By making agricultural policy work, we can feed ourselves!
Revisiting Agricultural policy in the region
 

Venue: Highway Cottages in Johannesburg
Date: 6- 8th September 2010
Global food production trends indicate that the world can for the first time in its history produce enough food to feed the entire population on the planet. However it is also true that in the midst of such a bounty the number of the food insecure is growing. It is estimated that one billion people are food insecure (Action Aid, 2010:7).

Whilst many parts of Africa and other underdeveloped regions have to contend with hunger there is overproduction, food dumping, skewed land holding patterns, land grabs and a range of policies implemented by the governments in the global South that does little to protect food sovereignty and the local agriculture. The inequality continues to exist between regions, race and gender. The very same fault lines perpetuated in the twentieth century continues to haunt development thinking in the present day.
 

Despite the fact that some milestone agreements have been reached in the Africa, such as the Africa Union (AU) adoption of the Maputo Declaration (2003), millions remain food insecure. This policy agreed to focus attention on food security in Africa and committed them (all African Governments) to increase their budgetary allocations for agriculture by at least 10% of total expenditure.
 

The Maputo Declaration culminated in the development of the Comprehensive Africa Agricultural Development Programme (CAADP). This was followed up by a massive popular process in 2007 when more than 500 local activists, small farmers, rural women and peasants gathered in Selingue Mali to demand a paradigm shift which replaced the notion of food security planning towards one of food sovereignty where local and environmentally friendly systems of production are promoted.
 

However, since the Mali process, we have seen food shortages of 2007/8 caused by the volatility of food prices in the international market and speculation on future food prices led to food riots in over 20 countries around the world including Senegal, Egypt, Ivory Coast and Cameron and a new wave of land grabs through Africa. In many parts of the region, our governments have made way for agro-fuel production displacing local agricultural production.

Objectives

• Review SADC /country –level policies on food security
• Examine of relevant agricultural policy( Maputo Declaration; AU policy; CAAP as well as other AU frameworks and policies that impact on agriculture
• Role of women in agriculture and the tenure systems that exist
• Develop an overview of the trade strategies in the region
• Reviewing the role of South Africa; Brazil and China on agricultural policy.

Day One
1) Welcome and introduction
2) SADC – overview of the challenges facing this region of Africa
3) Panel of discussants- Introduction to Regional Agricultural Policy environment
4) Plenary discussion and dialogue
5) Presentation of case studies compiled by peasant movements and small farmers on food security
6) Dialogue on the challenges( gap between policy and reality)
7) What support exists for small farmers, food sovereignty and rural women?

Day Two
1) Round Table on Role of South Africa, Brazil and China in the region?
2) Where is the Maputo Declaration?? What policy frameworks and protocols can we engage with?
3) Developing common platforms and agendas/ building solidarity in the region?
4) Developing a platform for dialogue on food sovereignty, livelihoods and bio-diversity.
5) Way forward