Damage assessment: Floods trigger fears of food insecurity

This year’s monsoon-induced floods have triggered fears of food insecurity and threatened livelihoods of peasants in the areas swamped by floodwater, according to an assessment report.

The multi-sector rapid need assessment report highlights that at least 250,000 farmers have been badly affected and at least Rs10 billion is required to help them resume agricultural activities in the affected areas. The flooding destroyed standing crops, killed livestock and curtailed livelihood activities – and this would have a devastating impact on food security.

The report – Recovery Needs Assessment and Action Framework 2014-16 (RNA) – was jointly prepared by the National Disaster Management Authority and UNDP, with input from FAO, ILO, UN-Habitat and WFP.

The report recommends helping farmers with special focus on the cultivation of Rabi crops that will be sown in winter and harvested in spring. Over a million acres of farmlands were swamped and an estimated Rs10,914 million would be required for initial recovery of agricultural activities, it says.

At present, the biggest challenge, according to the report, is restoring lives and livelihoods ideally to a level where they become more resilient to future disasters, while structural and non-structural disaster risk reduction measures are inculcated at all steps of the recovery process.

The report highlights that sound planning, sufficient resources and time will be required for complete recovery of livelihoods and food security.

Agriculture is one of the worst affected sectors. At the time of the flooding, cotton, rice and sugarcane crops were ready to harvest. Extensive damages were reported in Jhang, Muzzafargarh, Multan and Sargodha districts where agriculture is the main source of income for over 55% households and of them over 70% reported loss of livelihoods.

Satellite imaging

Satellite imaging by the Space and Upper Atmosphere Research Commission (SUPARCO) was also used to assess the flood damages. Based on the area of crops inundated by the floodwater and per acre yield averages, SUPARCO forecasts a 217,000 ton reduction in rice production, 726,000 in sugarcane and 250,000 bales of cotton.

Along with this, loss of seed stocks and agricultural tools, destruction of irrigation channels and land erosion further deteriorated the agriculture sector.

Livestock

Livestock rearing is often considered a secondary source of income and also fulfils household food and nutrition needs. Overall 1,925 small and large ruminants were reported to be lost due to floods, with higher losses in Neelum, Bhimber Haveli and Kotli districts of Azad Jammu and Kashmir and Sialkot, Gujranwala, Hafizabad and Gujrat districts of Punjab.

According to RNA estimates, Rs233.47 million will be needed for the recovery of livestock sector.

Household food security

Household food security was also affected, mainly due to the loss of food stocks. Findings indicate that 37% of households lost most of their food stocks. Livelihood losses further reduced their economic access to food and 62% of households reported that they did not have sufficient resources to buy food after the floods. Other impacts, including losses in the fishery and forestry sectors, were also reported in the assessment.

According to the report, low income households are often more vulnerable in disasters.

Findings revealed that Multan, Muzzafargarh and Bahawalpur have highest proportion of vulnerable people. The proportions of BISP beneficiaries, as well as small land holders, are higher in these districts. Following these districts, Jhang, Jhelum and Narowal have higher numbers of vulnerable households.

Published in The Express Tribune

Costa Rican scientists trial aquatic agriculture to boost food security

[CARTAGO, COSTA RICA] Costa Rican researchers are pioneering 'aquatic agriculture'— the method of growing crops on freshwater lakes and reservoirs — to boost food security in the developing world.

The technique involves creating floating rafts on which vegetables, grains and flowers can be grown. Terrestrial crops such as grains and vegetables have their roots directly in the water or can be potted, with water being drawn up into their soil from the lake by capillary wicks, Ricardo Radulovich, a professor at the University of Costa Rica's Department of Agricultural Engineering, explains. Aquatic crops are grown directly on the water.
The idea was developed by Radulovich and colleagues over several years. Last November, theyreceived a CAD$100,000 (around US$100,000) grant from Grand Challenges Canada, a global health innovation agency funded by the Canadian government, to further their work.

Radulovich and his colleagues are currently carrying out prototype projects on Lake Arenal in Costa Rica and in Nicaragua.

"Seventy per cent of the world's available water is used for irrigation," Radulovich tells SciDev.Net. He says there are fears that water supplies will run out because of rising demand. In addition, climate change is increasing uncertainty over rainy seasons and higher temperatures mean that crops need more water, he says.

Using lake water can avoid the wastage that results from traditional irrigation, Radulovich says.

Sustainable use of all the world's freshwater resources could double the current capacity of food production without requiring more irrigation water, he says.

Radulovich says the technique could be effective in many countries in Sub-Saharan Africa, as well as Bangladesh, Bolivia, the Philippines and other nations with large lakes, whether they are natural or artificial ones that form behind hydroelectric dams.

Researchers in Malawi, Tanzania and Uganda have shown interest in developing aquatic agriculture projects in their countries, Radulovich says.

Lakes could also be used for animal aquaculture, especially to farm herbivorous fish and shrimps, further increasing their role in food production, he adds.

Mario Zúñiga Chaves from the School of Agricultural Engineering at the Costa Rica Institute of Technology (TEC), says that aquatic farming could solve many families' economic problems in regions with a dry tropical climate.

One option, he says, is to build reservoirs to capture water in the rainy season and then use them to farm fish. "Similarly, these reservoirs can be used in the dry season to supply the water needs of crops and animals,"Zúñiga says.
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Syrian conflict sends agriculture into shambles

Almost two years of civil war has devastated Syria’s once growing agricultural sector and rapidly created a food security crisis for its population of more than 22 million people, a United Nations mission found last week.

With 10% of the population already in need of food assistance, the blow taken by farming is expected to push the crisis even deeper, said Dominique Burgeon, director of the UN Food and Agriculture Organization’s (FAO) Emergency and Rehabilitation Division.

“In terms of food security, the coping strategies of many families are exhausted and they rely almost exclusively on food assistance. Our colleagues from WFP (the World Food Programme) are currently providing food assistance to 1.5 million people in Syria and are looking to further increase this number,” Burgeon told www.freshfruitportal.com.

“Within the 2013 Syria Humanitarian Action Response Plan (SHARP), FAO appealed for USD34.85 million to help small-scale farmers and herders in need of emergency agriculture assistance. This includes seeds, fertilizer, animal feed, poultry production packages and veterinary drugs. These proposed activities remain largely unfunded.”

