Food and Nutrition Security in Africa

31 Pages·2014·0.6 MB·English

26
Food and Nutrition Security in Africa
Book of Abstracts
Susanna Rokka (ed.)
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26
FoodAfrica Midterm Seminar in
Helsinki 16th June 2014:

Food and Nutrition Security in Africa
Book of Abstracts
Susanna Rokka (ed.)
ISBN 978-952-487-533-2 (Print)
ISBN 978-952-487-534-9 (Electronic)
ISSN 1798-1824 (Printed version)
ISSN 1798-1840 (Electronic version)
URN http://urn.fi/URN:ISBN:978-952-487-534-9
www.mtt.fi/mtttiede/pdf/mtttiede26.pdf
Copyright MTT Agrifood Research Finland
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2 MTT SCIENCE 26
Preface
Hannu Korhonen
MTT Agrifood Research Finland, Biotechnology and Food Research, 31600 Jokioinen,
Finland, [email protected]
According to many studies investments in agricultural research play a key role in rais-
ing agricultural productivity and enhancing food security. In particular, the need
for research inputs is relevant in Africa which in global terms has the lowest agri-
cultural productivity and the highest level of malnutrition among the human population.
Africa provides only 10% of global agricultural output, although it has the world’s largest
reservoir of unused arable land (about 60%). On the other hand, agricultural and live-
stock production is one of the most important economic sectors in Africa, as about 75%
of the African population relies on it for their livelihoods. 90% of the agricultural output
is produced by smallholder farmers on farms averaging 2.5 hectares in size.
African agriculture is challenged by many factors. According to FAO estimates up to 50%
of harvested food is lost due to lack of proper agricultural technologies in small-scale farm-
ing, adequate inputs for cultivation, proper storage facilities for agricultural produce and
reliable access to markets. Another reason for a slow agricultural development has been a
low impact of knowledge transfer from researchers to farmers owing to adoption of un-
suitable dissemination methods. Furthermore, climate change is aggravating the situation
and calling for novel approaches in agricultural and livestock production.
It has been generally accepted that human capacity building, involving all stakeholders
along the food supply chains is a successful strategy for increasing agricultural output and
improving food and nutrition security. These facts were highlighted in the recent 4th EU-
Africa Summit which in its road map 2014-2017 stressed the importance of investments
in science, technology and innovation (STI) in Africa with a particular focus on develop-
ment of a long-term, jointly funded and managed research and innovation partnership
in the areas of food and nutrition security and sustainable agriculture.
The FoodAfrica Programme was launched in 2011 as a practical outcome of the Finnish
Government development co-operation policy on rural development and food security.
Also, the Programme is well in line with the above EU-Africa policy as it aims to provide
new knowledge and tools for researchers, decision makers and local African farmers. To
this end, basic and applied research is carried out on specific topics in six East and West
African countries by a consortium of Finnish, African and international (CGIAR) research
institutions. The results obtained will be disseminated back to all stakeholders in the sup-
ply chains. Human capacity building is also included through academic degree studies on
agriculture, livestock and nutrition and training of farmers on better agricultural practices.
This issue of MTT Science presents the abstracts of key note papers and the first results
of FoodAfrica delivered at the mid-term seminar held in Helsinki in June 2014. The re-
sults are primarily based on the work of the doctoral students attached to FoodAfrica.
MTT SCIENCE 26 3
Contents
Preface ...............................................................................................................................3
Keynote lectures
Strengthening Business Approaches to Tertiary Agricultural Education in Africa ..............5
Agricultural Research for Food and Nutrition Security .......................................................6
“Excessive Volatility and Its Effects. What to do?” ............................................................11
WP1: Strengthening capacity for diagnosis and management of soil micronutrient deficiencies
in Sub Saharan Africa for improved plant, animal and human nutrition
Development of an X-Ray Method for Mineralogical Analysis of Africa Soils Using a
Benchtop Diffractometer ..................................................................................................13
Micronutrients in Selected Food Crops in Muguga, Kenya ..............................................14
Abstract
WP2: Dairy cattle breeding in West Africa: identifying and promoting appropriate breeds Higher education institutions are under
and breed combinations or genotypes for small holder farmers in Senegal pressure to reform as a result of increased
global challenges. In the case of sub-Saha-
Senegal Dairy Genetics ...................................................................................................15
ran Africa, the issues are worsening pov-
Milk Composition of Dairy Cattle Breeds in Senegal ........................................................16
erty levels and the inability of agricultural
Predicting Lactation Records from Test Day Samples in Indigenous and Crossbred Dairy
graduating students to set up enterprises.
