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Special session of the United Nations general assembly on the critical economic situation in Africa
Conferences nent of any national food plan. Plans for regional food security, such as those for SADCC members, are very difficult to implement, not least because of the need to trade in hard currencies. Fulfilment of the plan for the PTA clearing bank arrangements could lessen this problem. The establishment of strategic reserves alone does not solve the problem of food entitlements which suffer when drought strikes and incomes fall. While emergency food aid has played an important part in the recent food crisis in Africa, the way such relief is sometimes administered by donors can have d e t r i m e n t a l effects on domestic food production and on the promotion of regional food security. Donors should recognize the importance of triangular arrangements when localized food emergencies arise; they should reflect this in their policies and thus encourage regional food security. The availability of food is not the only measure of success of food policies. A n adequate nutritional intake comes from a balanced diet which is influenced by the character of the food policy. Improvements in food quality are also important for health and can be enhanced by appropriate R&D. There is certainly scope for more
fundamental changes to African economies than the term 'adjustment' might imply. In many countries, land reform may still be required, as well as major changes in the composition of commodity production, including diversification of agricultural commodities for export and production of raw materials for domestic agro-industries. The sustainability of agricultural production systems and the importance of conserving natural resources should be a paramount concern. Finally a note on population and development. While the human carrying capacity of Africa is undoubtedly far greater than the present population, the crucial factor is the relationship b e t w e e n the growth of population, and that of GDP, employment and food availability. Women can play an important part in limiting population, especially when they have access to education. Measures to promote structural adjustment will be of limited effect if the question of population growth and human resource management is not also addressed. Prepared by the Food Production and Rural Development Division of the Commonwealth Secretariat, London, UK.
Tearing the heart from a worthwhile document Special Session of the United Nations General Assembly on the Critical Economic Situation in Africa, New York, NY, USA, 27 May-1 June 1986 The international community missed a valuable opportunity at this special session to give the kind of commitment that is needed to help African agriculture back on its feet. The roots of the session lay at the Organisation for African Unity summit at Addis Ababa in July 1985 when many African leaders were shaken by the way drought had lead to famine. Together they confessed that their countries had not usually given agriculture the priority it deserved. They drew up a five-year 'Africa Priority Programme for Economic Recovery' (APPER), in which they said they would 'raise the level of invest-
FOOD POLICY November 1986
ments in the agricultural sector to between 20 to 25% of total public investments'. For many countries this represented a doubling of money for agriculture. The programme was costed at $128 billion, 95% of which was needed for measures to increase food output, provide improved support services for agriculture and tackle drought and desertification. African countries felt that, given a reasonably favourable international economic environment, they could raise $82 billion of the money - but that still left a $46 billion gap. In September 1985 they asked the
UN General Assembly to hold a special session on Africa that would enable the African countries to show the world that they were sincere about giving agriculture new priority. It would also be an occasion when they could seek the support of western and eastern bloc countries for their plans. The General Assembly unanimously agreed to the request.
Programme A preparatory committee was formed to try to shape a United Nations programme for Africa's economic recovery. Under the chairmanship of Edgard Pisani of France they drew up a document that was to form the basis for discussion at the Special Session. The document contained sections that were imaginative and even visionary. But there was a snag. Most of the sections that meant anything worthwhile were in 'square brackets' meaning there was disagreement about them. A long week was spent in New York trying to agree a form of words that would be acceptable to all and enable the brackets to be removed. The end result - after sessions which lasted far into the night and early mornings - was a document that is a classic UN fudge. 'This is a much better document than the one we started the week with', said a US delegate at the end. Most Africans were far less happy; the week in New York had been spent tearing the heart out of a document that had said something worthwhile.
Fudge Nowhere is the fudge better demonstrated than over commodities. Most African countries rely on the sale of one or more raw commodity for over half their foreign exchange earnings, and unless prices improve there are real doubts as to whether they can raise their share of the money for the APPER. The preparatory document showed an awareness of this. It said on commodities that there is a need for the 'international community, particularly donor countries, to agree on . . .