Burgeon described a vibrant agricultural sector pre-conflict, comprised in large part by fruit production which accounted for 32% of output. In 2009, agriculture employed an estimated 17% of the population and generated 21% of the gross domestic product, the director said.

Once a net importer, Burgeon said Syria had recently achieved exporter status for products such as fruits, vegetables, cotton and other food products.

On the Jan. 18-22 mission to Damascus and the governorates of Homs and Dara’a, however, farming was found to be hanging by a thread.

Wheat and barley production had dropped to less than half of its typical level, while vegetable output decreased by 60% in Homs. Among other impeding factors, the mission found a lack of fuel, damage to major irrigation canals, and low access to agriculture inputs such as seeds and fertilizer.

Overall, only 45% of farmers had been able to fully harvest their crops; 14% of those who did not harvest attributed the issue to insecurity or lack of fuel.

Burgeon appealed for seeds, fertilizers, animal feed, veterinary drugs, poultry and rehabilitation of irrigation infrastructure to help the sector get back on its feet. In the long term, he said debt and the loss of assets could mean a large section of the population may never recover.

“From an economic perspective, the conflict has severely affected the food supply chain. On one side, production has been disrupted with a sharp reduction in the availability of locally produced food,” he said.

“The population is increasingly selling their productive and non-productive assets, incurring debts and substantially reducing essential expenditures and food consumption. As the crisis further deepens, the humanitarian needs of the population will become more and more acute.”

Burgeon asked the international community to scale up its efforts to develop a humanitarian response. He said SHARP will cost an estimated US$519 million, only 4% of which has been funded.

The FAO currently works in other conflict zones to alleviate similar agriculture crises. In Afghanistan, the organization supports local seed production. In the Democratic Republic of Congo, quality seeds, farming tools and technical training have been provided to assist production. The FAO also runs similar operations in Somalia, Yemen, Liberia, Sierra Leone, the Sudan and South Sudan.

Photo: Flickr, FreedomHouse

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Op−Ed | Urban agriculture nurtures community action in Philadelphia: Why we should care?

Food system issues have been receiving a growing amount of attention on Tufts’ campus, with a new Food Systems and the Environment track projected to join the revised Environmental Studies program. Student groups such as Food for Thought and Tom Thumb’s Student Garden offer more recent additions to campus organizations.

Beyond the Hill, there was a recent victory in Philadelphia of a garden−and−farm zoning campaign demonstrating the importance of agriculture within cities.

Urban agriculture has been emerging in recent years as an important feature in cities across the United States, and many places have been working to support and legitimize it.

This September, Somerville became the first city in Massachusetts to pass an ordinance on urban agriculture, outlining rules for growing and cultivating vegetables, bees and chickens to help promote best practices (see “Somerville officials approve first urban agriculture ordinance,” Nov. 8).

Philadelphia stands as a national model and leader in urban agriculture, due to the growing number of gardens and farms it supports. It has ample opportunity for this field, with over 42,000 vacant lots standing as a reminder of departed industry and urban decay.

A new zoning code introduced in Philadelphia in August recognized urban agriculture as its own land−use type and, for the first time gave gardens and farms the opportunity to apply for an urban agriculture permit.

Just months after the city’s new zoning code went into practice, city council leader Brian O’Neill introduced a bill adding significant barriers for garden groups, along with restrictions for a number of other land−use types.

O’Neill’s bill would have restricted urban agriculture on commercial mixed−use areas—affecting about 20 percent of gardens in Philadelphia.

The bill was in effect since Dec. 12 by “pending ordinance,” having been passed by the Committee on Rules. It was scheduled for a full vote in city council this Thursday, Jan. 24.

Since the bill was first introduced, gardens and interested groups in Philadelphia organized under the “Campaign for Healthier Food and Greener Spaces: Make Your Voice Heard Against Bill 120917,” lead by Amy Laura Cahn at the Public Interest Law Center of Philadelphia. A total of 29 organizations joined this campaign, as well as countless individuals who called council members and planned to turn up to the vote on Thursday.

Due to their efforts, O’Neill released a statement on Wednesday saying he would amend his bill to remove the restrictions on gardens and market farms. He postponed the vote on the remainder of the bill for at least another week.

O’Neill’s decision pays tribute to the many voices that spoke up in support of gardens and farms in the city, and I commend him for listening. Farms foster communal action by necessity, requiring a considerable amount of labor. In cities, they nurture civic action and democratic participation.

Gardens and farms matter to communities because, along with increasing access to healthy food and the environmental benefits, they build ties between people, and help make neighborhoods vital, productive and safe.

My own bias and experiences come from working at a nonprofit in West Philadelphia, Urban Tree Connection, that helps maintain a series of gardens and farms, as well as a sliding−scale Community Supported Agriculture (CSA), in a low−income neighborhood.

Nine of these gardens exist on formerly vacant land, and each represents a story. Several are on the sites of former crack houses, or chop shops, and were created upon neighbors’ requests. A large children’s garden and orchard stands next to a housing project, and a 3/4 acre farm occupies the inside of one city block on a formerly abandoned construction company site. The CSA produces over 8,000 pounds of food a year, and a Saturday market stand is overseen by a founders group of five neighbors.

This past summer, I coordinated a program for 25 Philadelphia high school teens to work at the gardens, markets and farm. On the final Saturday, the students worked with neighbors to throw a summer festival for community members and family. The party took place in the larger Memorial Garden—a garden created eleven years ago by the neighbors’ request, after seven children lost their lives to gun violence nearby during the previous year.

On this Saturday, people of all ages came out to celebrate the summer. Neighbors barbequed, the teens hosted a talent show and open−mic session, and a neighbor from across the street performed with his reggae band for the first time late into the night. Gardens create a powerful space.

Most of Urban Tree Connection’s gardens are on vacant lots they do not own, which is common of many gardens and farms in Philadelphia. I admire the attitude behind guerilla gardening, but the lack of land ownership can be seriously limiting. Even after decade−long use, many community gardens face the threat of a developer returning and kicking a group out, or building on the land.

The new zoning code in effect since August is not perfect—but it is a vast improvement over the convoluted and bulky one in use for the past 50 years. It is a step in the right direction for legitimizing and supporting urban agriculture in Philadelphia, setting a precedent for the rest of America. It represents four years of democratic deliberation, reflecting the voices of many community members and council members.

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Davos 2013: new vision for agriculture is old news for farmers

The media spotlight is on the role of smallholder farmers in poverty reduction and food security, but what they need is action on land rights and support to stand up to powerful partners.