Cattle in Senegal ..............................................................................................................17
This paper examines the need for restruc-
turing tertiary agricultural education in-
WP3: Economic analysis on technologies and targeted policies to reduce vulnerability and
stitutions in Africa to align with market
building resilience in Sénégal
demands and to link more closely to the
Climate Change Impacts on Agriculture & Agricultural Economies: The example of private sector.
Senegal ............................................................................................................................18
The paper builds on the case of two main
WP4: Enhancing food and nutrition security of vulnerable groups in communities in programmes namely the UniBRAIN-
Benin through increased use of local agricultural biodiversity Linking Universities with Business and re-
search in Agricultural Innovations, and the
Which Factors could Determine Stunting in Rural Areas in Benin ? .................................20 SASACID – Strengthening Africa’s Stra-
Complementary Foods Patterns Among Infants and Young Children in Houeyogbe and
tegic Agricultural Capacity for Impact on
Bopa Districts in Southern Benin, West Africa .................................................................21
Development, that the African Network
for Agriculture, Agroforestry and Natural
WP5: Measuring and mitigating the risk of mycotoxins for poor milk and maize producers
Resources Education (ANAFE) has been
and consumers in Kenya
involved in from 2010 to 2014, to show
that aligning tertiary Agricultural Educa-
Costs of Aflatoxins in Kenyan Dairy Value Chain .............................................................22
Aflatoxin M1 Survey on Raw Milk Collected from Rural Households in Four tion systems with market needs requires
Agro-Ecological Zones in Kenya ......................................................................................23 systems restructuring. This restructuring
Creating Novel Approaches to Mitigate Aflatoxin Risk in Food and Feed with includes accepting official participation of
Lactic Acid Bacteria- mold growth inhibition ....................................................................24 private sector in the management of insti-
tutions, in curriculum development and
WP6: Improving market access and food security in Africa with information and implementation, and in infrastructure up-
communication technology (ICT) grading and retooling of lecturers.
Household Features that Support Women Empowerment – The role of women in
The main outputs from the UniBRAIN
household decision-making in Uganda .............................................................................25
and SASACID programmes need to be
WP7: Innovative extension approaches for improving food security and livelihoods
Improving Livelihoods of Smallholder Dairy Farmers Through Increased
Fodder Accessibility: New strategies, linkages and options for stakeholders in
Kipkaren sub-county, Kenya. ...........................................................................................27
4 MTT SCIENCE 26
Contents Strengthening Business Approaches to Tertiary
Preface ...............................................................................................................................3 Agricultural Education in Africa
Keynote lectures
Aissetou Dramé Yayé1, Sebastian Chakeredza1, James Aucha and Alfred Ochola
Strengthening Business Approaches to Tertiary Agricultural Education in Africa ..............5
Agricultural Research for Food and Nutrition Security .......................................................6 1African Network for Agriculture, Agroforestry and Natural Resources Education (ANAFE),
“Excessive Volatility and Its Effects. What to do?” ............................................................11
P.O. Box 30677-00100 Nairobi, Kenya
WP1: Strengthening capacity for diagnosis and management of soil micronutrient deficiencies
in Sub Saharan Africa for improved plant, animal and human nutrition
Development of an X-Ray Method for Mineralogical Analysis of Africa Soils Using a
Benchtop Diffractometer ..................................................................................................13
Micronutrients in Selected Food Crops in Muguga, Kenya ..............................................14
Abstract
WP2: Dairy cattle breeding in West Africa: identifying and promoting appropriate breeds Higher education institutions are under publicized and scaled out. They include
and breed combinations or genotypes for small holder farmers in Senegal pressure to reform as a result of increased the six (6) Agribusiness incubation con-
global challenges. In the case of sub-Saha- sortia put in place in 5 countries (Kenya,
Senegal Dairy Genetics ...................................................................................................15
ran Africa, the issues are worsening pov- Ghana, Mali, Zambia and Uganda), help-
Milk Composition of Dairy Cattle Breeds in Senegal ........................................................16
erty levels and the inability of agricultural ing to develop students into entrepreneurs;
Predicting Lactation Records from Test Day Samples in Indigenous and Crossbred Dairy
graduating students to set up enterprises. the innovative Agribusiness curricula de-
Cattle in Senegal ..............................................................................................................17
This paper examines the need for restruc- veloped for all tertiary degree levels from
turing tertiary agricultural education in- Certificate to PhD, the Agribusiness In-
WP3: Economic analysis on technologies and targeted policies to reduce vulnerability and
stitutions in Africa to align with market ternship guide incorporating an optimal
building resilience in Sénégal
demands and to link more closely to the theoretical and practical approach and the
Climate Change Impacts on Agriculture & Agricultural Economies: The example of private sector. contextualized Agribusiness learning ma-
Senegal ............................................................................................................................18 terials published which bring the learning
The paper builds on the case of two main experience to the realities on the ground.
