In pursuit of food security

IN THE WAKE of the most severe drought in 60 years, newspapers proclaimed in June 2011 that East Africa was on the verge of the world’s worst food security crisis. In Kenya, the government declared the food crisis a national disaster, and for the first time in 30 years, the United Nations declared famine in Somalia. Aid organisations called not only for emergency response, but also for an overhaul in how governments responded to food security on the continent.

Two years later, East Africa has come back from the brink. Above average agricultural and livestock production followed heavy rains in March to May, with several regions recording rainfall between 200 and 400 points above average. Greatest improvements have been seen in Somalia, Kenya, Uganda, Rwanda, Burundi and Tanzania. Despite this positive assessment, 12.9 million people still remain in what are classified Stressed, Emergency Crisis conditions.¹ The greatest vulnerability is in Ethiopia and South Sudan. Whilst this figure is down from 14.9 million in Dec 2012, it is indicative of a region still struggling to overcome food insecurity. At the other end of the spectrum, however, is a rapidly growing middle class that is driving strong economic growth.

The issue of food security is a complex one, defined by the Food and Agriculture Organization as “a situation where all people at all times have physical and economic access to sufficient, safe and nutritious food to meet their dietary needs and food preferences for a healthy lifestyle.”² This goal, however, can be hampered by factors including poverty, natural disaster, war and civil strife and rising food prices due to increased fuel and transport costs – all experienced by East Africa over the past few years.

Still a net importer
Although 80% of East Africans rely on agriculture for a living, the region has become a net importer of food with 95% of those imports sourced from outside the continent.³ Research shows that collectively East and Southern Africa produce a volume of staples large enough to address domestic demand and yet regional surpluses are not being distributed to meet regional demand. In Tanzania, food imports constitute close to 80% of total merchandise imports, particularly, wheat, rice and dairy⁴. Similarly, the Sugar Board of Tanzania sourced 50,000 metric tonnes to address a domestic market shortfall⁵ coming close on the January decision by the government to lift a ban on rice imports to meet a similar shortfall.⁶ Kenya, for its part, imports close to two-thirds of its wheat requirements – producing only 350,000 tonnes in the face of a 900,000-tonne consumption pattern.⁷

In famine-prone regions, the primary challenge to food security is still an underdeveloped agricultural sector that is vulnerable to extreme weather conditions. For farmers and food manufacturers across the board, however, issues relating to poor rural and regional road infrastructure, storage and access to finance are also immediate challenges.

Whilst many countries in the region have enjoyed an extended period of stability, the on-going conflict between Sudan and South Sudan has also had a significant impact on both regional trade and local farming practices; hampering cross border transit, and impeding the movement of livestock to traditional grazing grounds. On-going conflict has also resulted in the extensive displacement of people on both sides of the border. It is estimated that some 120,000 people have fled their homes in South Sudan’s Pibor County and are hiding in the bush, without access to humanitarian support or to traditional food access pointsZip Boots Designer Shoes