With the launch of the Enough food for everyone If campaign, global food security is once again high on the public agenda. The UK campaign hopes to harness public support leading up to the meeting of the G8 in June, in an attempt to replicate the achievements of Make Poverty History in 2005. One of the key pillars of the If campaign is land, and drawing attention to the plight of poor farmers who are being forced to relinquish their property in what has been described as a neo-colonial "land grab".

We have, of course, seen processes of alienation and dispossession accelerate over the past century. In the Age of Extremes, the final volume in his much-praised quartet of books, historian Eric Hobsbawm declared that the "death of the peasantry" constituted "the most dramatic and far-reaching social change of the second half of this [20th] century", sealing "us off forever from the world of the past". "The peasantry," Hobsbawm continued, "which had formed the majority of the human race throughout recorded history, had been made redundant by the agricultural revolution."

While many on the left felt that this was a premature obituary, several commentators on the right saw the demise of the peasantry as an essential precursor to prosperity. In the American magazine Foreign Affairs in 2008, Paul Collier mocked "the middle and upper class love affair with peasant agriculture", and the view that "peasants, like pandas, are to be preserved". In today's world, Collier argued, "the world needs more commercial farms, not less".

Collier's comments are just a recent instalment in a long history of disparaging smallholders. Victorian elites castigated in equal measure Indian ryot farmers, Irish cottier tenants and African sharecroppers as primitive, idle, mendacious and improvident. Much the same narrative that characterised the colonial period carried over into the Green Revolution, as "de-peasantisation" became the sine qua non for agricultural development. The push for higher yields, driven by influential voices within the Rockefeller and Ford foundations, required a strong agricultural support structure, including expensive pesticides, herbicides, fertilisers and regular irrigation, much of which was beyond the capacity of small-scale growers.

The World Economic Forum's report, a New Vision for Agriculture (pdf), which was launched to coincide with its annual meeting in Davos, promises to break this spiral of misanthropic thought. Recognising that the planet is home to around 500 million smallholders – who support 2 billion people, account for 97% of global agricultural holdings, and produce food for almost 70% of the world's population – the report stresses the importance of "collaborative action" with smallholders to deliver food security, economic opportunity and environmental sustainability.

Instead of being regarded as fossils from bygone era, smallholders are identified in the report as "change agents" and "catalysts" in the business of agricultural transformation. The report insists that "smallholder-inclusive" projects can be devised in partnership with private-sector investors, governments and civil society organisations. With the right incentives, those projects can be scaled up to the regional and national level, promoting poverty reduction and comprehensive rural development, but is this really a departure from old practice – a genuinely "new vision" for agriculture?

We believe there are grounds for caution. First, partnership, as envisioned in this report, is clearly a David-meets-Goliath-type alliance. Although local businesses and farmers frame the picture, it is global agribusiness that dominates the view. Can smallholders really have a voice when faced with the collective bargaining power of Bunge, Cargill, Coca-Cola, Diageo, DuPont, Unilever, and Walmart – just a few of the 28 partner companies that drive the initiative? All too often, the rhetoric of development partnerships masks the vast asymmetries of power between participants.

Second, the New Vision for Agriculture clearly prioritises market-based approaches to food security and poverty reduction. The report asks: "With the models employed, are smallholders able fully to participate in the market, or are most still mainly at the subsistence level?" However, the contrast between subsistence agriculture ("bad") and market participation and commodity production ("good") is not a straightforward one. Volatile markets can yield good and bad outcomes for poor people.

Finally, there is the unshakable sense that we have been here before. At the end of the 2012 Olympics, the British athlete Mo Farah joined international politicians at Downing Street to raise awareness at David Cameron's "hunger summit". For the prime minister, this was a very clever PR stunt.

Indeed, public handwringing and future assurances are now part of the annual cycle of political life, with little tangible proof that they make difference on the ground, where it matters most. Against this background, it is far too easy to be cynical about the recent commitments emanating from Davos, and the cycle of fleeting media attention that surrounds public campaigns on food, hunger and global justice. For the sake of world's smallholder farmers, let's hope we are wrong.

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Agriculture 'still the best bet' in cutting African poverty levels

Despite the increased focus on new areas such as technology that are fuelling Africa's rapid growth, agriculture remains the best bet to pull millions out of poverty, a new report has found.

Africa's growth needs would be better served by focusing on food staples, the International Food Policy Research Institute says.

The report is based on case studies of 10 African countries that sought to determine how agriculture could better contribute to poverty reduction and improved food security.

The study found that agriculture-led growth has the greatest impact on reducing absolute poverty, especially in sub-Saharan Africa where the majority are farmers.

The Food and Agricultural Organisation (FAO) puts the number of those directly involved in agriculture on the continent at 61 per cent.

Given that most of these are subsistence farmers, encouraging the growing of staple crops such maize, bananas and rice could go a long way in eliminating poverty, it said.

According to the institute, while export crops such as coffee and tea may have higher value than food crops and other staples such as livestock products, they do generate economic growth as effectively.

Tanzania’s livestock sector for example contributes around 12 per cent to the country’s Gross Domestic Product. The vast majority of the livestock, about 99 per cent, belongs to small owners, with a full third of the poor owning livestock.

In contrast, big farms and ranches in the country constitute only around one per cent of total livestock ownership, according to FAO data. Focusing on Tanzania’s livestock sector would therefore contribute greatly to reducing the country’s poverty levels, while at the same time stimulating sustainable economic growth, the study noted.

More cost effective

The same can be said of Mozambique’s roots and all staple foods in Zambia and Nigeria. According to the report, in Rwanda, growth driven by maize or pulses is 30-60 per cent more effective at reducing poverty than growth driven by export crops.

There is also good news for Africa’s agricultural policy makers. Investment in staples may be more cost effective in driving growth when compared to investment in non-agricultural sectors.

When quantified, returns achieved from non-agricultural growth (weighed in contribution to total GDP) would have to be significantly higher than those from agricultural growth in order to have better effectiveness at poverty reduction.

African nations should thus look into investing public resources in those agricultural sub-sectors with strong linkages to the poor, and to the overall economy.

Further examples are adduced: in Africa, 40 per cent of all root and tuber crops are produced by Nigeria, which is also the largest cassava producer in the world, with nearly 90 per cent of its production being for domestic consumption.

Cassava farming therefore plays a huge role in the lives of the country's mostly poor farmers and in the overall economy. As such, promoting growth in the root and tuber sub-sector could go a longer way in providing long term solutions to rural poverty.

