Helping Africa to become food secure

Next week I’m attending a workshop concerning the establishment of the Australian International Food Security Centre (AIFSC) which is a welcome initiative from the government. I should thank our friends at the Australian Council For International Development (ACFID) for the invitation to represent Australian NGOs at this event.

The establishment of the centre was announced by the Prime Minister at the recent Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting in Perth, to assist developing countries maximise the benefits and opportunities of agricultural productivity, through research, to achieve food and nutritional security. The Australian Government has committed funding of $36 million over four years for the Centre’s activities.

Whilst the AIFSC will have a broad international focus, particular emphasis will be given to Africa, where the highest proportion of the world’s poor are found. The formation of the centre is a terrific initiative and one which we applaud.

The AIFSC will be based at the Australian Centre for International Agricultural Research (ACIAR) in Canberra and with regional hubs, initially in Africa. An international conference on African food security will be held in the second quarter of 2012 under the auspices of the Centre, and this will be establish the foundations of the partnerships that will drive the Centre.

There are a couple of big questions that I’m looking forward to discussing in the workshop which include:

1. How will the AIFSC’s research prioritise ending poverty, ending hunger and promoting women’s rights?

2. How will the AIFSC meet the needs of poor and excluded people, particularly women?

Please let me know if there are other issues you feel should be on the table and I’ll report back to you at the end of next week on where this ends up.