Food Security In an Age of Falling Commodity and Food Prices : The Case of Sub-Saharan Africa
expansion of land for agriculture will require careful selection , land use management practices , and conservation approaches to prevent desertification and rainforest destruction .
The recent re-engagement of governments in the agricultural sector is improving the socio-organizational conditions in many African countries ( Benin 2011 ). Government investments in agriculture and infrastructure begun in the wake of the food price shocks of 2007 – 2008 and have also been crucial to improving food security .
The Comprehensive Africa Agriculture Development Program ( CAADP ), a continent wide framework for accelerating agricultural development was initiated 10 years ago with a major objective : 10 % of public expenditures dedicated to agriculture ( Conference of Ministers of Agriculture of the African Union . 2003 ). Following this policy , public agricultural expenditures increased by 7.7 % for Africa as a whole in 2003 – 2008 but decreased by −1.34 % in 2008 – 2013 in the aftermath of the 2007 – 2008 food and financial crises ( due to the fall of governments ’ fiscal revenues and overall expenditures ). Africa ’ s share of public agricultural expenditures in total public expenditures globally decreased from 3.7 % in 2003 – 2008 to 3.1 % in 2008 – 2013 , falling short of the CAADP 10 % target .
A long-term comprehensive agricultural and food security strategy is still crucial including : production policies ( infrastructures , irrigation , inputs , credit , production structures , etc .), internal trade ( storage facilities , transportation , credit , market structure , market information system , etc .), and consumption policies ( income , health and nutrition , early warning system , etc .) and more basically , sound trade and price policies .
Figure 11 : Public agriculture expenditure share in total public expenditure
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