agriculture, despite the uncertainty and fiscal challenges.

The Alliance for a Green Revolution in Africa (AGRA), set up six years ago now operates in 17 sub-Saharan African countries where it is assisting governments and farmers.

Thanks to its activities, farmers have received over 330 new crop varieties developed by AGRA grantees. More than one million smallholder farmers have directly benefited through training on improved storage systems and better post-harvest handling.

According to Anan, the legacy of chronic underfunding in agriculture still remains a challenge for the realisation of the dream of a more prosperous and equitable future for all Africans.

AUTHOR: Henry Neondo
URL: http:// www.africasciencenews.org
E-MAIL: neondohenry [at] yahoo.com