Publisher
Montpellier Panel
The Montpellier Panel presented their new report ‘Growth with Resilience: Opportunities in African Agriculture’ on Wednesday 21st March at the Department for International Development (DFID), London and on Thursday 22nd March at the European Commission, Brussels. The report aims to inform discussions related to key policy events in 2012 and will look broadly at agriculture’s role in supporting green growth, food and nutrition security, ecosystem services and climate change mitigation and adaptation, among others.
The Montpellier Panel believes investment in resilient agricultural growth in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) can achieve sustainable food and nutrition security for the continent and significantly contribute to the African and global economy:
• Food security underpins global security;
• Food trade is central to global trade; and
• Agricultural development is the best route to achieving economic growth that reaches the rural poor and most vulnerable in low income countries.
As is also evident from the experience of recent years, failure to ensure universal food security threatens political stability, social welfare and economic growth. Inclusive, resilient agricultural growth is thus a political imperative. Resilient agricultural growth doesn’t happen by itself - it needs pro-active policy design and investment.
The challenge is to generate agricultural growth that produces enough food, ensures it is accessible to all, is inclusive of the most vulnerable and is resilient, and hence able to withstand the increasing multiple stresses and shocks that afflict the world.
The priority should be supporting the creation of:
• Resilient markets that enable farmers to increase production and generate income through innovation and taking risks, while ensuring food is available
at an affordable price.
• Resilient agriculture that creates agricultural growth out of knowledge and innovation, while simultaneously building the capacity of smallholder farmers to counter environmental degradation and climate change.
• Resilient people who are able to generate diverse livelihoods that provide stable incomes, adequate nutrition and good health in the face of recurrent stresses and shocks.
Their first report “Africa and Europe: Partnerships for Agricultural Development”, highlights African priorities in agriculture and nutrition and makes recommendations for ensuring global food price stability and strengthening partnerships between Europe and Africa.
Publication date
Source / Citation
The Montpellier Panel. 2012. Growth with Resilience: Opportunities in African Agriculture. London: Agriculture for Impact.
Last version on
Location
https://workspace.imperial.ac.uk/africanagriculturaldevelopment/Public/Montpellier%20Panel%20Report%202012.pdf