WP4: Enhancing food and nutrition security of vulnerable groups in communities in programmes namely the UniBRAIN- Even though many of the ANAFE mem-
Benin through increased use of local agricultural biodiversity Linking Universities with Business and re- ber institutions are enthusiastic in working
search in Agricultural Innovations, and the with ANAFE in strengthening their busi-
Which Factors could Determine Stunting in Rural Areas in Benin ? .................................20 SASACID – Strengthening Africa’s Stra- ness approaches to agricultural education
Complementary Foods Patterns Among Infants and Young Children in Houeyogbe and
tegic Agricultural Capacity for Impact on and research, future challenges to foresee
Bopa Districts in Southern Benin, West Africa .................................................................21
Development, that the African Network in reforming tertiary education systems to
for Agriculture, Agroforestry and Natural be more relevant to business development
WP5: Measuring and mitigating the risk of mycotoxins for poor milk and maize producers
Resources Education (ANAFE) has been include the need to diversify sources of
and consumers in Kenya
involved in from 2010 to 2014, to show funding, increase capacity for new man-
that aligning tertiary Agricultural Educa- agement functions and assure actual lead-
Costs of Aflatoxins in Kenyan Dairy Value Chain .............................................................22
Aflatoxin M1 Survey on Raw Milk Collected from Rural Households in Four tion systems with market needs requires ers and government that the required re-
Agro-Ecological Zones in Kenya ......................................................................................23 systems restructuring. This restructuring forms are not threatening the fundamental
Creating Novel Approaches to Mitigate Aflatoxin Risk in Food and Feed with includes accepting official participation of ways tertiary agricultural education insti-
Lactic Acid Bacteria- mold growth inhibition ....................................................................24 private sector in the management of insti- tutions make their contribution to the ac-
tutions, in curriculum development and cumulation of knowledge and ideas.
WP6: Improving market access and food security in Africa with information and implementation, and in infrastructure up-
communication technology (ICT) grading and retooling of lecturers. Key words:
Tertiary Agricultural Education, Reforms,
Household Features that Support Women Empowerment – The role of women in
The main outputs from the UniBRAIN Agribusiness, ANAFE, UNIBRAIN,
household decision-making in Uganda .............................................................................25
and SASACID programmes need to be SASACID
WP7: Innovative extension approaches for improving food security and livelihoods
Improving Livelihoods of Smallholder Dairy Farmers Through Increased
Fodder Accessibility: New strategies, linkages and options for stakeholders in
Kipkaren sub-county, Kenya. ...........................................................................................27
MTT SCIENCE 26 5
Agricultural Research for Food and
Nutrition Security
Sirkka Immonen
Independent Evaluation Arrangement of the CGIAR, c/o FAO, Viale delle Terme di Caracalla,
00153 Rome, Italy
Introduction
The challenges to achieving food securi- For over 40 years of its existence, the
ty globally and regionally in the next dec- CGIAR has focused primarily on improv-
ades are well known. They relate to popula- ing food security. Its strategy has been to
tion growth, diminishing availability of and provide global public goods, that is: re-
competition for natural resources, climate search results that are applicable across na-
change, access to land and tenure, dispari- tional borders and freely available to all.
ties among gender and other social groups, Major focus has been on enhancing crop
plateauing of yields, food price fluctuations, yields and the productivity of commodities
food waste and pervasive problems related in general (livestock and fish included). The
to nutritional status. Green Revolution demonstrated the effec-
tiveness of such strategy for wheat and rice.
