13-17 November 1996 - Rome, Italy
| April 1996 | WFS/ARC/NGO/REP |
Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso, 14-15 April 1996
1. The Regional NGO Consultation for Africa on the World Food Summit was held on 14-15 April 1996 in Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso. More than 70 NGOs and rural peoples' organisations from some 30 countries attended this important meeting. The programme of the Consultation is attached as Appendix 1. The list of participants is attached as Appendix 2.
2. The FAO Regional Representative for Africa opened the meeting by clearly defining the objectives of the World Food Summit. He also highlighted the need to consider the specific aspects of food security and sustainable agricultural development in the context of Africa. The Minister of Agriculture and Animal Resources of Burkina Faso then welcomed the participants. He emphasised the important role of NGOs and rural organisations for food security. He then declared the Consultation officially open.
3. The Consultation then elected its officers:
| Chair | Mr. Emile Pare, INADES-Burkina Faso |
| Vice-Chair | Mrs. Ruth Mubiru, Uganda Women Tree Planting Movement |
| Rapporteurs | Mrs. Rudo Chitiga, IRED, Zimbabwe Mr. Ibrahima Seck, FONGS, Senegal |
4. The proceedings began with a statement by the Secretary-General of the World Food Summit, who outlined the objectives of the Consultation and introduced the documents for examination: Policy Statement and Plan of Action (ARC/96/3) and Food Security Situation and Issues in the Africa Region (ARC/96/4).
5. The Consultation then heard the following statements:
6. The participants then divided into three working groups to reflect on three main themes:
| Group I: | Food production |
| Group II: | Food access |
| Group III: | Institutional questions |
The reports of the working groups are attached as Appendix 3.
7. The Consultation affirmed that access to sufficient, wholesome food was a fundamental right of all human beings. It also noted that with economic globalization and increasing liberalisation and privatisation of the economy and public services, implementation of the Plan of Action to Achieve Universal Food Security required that all the actors be involved in defining their respective roles and responsibilities to secure sustainable food security. These main actors were: the State; NGOs; rural peoples' organisations; consumers; research institutes; financial institutions; training centres; private operators; the media; local authorities; trade unions; and religious and traditional leaders.
8. The Consultation considered that:
9. In view of the above, the Consultation recommended the following:
9.1 Strategies to Improve Food Production, Distribution, Access and Security
9.2 Implementation and Follow-up of the Plan of Action
14-15 April 1996
We, the NGOs and farmers’ organisations meeting in Ouagadougou on 14 and 15 April 1996:
Motion
Meeting on 14 and 15 April 1996 in Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso, for the FAO/NGO Regional Consultation for Africa on the World Food Summit, the African NGOs wish to express their deep gratitude to the Government of Burkina Faso, FAO and the NGOs of Burkina Faso for their warm welcome and the excellent organization of the Consultation.
Done in Ouagadougou, 15 April 1996
The Regional Consultation
Appendix 1
Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso, 14-15 April 1996
CONSULTATION PROGRAMME
| Sunday, 14 April | |
| Morning | Plenary |
| 8.00-9.30 | Registration |
| 9.30 | Opening Cermony, Adoption of Agenda, Election of Officers |
| 10.00 | The World Food Summit: goals, preparatory process, participants, expected outcome. The role of NGOs. |
| Objectives of the Consultation. Food security situation and issues in the Africa Region (including gender aspects). | |
| Afternoon | Working Groups |
| Implementation of regional goals and targets as a possibility for new collaboration between civil society organizations, governments and FAO. | |
| Preparation of the Consultation statement(s). | |
| Monday, 15 April | |
| Morning | Working Groups (cont'd) |
| Implementation of regional goals and targets as a possibility for new collaboration between civil society organizations, governments and FAO. | |
| Preparation of the Consultation statement(s). | |
| Afternoon | Plenary |
| Presentation and discussion of the draft working group statements. | |
| Agreement on consensus statement(s) and on its (their) presentation to the Regional Conference. | |
| Concluding remarks. | |
| Closing of the Consultation. |
| April 1996 | Appendix 2 |
REGIONAL NGO CONSULTATION FOR AFRICA
ON THE WORLD FOOD SUMMIT
Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso, 14 and 15 April 1996
Reports of the Working Groups
Group I: Food Production
| (i) | Governments should ensure national security and stability as a precondition for ensuring food security. |
