4th Restricted RPCA Meeting

As a platform for discussions between West African food security actors and the main food aid donors from OECD member countries, the restrictive meeting of the Food Crisis Prevention Network in the Sahel and West Africa (RPCA) establishes the half-term assessment of the agricultural campaign and analyses the impacts of food security programmes with a view to taking concrete measures for the prevention and management of possible food crises during the lean season. This year, network members also focused on the negotiation and adoption process of the revised Food Aid Charter. 

Background | Objectives | Work Sessions | Food Situation 
Recommendations | Participants | Contacts & Documents 

  Background

Created in response to the catastrophic drought crisis in the Sahel region in 1984, the Food Crisis Prevention Network (RPCA) offers an open forum for discussion and action around food security issues in West Africa. The network brings together West African policy makers and leading international agricultural experts from international organisations (WFP, FAO, WMO), specialised NGOs, producer groups and researchers. The co-ordination of the network is today ensured by the SWAC and the CILSS.

  Objectives

• Establish the half-term assessment of the 2008/2009 agricultural campaign as well as the food and nutritional situation;
• Make concrete proposals to address food insecurity issues during the lean season;
• Exchange views on the implementation phase of the negotiations and adoption of the revised Food Aid Charter.

 Work Sessions

• Session 1: Assessment of the food and nutritional situation;
• Session 2: Exchange of views on the setting up of a network with the offices responsible for the management of national food security stocks in West Africa.

 The Food and Nutritional Situation

Despite production improvement in most of the countries over the last three years, the nutritional situation could deteriorate in the next few months due to the high prices of food commodities. In fact, prices remain high although they ought to be lower as products should have reached the market. The global economic and financial crisis is an additional factor exacerbating the vulnerability of the poorest people. The possible reduction in remittances, loss of employment and drop in agricultural export product prices could threaten food security in households, in particular with the oncoming lean season. 

At-risk zones have been identified in some West African countries. Some 317 000 people in Mali, 383 000 people in Mauritania and  217 000 people in Niger are facing food insecurity. To deal with this situation, several measures have been undertaken by West African countries supported by other food security actors. Some of these urgent measures are: i) the sale at subsidised prices of 4 000 tonnes of corn, 600 tonnes of imported rice, 100 tonnes of local rice in Benin and 20 000 tonnes of cereals in Niger; and (ii) cash for work programmes in Niger for approximately 15% of households in vulnerable zones. Urban areas are also affected. The CILSS has identified close to 30 000 households in Ouagadougou and Bobo-Dioulasso (Burkina Faso).

 Recommendations

The RPCA network members recommend to decision-makers to:

• The lifting of the obstacles to the free circulation of foodstuffs in the Sahel and West African region.
• The continuation of aid programs for the most vulnerable populations in the rural, peri-urban and urban zones in order to limit the degradation of their purchasing power as well as to prevent malnutrition.
• The improvement of price and supply monitoring activities, particularly in the structurally deficit areas.

Technical and financial partners of the RPCA participated in this meeting as well as representatives from regional and international food security information systems, humanitarian organisations and NGOs.

    Contacts:

• Jean Sibiri Zoundi, Head of Unit
• Léonidas Hitimana, Programme Officer

    Documents:

• Agenda
• Final Statement
• Summary Record (French)

    Also Visit:

• www.food-security.net