369
Conferences~Publications
creating and strengthening structures that aim at fair and renumerative prices'. This was changed to 'there is a need for the international community to deal urgently with commodity issues'. True, but it does not mean that the international community is going to deal urgently with the issues. The revised sentence carefully avoids mentioning the structures that help to keep commodity prices low. African countries also felt very strongly about the debt burden they face. Having taken out loans at around 10% rates of interest in the 1970s, they have seen interest rates soar to around 20%. Economically viable projects have become unprofitable. The APPER points out that the 'debt-service obligation of African countries will increase from $4.3 billion a year in the 1980-82 period to $14,6-$24.5 billion a year during the period of the priority programme (1986-90)'. As these higher payments have to come from lower commodity earnings, Africa has an acute problem. But donor countries gave no commitment to ease the burden. The preparatory document said, 'it is obvious that African countries do not have the capacity to bear the heavy debt servicing burden'. This was changed in the final document to a 'recognition' of the debt burden and the phrase 'measures will have to be taken to alleviate the burden'. This could mean anything or nothing depending on the commitment of Western countries to actually do something.
Non-committal Neither did the international community commit itself to providing the $46 billion over the next five years that A P P E R needs. The UN document says that the 'international community recognises that the African countries need additional external resources and in this context it commits itself to making every effort to provide sufficient resources to support and supplement the African development effort'. The UN programme does contain
370
sentences which give hope that within agriculture itself more attention will go to policies to increase food output. 'Primary focus will be on women farmers', it says. As women produce most of Africa's food, that at least might be seen as a step in the right direction. As a result of the session, it is now likely that some donor countries will give more aid to African agriculture many of them by re-directing aid from other continents and purposes rather than by increasing amounts overall. The increased commitment of African countries to agriculture, plus more aid for the sector from abroad, should lead to extra cash for existing programmes and to the launching of new projects to grow more food.
The big question is whether it will all be enough. The special session (the UN's first ever on a regional issue) could have seen the international community take a firm and bold step to provide Africa with both the resources and the favourable external environment it needs to become food selfsufficient by 1990. Unless action now backs up the rhetoric at New York, then Africa is likely to face yet more famines. When the world looks on and wonders why, it might judge that part of the problem was the lack of commitment by the international community to back the African recovery effort.
John Madeley Reading, UK
Publications Agricultural Development in Southern Africa: Farm Household-Economics and the Food Crisis by Allan Low (James Currey, London, UK, 1986, 217 pp, £19.50) Agricultural Development in the Third World edited by Carl K. Eicher and John M. Staatz (The Johns Hopkins University Press, Baltimore, MD, 1984, 491 pp, £30.55 hb, £13.45 pb) This book presents the views of 37 leading scholars on the major theoretical and policy issues concerning agriculture's role in Third World economies. They discuss the agricultural policies and strategies needed to deal with problems of poverty, inequality and malnutrition. Agricultural Household Models: Extensions, Application, and Policy edited by Inderjit Singh, Lyn Squire and John Strauss (The Johns Hopkins University Press, Baltimore, MD, USA, 1986, 335 pp, $34.50) Agricultural Literature of Czechoslovakia (Institute for Scientific and Technical Information for Agriculture, 120 56 Prague 2, Vinohrady Slezska 7, 1985, 141 pp) Agricultural Policy and Trade: Adjusting Domestic Programs in an International Framework by D. Gale Johnson, Kenzo Hemmi and Pierre Lardinois (Columbia University Press, New York, 1986, 132 pp, $25) Anthropology and Rural Development in West Africa by Michael M. Horowitz and
Thomas M. Painter (Westview Press, Boulder, CO, USA, distributed in the UK by Wildwood Distribution Services, Aldershot, Hants, UK, 1986, 323 pp, £20.50) Brazil and the CG1AR Centers by Fernando Homem de Melo (The World Bank, Washington, DC, USA, distributed in the UK by Microinfo, Hants, UK, 1986, 124 pp, £8) Breaking New Ground: Agricultural Anthropology by Robert E. Rhoades (International Potato Center, Lima, Peru, 1985, 184 pp, $11.75) British Food Facts and Figures 1986 researched and compiled by Daphne MacCarthy (Woodhead-Faulkner Ltd, Cambridge, UK, 1986, 353 pp, £20) This 'guide to British agricultural and horticultural produce' provides statistics and information on over 100 products. Details on entries ranging from apples to yogurt include per capita consumption and expenditure, geographical source of supply, hectarage cropped, tonnage produced and market value. Comercializacion lnterna de los Alimentos en America Latina: Problemas, Productos y Politicas edited by G.J. Scott and M.G. Costello (International Potato Center, Lima, Peru, 1985, 253 pp) The Cost of Protectionism to Developing Countries by Joachim Zietz and Alberto Valdes (The World Bank, Washington, DC, USA, distributed in the UK by Microinfo, Hants, UK, 1986, 90 pp, £5)
FOOD POLICY November 1986
fundamental changes to African economies than the term 'adjustment' might imply. In many countries, land reform may still be required, as well as major changes in the composition of commodity production, including diversification of agricultural commodities for export and production of raw materials for domestic agro-industries. The sustainability of agricultural production systems and the importance of conserving natural resources should be a paramount concern. Finally a note on population and development. While the human carrying capacity of Africa is undoubtedly far greater than the present population, the crucial factor is the relationship b e t w e e n the growth of population, and that of GDP, employment and food availability. Women can play an important part in limiting population, especially when they have access to education. Measures to promote structural adjustment will be of limited effect if the question of population growth and human resource management is not also addressed. Prepared by the Food Production and Rural Development Division of the Commonwealth Secretariat, London, UK.