Despite underscoring the importance of agricultural growth in eliminating poverty in Africa, the report also notes that increased growth in other non-agricultural sectors is necessary for faster urban development.

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Senators press for EU trade talks to address agriculture

[WASHINGTON] FOUR Republican farm state US senators on Thursday expressed concern that possible free trade talks between the United States and European Union may not dismantle longstanding EU barriers to US pork, beef, poultry and other farm products.

"Our trade negotiators must demand of EU officials that barriers to US agricultural products be addressed in any potential trade agreement," the senators said in a letter urging Senate Finance Committee Chairman Max Baucus, a Democrat, to schedule a hearing with US trade officials.

The US and the 27 nations of the EU have been discussing for more than a year the possibility of launching free trade talks and are widely expected in coming weeks or months to make a decision to take that step.

The senators - Chuck Grassley of Iowa, Pat Roberts of Kansas, Mike Enzi of Wyoming and John Thune of South Dakota - said they wanted a hearing because Congress has not passed legislation, known as Trade Promotion Authority, giving the administration specific guidelines for any talks with the EU.

"It is important we know where the discussions with the EU stand, and what exactly has been discussed regarding barriers to agricultural products, so we can determine for ourselves whether the administration is adequately addressing this key trade priority," the senators said.

The US has been frustrated for years by what it considers the EU's "non-scientific" approach to food safety. The EU has blocked imports of US genetically modified corn and soybeans, poultry treated with chlorine dioxide, beef with lactic acid to kill pathogens and pork produced from hogs given ractopamine, which promotes lean meat growth.

US trade officials have said they are looking for progress from the EU on agriculture barriers before talks begin. That is believed to be one of the main reasons that a high-level US-EU working group report on the expected negotiations that was due in December still has not been released. - Reuters

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Irrigation crucial for agriculture production

THE Minister for Agriculture, Food Security and Cooperative, Eng. Christopher Chiza has reiterated the need for promotion of irrigation schemes in the Lake Zone regions, to be able to yield more food in the absence of enough rainfall. 

He directed local authorities in the area to put in place irrigation scheme plans so that residents in the area could produce enough food for their families and surplus to sell. 

Eng. Chiza made the call during three days official tour of Lake Zone regions of Mwanza, Mara and Simiyu last year. The tour aimed to resolve endless verbal clashes between politicians and cotton experts. 

He said because the regions rely heavily on rainfall for crop production, adequate irrigation methods were crucial for the stabilization of agriculture. He said irrigation will promote food security, productivity and incomes for farmers. 

Although Lake Zone regions have irrigation schemes in some areas, more were needed especially in Mwanza Region where there is rain scarcity. The Mwanza Regional Commissioner, Eng. Evarist Ndikilo recently said that the region has potential areas for irrigation schemes to cover 36,215 hectares. 

"Current irrigation schemes cover only 1,008 hectares which is about 3 per cent of the arable land in the region," said Eng. Ndikilo. The RC noted that new irrigation schemes to cover 600 hectares at Katunguru in Sengerema District and 300 hectares at Mahiga in Kwimba District were in different stages of construction. 

He said construction for irrigation infrastructure for Magurukenda (300 hectares) in Sengerema District at 200 hectares at Miyogwezi in Ukerewe District and 400 hectares at Musukuma area in Sengerema District were also underway. 

Eng. Ndikilo added that other new irrigation schemes to cover 400 hectares at Igenge in Misungwi District, 300 hectares at Luhala in Kwimba District, 600 hectares at Isole/Kishinda in Sengerema District and 200 hectares in Lutubiga in Magu District would be put in place. 

The Mwanza Regional Agriculture officer, Mr Ndalo Kulwijila said that there were potential areas for irrigation schemes covering 36,315.9 hectares in the region, but only 1007.8 hectares were covered. He said a National Irrigation Development Plan and an Agriculture Policy have been put in place to help develop the country's irrigation system. 

Tanzania's irrigated agriculture is dominated by small-holder farmers and interventions made by rehabilitating and modernizing irrigation schemes have raised productivity of various crops significantly. 

Crops which have shown higher yields after irrigation schemes include paddy which increased from 2 tonnage per hectare to 4.5 tonnage per hectare, maize which rose from 1.5 tonnage per hectare to 5 tonnes, onion increased from 5 tons per hectare to 26 tons and tomato that increased from 8 tons per hectare to 25 tons. 

Other crops being irrigated include sugar cane, tea, coffee and flowers. Sale of these crops in the local market and export contributes to growth of personal as well as the national economy and poverty reduction. Water is the essence of life and a catalyst to socio-economic development in all countries. 

Despite being a critical resource, around the world water resources are under threat mostly from pollution, overuse and catchment degradation. Lake Zone regions as Eng. Chiza pointed out have to direct their attention to the irrigation schemes and allocate adequate financial and human resources required for its development and management. Other resources that also need attention are land and energy. There is a link between development and utilization of these resources.

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World's largest agriculture show kicks off in Berlin

The world's biggest show for agriculture and horticulture has started in Berlin, with close to 70 nations participating. Organizers have said the event will focus on food safety, quality and price policies.

Marking its 78th anniversary, Berlin's international agriculture and horticulture show, also known as "Green Week," opened on Thursday in the presence of German Agriculture and Consumer Protection Minister Ilse Aigner.

The world's biggest display of agricultural produce from around the globe will have ten days to attract an expected 400,000 visitors keen to see and taste food items or learn about sector trends and services from over 1,600 exhibitors from 67 nations. Among them are newcomers Kosovo and Sudan.

The show is once again being accompanied by a broad range of specialist forums, debates and policy meetings to focus on issues ranging from food security and safety to global pricing policies.

Optimistic outlook

Agricultural experts said the "Green Week" was being held in a rather favorable business environment this year, with no major food scandals having rocked the world or Germany of late.

The president of the German farmers' Association, Joachim Rukwied, said in a statement that agricultural markets in Europe had seen a stable development in recent months. He mentioned that German agricultural produce had been at a premium abroad, with the domestic sector growth soaring by 4.1 percent in 2012 to a total of 170 billion euros ($226 billion) in revenues. He added that 31 percent of all produce was exported.

German Agriculture Minister Ilse Aigner said there was no reason to worry about exploding food prices in the country. "Although the hike in prices was higher than inflation in 2012, food prices continued to be much lower than those in most of our neighboring countries," Aigner told the newspaper Ruhr Nachrichten.

