Food Systems Resilience Program for Eastern and Southern Africa (Phase 4)

dropped

The food systems of Eastern and Southern Africa (AFE) are some of the most vulnerable in the world, and in recent years, that vulnerability has translated into a deteriorating food security situation. AFE is home to over 656 million people, many of whom are extremely poor and face significant challenges accessing adequate, safe, and nutritious food every day. AFE’s food systems are generally beset by low levels of agricultural productivity, a severely degraded and stressed natural resource base, pronounced gender inequities in food and resource access, and relatively low levels of food trade and regional market integration. AFE is also among the regions most affected by fragility, conflict and violence (FCV) as well as the effects of climate change. And food system shocks—including ones precipitated by extreme weather, pest and disease outbreaks, political and market instability, and conflict—are generally becoming more frequent and severe, putting more people at risk of being affected by both chronic and acute forms of food insecurity. Over 40 percent of AFE’s population live on less than US$1.90 purchasing power parity per day, and as of 2019, nearly two-thirds were affected by moderate-to-severe food insecurity, 27 percent of the population severely so. Since then, the region has contended with the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic, historic droughts, and the Russian invasion of Ukraine. In the August 2022–March 2023 timeframe, an estimated 85–136 million people in 15 of 26 assessed AFE countries were projected to experience food stress or find themselves in a food crisis, emergency, or famine (IPC Phase 2+).The Food Systems Resilience Program for Eastern and Southern Africa recognizes the need, given these circumstances, to break the cycle of shocks and emergency response by building food system resilience at the regional level. By taking both an integrated and longer-term approach to building food system resilience in the region, while offering the possibility of near-term response, the program aims to reduce the number of food insecure people in the region and as well as its preparedness for future shocks. Program investments are designed to foster climate-smart agricultural production systems, the sustainable management of natural resources, expanded market access, and a greater focus on food systems resilience in policymaking. The first phase of this multiphase programmatic approach (MPA) was approved by the Board in June 2022 and focuses on Ethiopia, Madagascar, and two regional economic community organizations, IGAD and CCARDESA. Phase 2 will focus on Tanzania, Phase 3, on Comoros, Kenya, Malawi, Somalia, and the African Union Commission (AUC), and Phase 4 on Mozambique. This MPA complements a similar World Bank program under way in West and Central Africa.Phase 4 of the MPA comprises four technical components corresponding to Pillars 2—5 of the overarching MPA. It includes a range of activities under each of these components adapted to the country’s priorities and capacities. These components are:(1) (Re-)Building Resilient Agricultural Production Capacity (“MPA Pillar 2”). Including: (a) agricultural research and development, information systems, development of new varieties and innovative systems development (crop, livestock and aquaculture systems); (b) agricultural extension services and community-based technology transfer; (c) digital agriculture; (d) climate-smart technologies and practices, and policy options; (f) mitigation of post-harvest food losses (including storage); and (g) food safety and traceability systems.(2) Supporting the Sustainable Development of Natural Resources for Resilient Agricultural Landscapes (“MPA Pillar 3”). Comprising: (a) irrigated cropland leveling, and organizational strengthening; (b) water management planning and organizational strengthening.(3) Getting to Market (“MPA Pillar 4”). It includes: (a) strengthening of farmer producer organizations and agrifood enterprises; (b) investments in public facilities, post-harvest handling, trade facilitation and market linkages; (c) promoting and financing Productive Alliances for agriculture and aquaculture; (e) e vouchers for high quality commercial inputs; (f) trade policy and rule harmonization, including food and trade standards, food safety management and compliance and trade negotiations capacity; and (g) public food procurement.(4) Promoting a Greater Focus on Food Systems Resilience in National and Regional Policymaking (“MPA Pillar 5”). It comprises: (a) planning, development and implementation of policies, strategies and legal and regulatory reforms supporting food systems resilience; (b) institutional and human capacity building; (c) regional integration efforts; and (d) impact evaluation and adaptive design.