This paper looks at the challenges of food In Asia, particularly in India where under
security from the perspective of research. It favourable policies adoption of improved
focuses on agricultural research and how it varieties was accompanied by use of fertiliz-
can contribute to food security and nutri- ers and irrigation, Green Revolution helped
tional security. The paper discusses agricul- to avoid serious famines. It led to sharp in-
tural research in the context of internation- crease in cereal yields; growth in produc-
al agricultural research for development in tion exceeded demand caused by popula-
the CGIAR and draws from the work done tion growth and staple food prices fell as
in the past two years by the CGIAR’s In- high yielding varieties were adopted. This
dependent Science and Partnership Coun- price trend lasted till about 2008.
cil, a science advisory body, for improving
the CGIAR’s strategic direction and likely Since Green Revolution, the focus has shift-
effectiveness. ed to relatively poorer regions and coun-
tries, to sub-Saharan Africa, to sustaina-
The paper has the following components: ble productivity increases (not just yield);
the CGIAR research context; impact still with the aim of improving food secu-
pathways to food security; impact path- rity while adding other goals, such as pov-
ways to improved nutrition; enhancing re- erty alleviation. The concept of food se-
search effectiveness and expectations; and curity has changed from focus on energy
conclusions. security to including micronutrient nutri-
tion and quality of food. Although the out-
look that addressing hunger requires above
The CGIAR research context
all increased and stable production of the
The CGIAR of 15 International Agricul- quantity of primary food crops for access
tural Research Centers is a publicly fund- and affordability, it is acknowledged that
ed research organization that has recently poverty, food security and nutrition are in-
adopted four overarching high-level aspira- terlinked. Furthermore, it is acknowledged
tional goals for impact: reduction of pover- that in the face of environmental degrada-
ty, increasing food security, improving nu- tion and climate change, and as the Sustain-
trition and health, and more sustainable able Development Goals are to supersede
management of natural resources. the Millennium Development Goals, sus-
6 MTT SCIENCE 26
tainable use of natural resources must un- fed and irrigated conditions, a whole range
derline all agricultural production. of food sources and options for diversifica-
tion of food systems, and issues of seasonal-
FAO defines food security to encompass ca- ity, policy and national self-sufficiency. All
loric and nutritional sufficiency and safe- these issues have implications to research
ty of food for all people. In estimating and prioritization, strategy and targeting.
monitoring food security four dimensions
are used: availability, access, utilization and Agricultural research can address many
stability. These dimensions package a large of the factors that influence food availa-
number of conditions for them to be ful- bility. These include variety development
filled. Agricultural research can address for tolerance of biotic and abiotic stress-
only some of the conditions – others being es and yield potential; water and soil man-
dependent on, for example, infrastructure, agement; water and nutrient use efficiency,
sanitation, transport, trade and education. agronomic practices and genetic erosion. It
Furthermore, there are trade-offs between can influence land use, policy and markets
different goals, given that poverty and hun- through research-based options. It can also
ger are multifaceted problems exacerbated address equity and social change. Other fac-
by degradation of natural resources and cli- tors and constraints are outside of agricul-
mate change. tural research; such as distribution, trade,
processing, food waste and health on which
The reason why the CGIAR has opted to nutritional status depends.
distinguish between food security and hu-
man nutrition and health is that the im- Depending on their research focus, the
pact pathways to these goals are quite dif- CGIAR programs have multiple strategies
ferent and the assumptions underlying the and impact pathways to achieve food secu-
impact pathways are not well known, par- rity. A few examples of research strategy and
ticularly regarding the drivers of good nu- impact pathways for impact on food secu-
trition. While the food security impact rity are presented.
pathway targets availability, access and af-
fordability, the nutrition pathway targets A main priority for the CGIAR is sustain-
micronutrient sufficiency, particularly of able intensification of cereal production in
women and children. the principal breadbaskets of the world.