Consumer protection activists said they'd once again use the "Green Week" as a forum to push for better labeling systems for foodstuffs, criticizing that details about ingredients were often insufficient or deceptive.

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PSM proposal on Iran barter deal: Ministry may move summary seeking ECC nod

The Ministry of Production (MoP) is likely to move a summary to the Economic Co-ordination Committee (ECC) of the Cabinet for approval of barter trade of iron ore from Iran in lieu of Pakistani wheat, sources close to CEO Pakistan Steel Mills (PSM) told Business Recorder. 

The sources said Ministry of National Food Security & Research has already conveyed its No Objection Certificate (NoC) if the PSM''s proposal on import of iron ore from Iran in exchange for wheat is accepted by the ECC. PSM has been procuring iron ore from Iran against long-term contracts since 2003. At present two long-term valid contracts are in place which are as follows: (i) M/s Iranian Central Iron Ore Company (ICIOC), working under Ministry of Mines and Minerals - 400,000 tons valid June 2013; and (ii) M/s Ehya Sepahan, a private company, 300,000 tons (F) and 110,000 tons(I) valid up to June 2014. 

The sources said in view of sanctions imposed by the US, banks are hesitant to open LCs in respect of procurement of iron ore from Iran. The shipments against long-term contracts have not materialised on this account. According to sources, GoP has approved the proposal on sale of wheat under barter arrangements to Iran wherein Passco is planning to export 0.1 million tons of wheat @ $ 300 per metric ton at a cost of $ 30 million to Iran. 

The sources said PSM has proposed to the federal government to allow import of iron ore from Iran in exchange for exported wheat as per barter agreement. PSM has assured the federal government that GTC Iran will make payment to ICIOC Iran based on indexation prices of iron ore to be mutually agreed between PSM and ICIOC. PSM has requested that payment to Passco equivalent to $ 30 million (if the entire amount is allocated to PSM) in rupees along with bank charges. Modalities of payment will be agreed between PSM and Passco. 

A four-member delegation of PSM recently visited Iran and held discussions with GTC (Iran), IMIDRO and ICIOC on various subjects. PSM already owes $ 15 million as previous dues since September 2011 to ICIOC which has made it clear that it will not supply iron ore to PSM until old debt is cleared first. 

The Chief Executive Officer (CEO) maintains that in order to balance requirements of paying outstanding dues to ICIOC and urgent resumption of supply of iron ore to PSM, the two issues may not be linked and be tackled simultaneously but separately as GoP has allocated sufficient funds to commence retirement of debt in instalments. 

The Ministry of Commerce which is co-ordinating the possibility of barter between wheat and iron ore will form a committee to ensure that PSM commences payment of dues subject to government approval and concurrence by GTC; it can allocate $ 15 million out of barter of 100,000 tons of wheat to be provided by Passco as covering financial guarantee to satisfy auditors'' requirements against ICIOC/ IMIDRO. But PSM pays for all new shipments directly to ICIOC through its designated beneficiary in Pakistan. 

Alternatively, allocation of $ 15 million where GTC pledges to pay ICIOC for iron ore shipments, PSM on receipt of iron ore would commit itself to pay to Passco Pakistani rupees along with bank charges (to be agreed mutually by Passco and PSM). 

This proposed barter trade deal appears to be uncertain as the Ministry of National Food Security and Research has recently apprised to the ECC that the first consignment of 100,000 is ready for shipment, however, there are issues concerning mode of payment as barter trade in the existing geopolitical scenario was not possible. The ministry has been directed to submit a detailed report on this issue in the next ECC meeting. 

Copyright Business Recorder, 2013

Africa: Agriculture Gets Increased U.S. Support in 2012

BY KATHRYN MCCONNELL

Washington — During 2012, the United States bolstered its commitment to agriculture and economic growth around the world with new systems that monitor the effectiveness of assistance efforts, new agreements with public and private sector partners and more resources for agricultural research.

The United States also integrated its short-term humanitarian assistance with its longer-term development aid with the aim of building resilience in communities vulnerable to recurrent crises.

Progress began early in the year. In February, the U.S. Feed the Future program, the Washington-based International Food Policy Research Institute and the Oxford Poverty and Human Development Initiative of Oxford University launched a Women's Empowerment in Agriculture Index.

The index is the first tool to measure how much women are included in agriculture production, control how family income is used and are leaders in their communities. It is used to evaluate how Feed the Future programs support women's role in reducing hunger and advancing prosperity.

President Obama established Feed the Future in 2009 following a pledge by leaders of the Group of Eight (G8) industrialized nations to invest more in country-driven efforts to form long-term solutions to chronic food insecurity and malnutrition.

February also saw the introduction of a system to record how U.S. agencies perform against key Feed the Future indicators, the first time multiple agencies have reported to a common food-security monitoring system. In October, Feed the Future released its evaluations of information captured from May 2009 through May 2012 and concluded: "By improving the way we do development, Feed the Future is already making a difference." The system helps planners make decisions about future programming and spending.

On the eve of the 2012 G8 Summit in May, President Obama announced that the group's leaders, African leaders and leaders of nearly 50 companies agreed to commit new resources to a New Alliance for Food Security and Nutrition to lift 50 million people out of poverty by 2022 through inclusive and sustained agricultural growth. The private sector partners promised collectively to invest $3 billion in Africa's agriculture sector, while African leaders promised to adopt policies to improve investment opportunities and to drive their countries' food-security plans.
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Climate insurance only part of the risk-reduction puzzle

by Olive Thiong'o

“What is visible on the ground is that farmers are already adapted somewhat. But we need them to remain robust, even when challenges hit them,” stressed Arame Tall, researcher with the CGIAR Research Program on Climate Change, Agriculture and Food Security (CCAFS). Arame was speaking at the round table session Dialogue on Scaling Up Risk Management for Food Security and Agriculture held during Agriculture, Landscapes and Livelihoods Day (ALL5).

What emerged from the discussions is that when it comes to climate risk management index-based insurance is no silver bullet, in spite of its popularity. But instead risk management requires a combination of approaches. Integration of risk management with social protection; setting up regional or multi-country risk pools where possible; distributing risks and rewards across the value chain; and using a participatory dialogue process to include all actors, are other plausible options to upscale risk management.

Watch a video seminar on index-based insurance in developing countries with Dr. Michael Carter.

