The revolution that African agriculture needs is a radical emphasis on the smallholder family farm…as the Chair suggests – it must be homegrown.

Converging trends have increased large scale acquisitions and long-term leases of land in Africa, as well as Asia and Latin America. This threatens to undermine access to essential resources for those most vulnerable to food shocks and Africa’s ability to feed itself.

Agriculture

Promote agro-ecological approaches to food production, coupled with creation and expansion of local or regional infrastructures, markets and networks that benefit smallholders. We strongly support the building, strengthening and inclusion of local-level institutions…in order to create small scale entrepreneurs from subsistence farmers.

As we emphasize the need to increase agricultural productivity…our priority is understanding that productivity cannot be measured simply by increased production per unit area, but also in terms of:

• how well diversification of systems can maintain and
• increase local productivity and
• reduce vulnerability in the face of increasing volatility of climate, energy supply, and other factors that contribute to global shocks to food supplies.

• natural resources (soil fertility, adequate water, agro-biodiversity, etc.),
• the integration of livestock and cropping systems, and in managed rangelands
• training that integrates well with traditional knowledge, and
• the depth and duration of investment in human resources – focusing on the central role of women in African (and other regions) agriculture.
• access to resources (including recognition of customary land use practices, pastoralist grazing rights, and securing of tenure)

Rural Development must emphasize inclusive and integrated processes:

We will be highlighting this week the policies and practices that demonstrate direct linking of rural and urban markets for food security, and regions feeding cities. Home-grown school feeding is one example of the many forms of infrastructure investments and new market creation needed.

As we seek to support small scale producers becoming entrepreneurs, and to gain benefit higher up the value chain, we need to recognize and link environmental services that sustainable agriculture provides:

Value chain integrity and coherence will require greater accountability and transparency across the chain, and appropriate mechanisms to distribute equitable returns for actors up and down.

Signals that convey environmental services for sustainably produced food originate from the production base and need to be clearly translated and paid for with a more even distribution and management of risks…

The rewards for these services are numerous, and especially extend to adaptation and mitigation to climate change, which cuts across all of the thematic discussion this week. Key mechanisms for their success include:

• adequate certification systems (for local/organic/sustainable/fair trade/etc.);
• capacity developed for knowledge management among all stakeholders;
• integrated physical infrastructure (roads, telecom/IT, energy, water);
• value-addition opportunities at multiple levels of production and processing;
• mechanisms for timely price discovery;
• crop/livestock insurance;
• security of contracts for small producers;

Also essential is Indigenous peoples’ direct engagement in decision-making processes and resource management, the capacity to organize collectively, and to enjoy full access to justice and redress.

Support meaningful participation of civil society ( including women, youth and indigenous peoples) in the development process. National-level and intergovernmental support is essential to civil society efforts in:

• project implementation,
• education and information,
• policy advocacy and
• establishment of accountability mechanisms.