The research programs focusing on major
Impact pathways from research to devel- cereals build around genetic enhancement
opment are typically protracted and non- and sustainable crop management practices.
linear. For better planning of research and Reduction of post-harvest losses and socio-
accountability, each CGIAR research pro- economic research for enhancing technolo-
gram is requested to define impact path- gy adoption are also often included. The in-
ways from research to development impact termediate outcomes planned towards food
specifying a set of intermediate develop- security are increased crop productivity and
ment outcomes. These are realistic inter- farm profitability. On basis of empirical evi-
mediate objectives among well-defined tar- dence it is assumed that the adoption of im-
get beneficiaries and agro-ecologies that the proved varieties enhances the probability of
research programs, in partnership with na- food security, per capita food consumption,
tional players can contribute to. and probability of attaining the food break-
even and food surplus status.
Impact pathways to food
CGIAR research also targets entire system
security
on which agricultural production depends
The CGIAR research has impacted food with the aim of reducing risk and vulner-
security in large-scale mainly through food ability and enhancing resilience to shocks
price effects. At regional and national levels, at farm level, and strengthening the agri-
the impact pathways to food security are, cultural innovation systems. Research ad-
however, quite nuanced. For instance, there dresses natural resource use, improving
are many different farming systems, rain- and stabilizing productivity, markets and
MTT SCIENCE 26 7
value chains, enhancing enabling policies CGIAR’s research agenda, the justification
and services. The main pathway to better for addressing human nutrition and health
food security is through increased resilience issues separately from food security is that
and sustainable intensification of the pro- malnutrition is much broader issue than
duction system, and increased income at just energy sufficiency, researchable issues
household level. are different and impact pathways are com-
plex and largely dependent on other factors
CGIAR also works on livestock, fish and than agriculture. It is also acknowledged
forest-based foods and income opportuni- that gender and intra-household disparities
ties through these enterprises. Research tar- contribute to poor nutrition. Malnutrition
gets more sustainable use of soil, water and is particularly serious in areas where pov-
genetic resources. The impact pathways on erty and food insecurity are prevalent, in-
resource use have the long term objective of cluding sub-Saharan Africa and South Asia.
enhancing ecosystem services in agricultural The CGIAR’s mandate across a wide range
landscapes for sustaining agricultural pro- of crops and livestock and production sys-
ductivity and food security into the future. tems offers opportunities for addressing mi-
cronutrient malnutrition and health issues.
It is known that agriculture is a key driv-
er for economic growth at national level, Although agriculture is considered critical
particularly in agriculture-based countries for addressing malnutrition, there is lim-
(sub-Saharan Africa in particular), and that ited evidence of how agriculture influenc-
increased production and productivity of es nutrition and how food availability and
main commodities increases food securi- prices influence dietary diversity. More in-
ty through lower prices and price stabili- formation and evidence is needed on how
ty, and improvement in income and em- access to nutritious foods is translated to
ployment. However, it is also known that improved nutrition status at household and
the issues underpinning poverty and hun- individual levels. Three dimensions related
ger are fundamentally complex and the im- to women’s role have been identified in the
pact pathways are specific to the develop- impact pathway from agriculture to better
ment context. nutrition: women’s status and control of re-
sources; women’s time and knowledge; and
These contexts range from subsistence women’s nutrition.
farmers trapped in low-productivity farm-
ing in countries with slow economic According to FAO, agricultural interven-
growth, with limited resources and no off- tions can also lead to negative nutrition-
farm opportunities at one end to dynam- al outcomes. Therefore, better analysis and
ically developing regions at the other end understanding of the impact pathways is
where small market-oriented farms can sup- necessary to address critical bottlenecks.