Tearing the heart from a worthwhile document Special Session of the United Nations General Assembly on the Critical Economic Situation in Africa, New York, NY, USA, 27 May-1 June 1986 The international community missed a valuable opportunity at this special session to give the kind of commitment that is needed to help African agriculture back on its feet. The roots of the session lay at the Organisation for African Unity summit at Addis Ababa in July 1985 when many African leaders were shaken by the way drought had lead to famine. Together they confessed that their countries had not usually given agriculture the priority it deserved. They drew up a five-year 'Africa Priority Programme for Economic Recovery' (APPER), in which they said they would 'raise the level of invest-
FOOD POLICY November 1986
ments in the agricultural sector to between 20 to 25% of total public investments'. For many countries this represented a doubling of money for agriculture. The programme was costed at $128 billion, 95% of which was needed for measures to increase food output, provide improved support services for agriculture and tackle drought and desertification. African countries felt that, given a reasonably favourable international economic environment, they could raise $82 billion of the money - but that still left a $46 billion gap. In September 1985 they asked the
UN General Assembly to hold a special session on Africa that would enable the African countries to show the world that they were sincere about giving agriculture new priority. It would also be an occasion when they could seek the support of western and eastern bloc countries for their plans. The General Assembly unanimously agreed to the request.
Programme A preparatory committee was formed to try to shape a United Nations programme for Africa's economic recovery. Under the chairmanship of Edgard Pisani of France they drew up a document that was to form the basis for discussion at the Special Session. The document contained sections that were imaginative and even visionary. But there was a snag. Most of the sections that meant anything worthwhile were in 'square brackets' meaning there was disagreement about them. A long week was spent in New York trying to agree a form of words that would be acceptable to all and enable the brackets to be removed. The end result - after sessions which lasted far into the night and early mornings - was a document that is a classic UN fudge. 'This is a much better document than the one we started the week with', said a US delegate at the end. Most Africans were far less happy; the week in New York had been spent tearing the heart out of a document that had said something worthwhile.
Fudge Nowhere is the fudge better demonstrated than over commodities. Most African countries rely on the sale of one or more raw commodity for over half their foreign exchange earnings, and unless prices improve there are real doubts as to whether they can raise their share of the money for the APPER. The preparatory document showed an awareness of this. It said on commodities that there is a need for the 'international community, particularly donor countries, to agree on . . .
369
Conferences~Publications
creating and strengthening structures that aim at fair and renumerative prices'. This was changed to 'there is a need for the international community to deal urgently with commodity issues'. True, but it does not mean that the international community is going to deal urgently with the issues. The revised sentence carefully avoids mentioning the structures that help to keep commodity prices low. African countries also felt very strongly about the debt burden they face. Having taken out loans at around 10% rates of interest in the 1970s, they have seen interest rates soar to around 20%. Economically viable projects have become unprofitable. The APPER points out that the 'debt-service obligation of African countries will increase from $4.3 billion a year in the 1980-82 period to $14,6-$24.5 billion a year during the period of the priority programme (1986-90)'. As these higher payments have to come from lower commodity earnings, Africa has an acute problem. But donor countries gave no commitment to ease the burden. The preparatory document said, 'it is obvious that African countries do not have the capacity to bear the heavy debt servicing burden'. This was changed in the final document to a 'recognition' of the debt burden and the phrase 'measures will have to be taken to alleviate the burden'. This could mean anything or nothing depending on the commitment of Western countries to actually do something.
