Mark Kapchanga
12 October 2009
Nairobi — As celebrations to mark the World Food Day kick off this week, statistics on malnourishment are shocking -- an estimated 1.02 billion people worldwide, almost 16.7 per cent, are starving.
Experts say the world food deficit is the main cause, with East African governments being criticised for doing too little to support farming in their annual budgets.
East Africa has a huge food production potential, but for an escalating cost of farm inputs, especially to small-scale farmers.
The acute shortage has been worsened by the increasing use of crops for bio-energy and industrial purposes, as well as Africa's skewed dependence on maize.
The Food and Agricultural Organisation says new and traditional demand for crops will continue putting pressure on scarce agricultural resources.
"Agriculture will compete for land and water with sprawling urban settlements. It will also be required to serve on other major fronts: adapting to climate change, helping preserve natural habitats, protecting endangered species and maintaining a high level of biodiversity," says the FAO report titled: Global agriculture towards 2050.
Under the theme: "Achieving food security in times of crisis," this year's world food celebrations focus on the crises stalking small-scale farms and rural areas.
More than 70 per cent of the world's hungry population live and work in rural areas.
"Both public and private investments are needed, more specifically through targeted public investment to encourage and facilitate private investment, especially by farmers themselves.
"The public sector should play a critical role in enhancing food production though provision of farm subsidies," says Castro Camarada, FAO representative in Kenya.
There are indications that the current food shortage could get worse as the world's population surges and climatic conditions favouring farming change.
While a drop in productivity has been blamed on escalating costs of farm inputs and changing weather patterns, Dr Camarada says the world should focus on population growth and its impact on food production.
"Farmers should shift their attention from the acreage under farming to productivity per unit piece of land," Dr Camarada told The EastAfrican.
Through a partnership with the Kenyan government, the organisation has launched a number of projects to increase crop yields.
Early this year, it distributed subsidised farm inputs in the Rift Valley, which Dr Camarada says had a major impact on the region's crop productivity.
"We hope to extend this project to other areas," he said.
A recent report by FAO indicates that East African countries could be among the worst affected by climate change.
This, according to the report, will force them to rely heavily on food imports.
The food agency says that while globally the impact of climate change on food production may be small, at least until 2050, the distribution of production will have severe consequences on food security.
Developing countries may experience a decline of between 9 and 21 per cent in potential agricultural productivity owing to climate change.
But this need not be the case, says Dr Camarada.
Several actions could aid food security and climate change adaptation.
Increasing soil carbon sequestration through forestry and agro-forestry initiatives and tillage practices, improving efficiency of nutrient management and restoring degraded lands are some of these mitigation options.
"Climate change will affect agriculture and forestry through higher temperatures, elevated carbon dioxide concentration, changes in rainfall, increased weeds, pests and diseases, said the FAO representative.
He added: "The step taken by the Kenyan government to reclaim irrigation schemes will have a major impact on food productivity.
"Besides irrigation, the government should encourage water harvesting to minimise rain-dependent agriculture."
Dr Camarada says that while nomadic pastoralism is commonly blamed for enhancing climate change, it is an essential adaptation strategy.
The greatest impact of climate change on agriculture is expected in sub-Saharan Africa. es as Kenya, says Dr Camarada.
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