ply growing urban areas with high value This requires more than just agricultural
products. Research strategies for food secu- interventions. For instance, essential con-
rity objectives need to respond to the con- ditions for good nutritional status include
text of urban vs. rural and, within the latter, education, health care and improved sani-
subsistence vs. market-oriented farming. tation. In all of these national policies play
Research strategies also need to integrate a central role.
technology and policy and address equity
among different groups, including gender. The CGIAR has several strategies for en-
hancing nutrition. One strategy is aligned
with increasing production and produc-
Impact pathways to
tivity of the CGIAR’s traditional mandate
improved nutrition
crops such as wheat and legumes, and live-
The CGIAR’s nutrition security objective stock and fish.
targets micronutrient malnutrition. Health
objective, encompassing food safety and ag- A specific strategy, also related to CGIAR’s
riculture-related health risks, is also incor- past research on specific crops, is bioforti-
porated into this major impact goal. In the fication where research has been going on
8 MTT SCIENCE 26
for more than ten years. Focus has been on because nutritious foods tend to be more
iron, zinc and vitamin A. The micronutri- difficult to obtain and are more expensive.
ent content of major food crops is increased Furthermore, it is not unusual that in the
through breeding. Nutritional research has same households, there is both stunting
been conducted on retention, bioavailabil- and obesity.
ity and efficacy. The impact pathway from
the research product (new variety) to con-
Improving research
sumption is long. For instance with orange
effectiveness and
fleshed sweetpotato it involves production
expectations
of cuttings for propagating the crop, in-
centivising farmers to adopt new, biofor- The diversity of contexts in which food
tified varieties that need to be better per- and nutrition security are pursued by re-
forming than existing varieties, distribution search requires different strategies. Often
and marketing, and advocacy for enhancing impact pathways are presented at a gen-
the consumption of the food in adequate eral level and as linear. In reality impacts
amounts by the targeted groups, women are not liner. Thus the plans need to take
and children. There is not yet much ex- into account the degree of heterogeneity
perience on scaling up from pilot projects among farming systems, beneficiary groups
and the effectiveness of this strategy. Chal- and agro-ecologies and the multiple feed-
lenges at producer level include inability to back loops.
identify the biofortified varieties if the trait
is not visible, and at the consumer level re- Research effectiveness can be improved by
sistance to consume the crop if the trait is planning the impact pathways and peri-
visible – for instance colour that is not pre- odically adjusting them in light of new ev-
ferred. Ultimately, the outcomes depend idence of causal linkages. Assumptions
other conditions for good nutrition being are often made about behavioural chang-
in place. es among farmers, community actors, ex-
tensionists, policy-makers, market actors
One strategy is diversifying diets by pro- etc. Research can influence such chang-
ducing at farms nutritious crops, for ex- es through approaches that engage local
ample vegetables in kitchen gardens. This groups, but largely the changes depend
strategy assumes that labour is available on activities and incentives outside the
for the time required to manage the crops, research domain. In order to make the
and that farming families consume pro- uptake of research results more likely, re-
duce from the farm or that income earned search organizations invariably need to en-
from high value crops is spent on buying gage also in capacity development, policy
nutritious food. These assumptions may dialogue and advocacy.
not hold true in all circumstances. More
needs to be known about decision-making Research groups need to identify and col-
in households regarding labor allocation, laborate with appropriate partners at re-
consumption and expenditure. gional and national level. Adaptive and ap-
plied research that is often necessary for
CGIAR research addresses also certain locally applicable results is best done by na-
health issues that have a relatively simple tional partners. Collaboration is also need-
impact pathway and straightforward ef- ed with a range of organisations including
fect; for example reduction of pesticides, research institutions but also NGOs and
and reduction of aflatoxins in the food val- the private sector. Many CGIAR programs
ue chains. consider that agricultural change and de-
velopment is most sustainably pursued in
A single strategy is unlikely to be effec- agricultural innovation systems where re-
tive. In developing countries diet transi- search is but one component. Partnership
tion is occurring and overweight is increas- and collaboration with local groups pro-
ingly a problem. It is a problem even in vides the feed-back loops that are neces-
poor countries, for instance in sub-Saha- sary for adjusting research strategies and
ran Africa. It may occur among the poor, impact pathways.
MTT SCIENCE 26 9