| (ii) | The land tenure system should be improved and reformed in order to take account of the small producers, and more particularly the women. |
| (iii) | The food production and consumption models applied in Africa should be adjusted to encourage the production and use of local commodities. |
| (iv) | The interests of the small producers should always be taken into account when framing policies affecting food production. |
| (v) | Methods designed to improve food production should guarantee the sustainability of the natural resource base. |
| (vi) | Appropriate local techniques within reach of farmers should be improved, particularly by drawing on indigenous know-how and imported technology. |
| (vii) | Extension services should be tailored to the needs of small farmers and not only to commercial farmers. |
| (viii) | Decision-making relating to policies and programmes affecting food production should be decentralised. |
| (ix) | More domestic resources should be mobilised to ensure sustainability of food production. |
| (x) | Donor funds should be better secured, managed and monitored to ensure that they reach the small farmers - men and women - who are the principal food producers. |
| (xi) | Coordination between governments, NGOs and farmers should be enhanced. |
| (xii) | Task forces set up in countries to implement plans of action stemming from the World Food Summit should include NGOs and farmers' organisations. |
| (xiii) | Food production systems are determined by technical, cultural, ecological, social, economic and political factors. Without the political will, nothing can be achieved. |
1. The quality and cost of production are aspects which will be dealt with by the first Commission. It must nevertheless be made clear that these are necessary marketing conditions.
2. Production/Distribution Interface
2.1 Accessibility
This relates to the notion of consumer. It also relates to stability, availability and sustainability. Accessibility is closely related to the following key issues:
Recommendations:
2.2 Competitiveness
Competitiveness is between commodities (particularly between local and imported commodities) but also between countries. It has to do with marketing and quality (this quality has a price). It is important to stress that structural adjustment programmes have pushed up input prices. African small farmers are therefore unable to grow competitivefoodstuffs. Imported products are sometimes cheaper and are given greater publicity, even if they are not nutritious. Competitiveness raises serious problems in terms of handling chemical products used to achieve high levels of competitiveness. The multinationals play an important role in this unbridled rush to be competitive.
Recommendations:
2.3 Availability
Availability presupposes: a) proximity; b) quantity; c) quality; and d) the repackaging of food products to match consumer means. It is obvious that availability is closely linked to production, infrastructure (the state of the roads), storage and conservation. To improve availability, cash crops should not be given priority to the detriment of food crops.
Recommendations:
2.4 Transport
Transport relates to distribution/marketing (commodity outlets) and accessibility.
Recommendations:
2.5 Storage, Conservation, Processing, Packaging
A substantial percentage of production is lost as a result of conservation problems (estimated by FAO at 30%). It is therefore important to find effective conservation systems for each type of foodstuff. As governments withdraw, encouragement must be given to setting up conservation facilities using flexible credit systems. Processing plants should also be developed, particularly to help women's organisations, backed by adequate training. It must be emphasised that before processing can be developed, reliable markets and permanent outlets are needed.
Recommendations:
2.6 Infrastructure/Communications
Populations and NGOs should be mobilised to develop roads in cooperation with the government.
3. Regional Economic Integration
The small farmers should be involved in the process of regional integration based on collective market management. Inter-State trade must be better organised in a spirit of solidarity. This requires that the problems of infrastructure, prices, considerations of national interest and viability of existing structures be resolved.
4. Food Aid
Food aid should be prohibited, except during natural disasters. Donations create dependency ("Food For Work"). Regular food aid must take account of the needs of women and children.
Recommendations:
5.Conditions for Ensuring Food Security in Africa
Certain conditions are necessary to guarantee food security:
1.In relation to the document:
2.On the basis of this, a number of specific actions were suggested by the group:
3.With regard to the government:
In view of the disengagement of government and the devolution of responsibilities:
4.With regard to Non-Governmental Organisations:
5.With regard to Farmers' Organisations: