BIOVISION AFRICA TRUST EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR PRESENTS AT THE 14TH AFRICA DAY FOR FOOD AND NUTRITION SECURITY (ADFNS) COMMEMORATION
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19TH COMPREHENSIVE AFRICA AGRICULTURE DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMME (CAADP) PARTNERSHIP PLATFORM HELD FROM 30TH OCTOBER TO THE 2ND NOVEMBER 2023 AT THE MULUNGUSHI INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE CENTRE, LUSAKA, ZAMBIA
Biovision Africa Trust (BvAT) team consisting of Dr. David Amudavi, Ms. Venancia Wambua, and Mr. Alex Mutungi participated in the 14th Africa Day for Food and Nutrition Security (ADFNS) Commemoration and the 19th Comprehensive Africa Agriculture Development Programme (CAADP) Partnership Platform held at the Mulungushi International Conference Centre in Lusaka Zambia from 30th October to the 2nd of November 2023. BvAT participated in the event to strengthen its role in the development of the Ecological Organic Agriculture within the CAADP Framework.
Dr. Amudavi participated as a speaker and a panellist on sub-theme 2:- Harnessing science, innovation, and research to enhance food nutrition security where he presented on the ‘Role of Agroecology in nutrition and food security informed by study conducted in Eastern Africa’. In his presentation, Dr. Amudavi emphasized the crucial role agroecology plays in enhancing nutrition and food security by promoting sustainable agricultural practices thereby ensuring the production of nutritious and diverse crops and safeguarding the environment.
BvAT’s presentation was informed by a study commissioned under the US Mission to the African Union (USAU) funded project titled Agroecology for Increased Nutrition and Food Security in Eastern Africa (ANFEA Project). The project is aligned to the African Union’s declaration of 2022 as the Year of Nutrition under the theme: Strengthening resilience in nutrition and food security on the African continent: Strengthening Agro-food systems, health, and social protection systems for the acceleration of human, social and economic capital development.
The study is being co-implemented by BvAT and the Washington based Millenium Institute across several Eastern African countries, including Ethiopia, Kenya, Rwanda, Tanzania, and Uganda. The study employed the systems thinking approach that focuses on Causal Loop Diagrams (CLDs) that shows interrelationships between systems.
The study focused on three areas that emphasize; knowledge generation and dissemination (south-south learning through food security research; advocacy for increased commitment and nutrition investment) and partnerships and mutual accountability platforms for harmonized action and transparency. The focus areas are consistent with the goal of the project, which is to create awareness and better understanding among policymakers (and practitioners, technocrats, and development partners) on how Agroecology is contributing to nutrition and food security and hence, stimulate discussion and debate among them about the benefits and promotion of Agroecology.
Dr. Amudavi underscored how the CLD approach had helped to identify critical data needs for the assessment, including production cost comparisons, labor requirements, yield comparisons, projections for yield improvement over time, and the potential for agroecological products to command premium prices. Collecting and analyzing these types of data will provide essential insights into the economic and agricultural implications of agroecology, aiding informed decision-making and policy development.
Further, the CLD approach was noted to have guided the identification of critical research needs for a comprehensive assessment of agroecology. These needs include quantifying the effects of agrochemicals on soil, biodiversity, and natural capital over time, exploring innovative policies to support farmers during the transition to agroecology, investigating policies to subsidize agroecology, potentially through taxation on agrochemical inputs, understanding the time lags associated with realizing agroecological benefits, and identifying the factors that influence farmers’ adoption of agroecology. Addressing these research needs is vital for a more thorough evaluation of agroecology’s potential and for informing policies and practices that promote its successful implementation.
Therefore, the resurgence of interest in agroecology underscores its vital role in enhancing food nutrition and security. Dr. Amudavi emphasized that Agroecology provides a route towards genuine sustainability and resilience within our agricultural systems. However, the transition to agroecology necessitates the development of supportive policies, programs, and investments that support nutrition-sensitive food systems.
Furthermore, comprehensive data is essential to assess and compare agroecology with conventional systems, enabling evidence-based decision-making for investments. Research efforts should be directed towards informing decisions regarding the value of agroecology, its contributions, and the factors influencing its adoption by farmers. Thus, action is required to establish certification and standards for agroecological products and markets to further promote its adoption and marketability.
The presentation by BvAT comes at the backdrop of loss of productivity in agriculture across African countries despite huge public investments in the sector. It also comes ahead of the continental discourse on soil health that will culminate in an Africa Fertilizer Soil Health Summit (AFSHS) planned for early 2024. The participants while commenting BvAT for her work, acknowledged Agroecological and Ecological Organic Agriculture (EOA) practices and technologies as alternative practices to restore soil health.
Dr Amudavi urged African countries to embrace agroecological and EOA practices as they are the only truly sustainable ways to ensure nutrition and food security. He also called on more public investments into agroecology and EOA, more research and development and underscored the need for data to inform policy development.
The presentation can be accessed via this link.
prepared by Biovision Africa Trust