Illustrating one method of approaching risk management, Kitt Batten, USAID Global Climate Change Coordinator, made reference to the backbone of the newly launched USAID policy on resilience: partnerships. “The policy: Building Resilience to Recurrent Crisis, includes public funds, private finance and investment, and people, all working in partnership to be food secure, particularly because food security means different things to different people,” she said.

David Waskow exemplified Oxfam America’s Productive Safety Net program(PSNP) in Ethiopia, which is based on climate resilience to avoid disaster. It takes on risk insurance using the insurance-for-work approach, to ensure that farming families are not only resilient to shocks, but that they also build their livelihoods.

The panel advised that in forging a way forward that works, various players need to dissect the problem, identify the solutions and roles of each of the players in the 4P approach – public, private, people partnerships – and engage in a dialogue process that works. “It is not mission impossible,” Arame said.

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Africa: Charting the History of Agriculture and Climate Change

A new info graphic that maps the progress of the agricultural sector in addressing climate change throughout the history of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) negotiations has been launched on the sidelines of this year's climate summit in Doha.

Launched ahead of Agriculture, Landscapes and Livelihoods Day 5 on December 3, The Story of Agriculture and Climate Change: The Road We've Travelled highlights significant events in the international calendar, such as the adoption of the Kyoto Protocol in 1997, the initiation of REDD in 2005 and the first ever Agriculture and Rural Development Day in 2009.

"Agriculture is already being hard hit by climate change and the outlook is even worse. However there are many options for adaptation, and some of these even bring mitigation co-benefits," said Bruce Campbell, Director of the CGIAR Climate Change, Agriculture and Food Security research program.

Agriculture supports over 1 million of the world's rural poor, yet is responsible for 80% of overall deforestation and an estimated 31 percent of total greenhouse gas emissions. Increasing agricultural yields and improving farming techniques are just some the way that the sector could help reduce its overall contribution to climate change.

As such negotiators at COP18 in Doha must "support the unique role of agriculture in the global climate change response", argues Tracy Gerstle, co-Chair of Farming First.

The infographic features a call-to-action from 19 of the world's leading agricultural organisations, calling for the creation of a Work Programme on Agriculture under the Subsidiary Body for Scientific and Technology Advice (SBSTA) - a scientific advisory group to the UNFCCC.

It is hoped that a new SBSTA work programme would document and share knowledge of improved agricultural practices to inform decision-making around agriculture and climate change to the UNFCCC's Conference of the Parties as they prepare national strategies to address climate change.

"Now is the time to act. Farmers around the world are experiencing the impacts of climate change today and they need support if they are to adapt. Farming can also become part of the solution, given the potential of agriculture to mitigation," added Gerstle.

The infographic was created by Farming First, a coalition of farmers associations, engineers and scientists, in partnership with the CGIAR Climate Change, Agriculture and Food Security research program (CCAFS) and the International Center for Tropical Agriculture (CIAT).

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DPM: Use tech in agricultural sector to generate more income

The increased use of technology in the agricultural sector can continue to generate more income for the country and help Malaysia become self-sufficient in its food production.

Deputy Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin said the agricultural sector must be modernised to make it a more value-added industry.

He said the government had approved RM200 million which has been utilised for the Technofund scheme under the Malaysian Agricultural Research and Development Institute (Mardi).

“Through this, more than RM7.5 billion worth of value- added products have been produced under the National Key Economic Areas for agriculture, ranging from that under the biotechnology and biomass sectors, as well as many others,” Muhyiddin said, adding that the value-added products can create new riches for the country.

He reiterated that the agriculture and agro-based in dustry's scope also needs to be widened to meet the varied needs of many, as well as in addressing the issue of food security.

“Food security still remains unresolved and is afflicting the global community.

“Although our country is still working to become a self- sufficient nation, we still need to produce more to be able to export it to other countries and address food shortages, given the increasing global population,” he added.

Muhyiddin also called on youths to participate in the agriculture and agro-based industry and discard stereotypes that the industry did not offer good returns.

“With the increased use of modern technology, youths can put their creativity and skills to good use in this sector.”

He said that with the right training programme, youths can be absorbed into the agriculture and agro-based industry.

Muhyiddin said that the Malaysia Agriculture, Horticulture and Agrotourism International Show (MAHA) 2012 is a great platform to exchange knowledge.

Muhyiddin was speaking after visiting the MAHA 2012 at the Malaysia Agro Exposition Park Serdang (MAEPS) here yesterday.

The event which began on Nov 23, has already received more than 600,000 visitors in just two days and will end on Dec 2.

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Zimbabwe: E-Vouchers Boost Access to Agricultural Inputs

Goromonzi — Johnson Mhaka, 50, an agro-dealer based in Goromonzi, about 40km southeast of the capital Harare, is enjoying robust 2012-13 sales thanks to the UN Food and Agriculture Organization's (FAO) innovative electronic voucher system, which is helping communal farmers access agricultural inputs.

Mhaka, who used to stock mostly groceries at his rural store, has become an authorized dealer in maize seed, fertilizers, agro-chemicals and farming tools such as wheelbarrows, ploughs and hoes.

"In the past two years, when farmers from this area started using vouchers to buy farming inputs, I have been recording relatively high sales and have made it a point to adequately stock my shop at the beginning of the farming season," Mhaka told IRIN.

Food security

"Even though I have always sold agricultural inputs, particularly maize seed and fertilizer, before registering as an agro-dealer with the FAO, the stocks were small because not many farmers came to buy," he said.

The farmers were deterred by the inputs' high prices, as Mhaka bought his wares from Harare and then added his own mark-up.

But the initiative makes inputs and tools more accessible to cash-strapped small-scale farmers. In the "market-based input assistance initiative", farmers are each given US$128 in e-vouchers, with beneficiaries additionally contributing $32.

The system is designed to improve food security among vulnerable households through crop and livestock production, said the FAO in a statement. It also aims "to resuscitate the fragile rural agricultural input supply chain through re-engagement of markets, provision of subsidized inputs... [and] farmers' timely access to inputs".

"Through the voucher system, many more farmers are coming to buy from here," Mhaka said. His client-base has increased from about 90 people - buying mainly 50kg bags of fertilizer and maize seed - to more than 300 this year.

The initiative receives financial and technical support from the UK's Department for International Development (DfID), the Australian Agency for International Development (AusAID), the European Union and Zimbabwe's agriculture ministry, which also provides extension and training services.