Non-committal Neither did the international community commit itself to providing the $46 billion over the next five years that A P P E R needs. The UN document says that the 'international community recognises that the African countries need additional external resources and in this context it commits itself to making every effort to provide sufficient resources to support and supplement the African development effort'. The UN programme does contain
370
sentences which give hope that within agriculture itself more attention will go to policies to increase food output. 'Primary focus will be on women farmers', it says. As women produce most of Africa's food, that at least might be seen as a step in the right direction. As a result of the session, it is now likely that some donor countries will give more aid to African agriculture many of them by re-directing aid from other continents and purposes rather than by increasing amounts overall. The increased commitment of African countries to agriculture, plus more aid for the sector from abroad, should lead to extra cash for existing programmes and to the launching of new projects to grow more food.
The big question is whether it will all be enough. The special session (the UN's first ever on a regional issue) could have seen the international community take a firm and bold step to provide Africa with both the resources and the favourable external environment it needs to become food selfsufficient by 1990. Unless action now backs up the rhetoric at New York, then Africa is likely to face yet more famines. When the world looks on and wonders why, it might judge that part of the problem was the lack of commitment by the international community to back the African recovery effort.
John Madeley Reading, UK
Publications Agricultural Development in Southern Africa: Farm Household-Economics and the Food Crisis by Allan Low (James Currey, London, UK, 1986, 217 pp, £19.50) Agricultural Development in the Third World edited by Carl K. Eicher and John M. Staatz (The Johns Hopkins University Press, Baltimore, MD, 1984, 491 pp, £30.55 hb, £13.45 pb) This book presents the views of 37 leading scholars on the major theoretical and policy issues concerning agriculture's role in Third World economies. They discuss the agricultural policies and strategies needed to deal with problems of poverty, inequality and malnutrition. Agricultural Household Models: Extensions, Application, and Policy edited by Inderjit Singh, Lyn Squire and John Strauss (The Johns Hopkins University Press, Baltimore, MD, USA, 1986, 335 pp, $34.50) Agricultural Literature of Czechoslovakia (Institute for Scientific and Technical Information for Agriculture, 120 56 Prague 2, Vinohrady Slezska 7, 1985, 141 pp) Agricultural Policy and Trade: Adjusting Domestic Programs in an International Framework by D. Gale Johnson, Kenzo Hemmi and Pierre Lardinois (Columbia University Press, New York, 1986, 132 pp, $25) Anthropology and Rural Development in West Africa by Michael M. Horowitz and
Thomas M. Painter (Westview Press, Boulder, CO, USA, distributed in the UK by Wildwood Distribution Services, Aldershot, Hants, UK, 1986, 323 pp, £20.50) Brazil and the CG1AR Centers by Fernando Homem de Melo (The World Bank, Washington, DC, USA, distributed in the UK by Microinfo, Hants, UK, 1986, 124 pp, £8) Breaking New Ground: Agricultural Anthropology by Robert E. Rhoades (International Potato Center, Lima, Peru, 1985, 184 pp, $11.75) British Food Facts and Figures 1986 researched and compiled by Daphne MacCarthy (Woodhead-Faulkner Ltd, Cambridge, UK, 1986, 353 pp, £20) This 'guide to British agricultural and horticultural produce' provides statistics and information on over 100 products. Details on entries ranging from apples to yogurt include per capita consumption and expenditure, geographical source of supply, hectarage cropped, tonnage produced and market value. Comercializacion lnterna de los Alimentos en America Latina: Problemas, Productos y Politicas edited by G.J. Scott and M.G. Costello (International Potato Center, Lima, Peru, 1985, 253 pp) The Cost of Protectionism to Developing Countries by Joachim Zietz and Alberto Valdes (The World Bank, Washington, DC, USA, distributed in the UK by Microinfo, Hants, UK, 1986, 90 pp, £5)
FOOD POLICY November 1986