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Program to improve Africa's agriculture

By Jin Zhu (chinadaily.com.cn)

A four-year program jointly launched by the UK and China will start this year to help African countries to improve their agricultural production capacity in a major effort to eliminate hunger.

With a UK investment of 10 million ($15.9 million) and the Chinese contribution of expertise, the program will facilitate the transfer of agricultural technology to low-income countries in Africa and Asia. Pilot projects will be first established in Malawi and Uganda.

Thanks to the input of advanced technology and supportive policies, China's grain output realized a ninth consecutive year of growth since 2004, Niu Dun, vice-minister of agriculture said at the second Africa-Britain-China Conference on Agriculture and Fisheries in Beijing on Monday.

"In addition to realizing self-sufficiency in grain, China has helped other developing countries, especially in Africa, to improve agricultural productivity and food security in recent decades," he said.

Since the 1950s, China has dispatched nearly 10,000 agricultural technicians to Africa and built more than 240 agricultural projects in African countries, according to the Ministry of Agriculture.

"Further cooperation with African countries, such as in the freshwater fishery and deep processing of agricultural product industries, will be strengthened in future," Niu said.

African participants also called for more technology and knowledge transfers to help the countries in term of the sustainable development of agriculture.

For instance, annual fish production in Malawi now is estimated at 90,000 metric tonnes mainly from natural sources while annual aquaculture production is only 3,600 tonnes, according to the Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security of Malawi.

"Great challenges, including the lack of appropriate improved technology in aquaculture and poor fish feed formulations, may hinder the country from increasing fish production from aquaculture," said Bright Kumwembe, director of finance and administration with the Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security in Malawi.

"Food security is a global challenge, requiring innovation and efforts across the international community. The UK will certainly play its part in this global effort," the British Ambassador to China Sebastian Wood said at the conference.

The program will provide a platform to extend technology tailored to the needs and conditions of African countries and support joint research to find solutions to food security issues, he said.

"China has a lot of advanced technology in the agricultural sector, which may offer much support to African countries. But how to choose those appropriate technologies and seed varieties, which are adaptable to the actual situation in Africa, are the key to success," said Zhang Feng, a researcher from CABI, a research group in Britain that focuses on agriculture and the environment.

Nigeria: Agricultural Biotechnology Can Lead to Quantum Leap in Food Production - Dr. Abubakar Lawali

Dr. Abubakar Lawali, a Plant Breeder is with the Department of Crop Science of Faculty of Agriculture, Usmanu Danfodiyo University, UDU, Sokoto. In this interview with Abdallah el-Kurebe, he spoke on plant genetics and the place of biotechnology in the provision of food security. Excerpts:

For a Nigerian traditional farmer, how would you describe plant genetics?

Plant genetics is used in agriculture to develop new and modern improved varieties through plant breeding. The varieties could be for high yield, improved mineral and vitamin content, early maturing, etc.

How would you relate the political will of Nigerian leadership to the agricultural needs of the nation?

One can conveniently say that it is not there. However, let us wait and see, perhaps with all promises made, something may come out of it.

Recently, the Global Food Security Index of the Economist Intelligence unit ranked Nigeria 80th among 105 other countries on food insecurity. What do you see as the reason for this ugly development?

It is quite unfortunate but the reasons that Nigeria is lagging behind in the provision of food security for the citizenry include inadequate funding and infrastructure for research; lack of adequate link between research and development; funding of development, where available, is not realistic or has been politicized and as such, does not reach the target farmers.

Do you see the current Nigeria's Agricultural policy as truly addressing the problem of food crisis in the country?

Theoretically it can, but it has always been the problem of implementation. You cannot transform Agriculture when the infrastructure is not there; you cannot supply inputs through cell phones in a country where there is no power and literacy level is low.

What do you see could be the role of Agricultural Biotechnology in improving food production in Nigeria and by extension, African continent?

Agricultural Biotechnology can lead to a quantum leap in food production if utilized effectively and efficiently. However, bio-safety regulations must be respected.

Biosciences for Farming in Africa, B4FA has come into the continent with a view to creating awareness on the need for governments and farmers here to wholly adopt biotechnology in order to increase food production to meet up with the over-growing population. As a plant breeder, how would you advise the FG on this?

Government can adopt biotechnology. There is no problem with that but we must, first of all, place all the bio-safety regulations in place.

Ways for improving food production are by genetically modifying plants as well as genetically engineering crops such that would be resistant to deterring factors like pests and other plant diseases. According to your research and findings, how much of these are Nigerian farmers using?

There is practically none as of now; perhaps in the near future.

If, according to your research findings, no Nigerian farmer on the average is using genetically modified plants and genetically engineered crops, how do we start as a country?

Well you see the way to start even in the countries that have started; the first thing is to put in place, the bio-safety regulations like I said earlier. What are bio-safety regulations? These are regulations to ensure that there are no unwarranted or unwanted transfers of genetic materials to sources that they are not designed for.

If this takes place, then it may lead to the creation or development of very terrible and hazardous threat to the environment. And that is why before you start; make sure that the bio-safety regulations are being observed. To my knowledge, the bio-safety law has been passed by the National Assembly but not sure if it has been assented to by Mr. President. Even if it has been assented to, what have we put in place to ensure that these things are working? If we don't ensure that they are working and we just kick-start the project, I assure you that we will be in more trouble than we expect.

You have consistently mentioned the observance of bio-safety regulations as a precondition for Nigeria's adoption of Agricultural Biotechnology. Specifically, which of these regulation are you referring to

These are regulations as to how and where you practice; how the laboratories will function and even the farmers are going to control, polling transfer and so on. So, these things have to be worked upon by a national committee of experts. We have teeming professors out there that could help in this regard. What remains is for the government to present this document for the experts to do some work on its workability.

How would you assess government's support for research and development, especially in the area of agricultural biotechnology and the application of such research results for national development?

The basic infrastructure for biotechnology is lacking in the country as well as training and retraining. More so, funding for biotechnology research is lacking. We also need to prioritize and focus on certain key crops that will immediately solve the problem of food insecurity and for economic empowerment in order to reduce poverty; provide jobs through value addition to our crops, which in turn will attract international market.

You said there is inadequate link between research and development. Can you explain this?

When you go to the universities and check the shelves of the professors and other researchers in the universities, there are a lot of researches lying with piles of dust. In advanced countries, commercial people and those in the private sector go to the universities, get the researches and mass-produce them.

That is the name; you research and develop them. This is the link between research and development. In our country, the private sector is not so organised to do that as an economic activity.

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SA's agriculture sector key to sustainable food supply

By: Gareth Lloyd-Jones

Agriculture and food-production activities represent the future of our country's development. They hold the key to poverty alleviation and job creation. They create the platform for rural development and the provision of basic needs. More importantly, they are the essence of having an economically, environmentally and sociably sustainable food supply in the future.

Significantly higher food prices are on the way in the next 18 months. Consumers have already seen high price increases in key food staple items, such as: chicken, lamb, maize meal, vegetables and fruits, and local producers, who are also bearing the brunt of high costs, have started retrenching workers.

In order to remain economically viable, globally and locally competitive, and socially stable, South Africa's agriculture industry needs to prepare for the short and long term, as the challenges it is currently facing will be here for a long time. These challenges include: rising input costs, food safety, water, and the lack of support from authorities, all of which will be further exacerbated with the volatility of the rand.

Fuel price increase

This month's 93c per litre petrol increase, which is linked to the oil price and to the rand/dollar exchange rate, will impact on South African farmers greatly, especially on the running of farm machinery as well as the transport of agricultural produce, as the bulk of food in SA is transported by road. 

The price of electricity is also rising, with the proposed increase by Eskom to reach a high of 14.6 percent over the next five years. In October 2009, AgriSA released figures suggesting that Eskom's proposed electricity price hike will cost agriculture R600 million. As input costs such as these continue to rise, it is evident that farmers will remain under pressure as they battle to keep costs low. 

In the USA, 62 percent of farms have been affected by the recent drought. US maize and soy accounted for more than 40 percent of total world exports and the subsequent shortage has driven maize prices in SA to historic highs.

Forty percent drop in SA-produced wheat

South Africa is producing half the wheat it consumes, down from the 90 percent that it used to produce. This clearly indicates that South Africa's agricultural industry is shifting towards a nation that depends on other countries for produce, rather than being self-sustainable. 

As global food safety becomes paramount, South African producers will need to show their compliance to remain a legitimate player in the global food supply framework. Grains such as maize, soy beans and wheat are the most critical items for the domestic food supply chain as part of these must be used in the feeding of livestock. Therefore, producing less locally, coupled with the tough drought conditions experienced by the US, has pushed up prices of goods. Local farmers are being forced to import more expensive grains to feed their livestock.

Further to this, in order to address the food security crisis in South Africa, as was experienced globally in 2007 and 2008 due to a direct result of a sharp increase in food prices, the government and the private sector must establish a self-sustainable local food production and agriculture industry through the implementation of a development programme. By creating a self-sustainable local agriculture and food production industry we will reduce hunger and poverty, and increase agricultural development. This will subsequently contribute towards skills development in the country and improve inclusive economy growth and job creation.

A structured, integrated and co-ordinated effort

The key initiative to achieving this is a structured, integrated and co-ordinated effort to develop the full ambit of the food supply chain from farm to fork. This will create a food supply chain that is not only economically viable, but also sustainable on an environmental and social level in the future. 

The ultimate aim should be to turn South Africa's food supply industry into a nett exporter as opposed to a nett importer of food, without compromising the full spectrum of food supply locally and the inherent threat of this industrialised approach on the environment. 

In this difficult time, farmers will have to try to strike the balance between food safety compliance and rising costs. Industry players will need to ensure food safety is not compromised in order to maintain financial performance. Companies, therefore, need to enforce due diligence when maintaining food safety standards and move from a "tick the box" approach, whereby farmers simply do the bare minimum to pass hygiene and safety tests to satisfy health inspectors, to create a more practical verification system. This should become part of a company's culture and fostered on a continuous basis. 

Water reserves dry by 2050

According to Water Affairs Deputy Minister, Rejoice Mabudafhasi - who recently spoke at South Africa's fourth Youth Water Summit - South Africa's water reserves will run dry by 2050, should no action be taken to conserve water. 

Industry players need to implement strict water saving measures in order to address the country's impending water deficit that is threatening food security and produce all around the country. Farmers should implement strict water saving control measurements to recycle water and prevent water wastage caused by pipe bursts, water leaks and unscheduled use of water. 

Cost-effective water-saving measures including having a water-recycling system in place, whereby used water is drained through a filtration process to rid all solids and then put through a chemical intervention to make it suitable and fit to use back into plant facilities. This water can then be used to wash larger areas, such as driveways or equipment.

Lack of support from the government

Furthermore, so far in 2012, a lot of frustration has been brewing from players in the agriculture, forestry and fisheries industries, due to lack of support from the government and the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI). They have been dissatisfied with how they have been handled regarding import and export quotas. Cheap, low-quality meats are currently being imported without rigourous inspections or policing, as no government intervention exists and this is a necessary gatekeeper in enforcing stringent food-security protocols at our borders.

There are several possible interventions that should be considered to improve the situation for local producers. These include improved farming legislations and international regulations. A food-control agency, independent meat inspectorates and bio-security are needed in order to address food-safety issues at our borders.

We have also seen the protein sector struggling with a lack of aid from the authorities. The outbreak of Avian bird flu brought many ostrich farmers' businesses to a standstill between 2010 and 2012. Although the government has compensated farmers for the culling of the birds, the compensation does not adequately cover the financial loss experienced by the farmers. As a result of the bird flu epidemic, an indefinite export ban has been placed on the ostrich industry. 

Poultry industry in dire need of support

Moreover, the South African poultry industry is in dire need of support from the government in order to avoid a collapse of the industry as incidences of chicken dumping are likely to increase over the next few months as suppliers in struggling EU economies look for ways to dispose of surplus product. This will place severe pressure on the already struggling local chicken industry. The local market is already oversupplied with poultry products, putting local producers under pressure. The rise of costs, such as electricity and fuel, makes it extremely difficult for local producers to keep costs low, in order to compete with cheaper imported products. 

More decisive action, therefore, needs to be taken to curb poultry dumping. There are several possible interventions that the government should consider looking into to improve the situation for local producers. A blanket import duty could be placed on all products entering the market or, alternatively, support to local producers in the form of subsidies, for example water, maize and veterinary, could be implemented.

Indirectly, the government can impose stricter regulations in terms of licences and import legislation, thereby creating a bigger barrier to entry. Regulation can also be introduced to stipulate a certain proportion of retail stock to be local produce.

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