The Advocates for African Food Security is a coalition of over thirty non-governmental organizations, representatives of United Nations bodies, governments and intergovernmental organizations working together on an equal status basis on the issue of food security. The Advocate's objective is to stimulate action to maintain a global focus on the critical role of women in all the activities that countries feel are necessary for achieving full food security. Activities focus on practical ways to lessen thee burden on women in the areas of food, health, water, and energy in order to improve the quality of their lives generally and to free their potential to produce, process and store crops, not only for their families, but for national food security.

ROLE OF WOMEN

"To ensure the long-term sustainability of food security, women, who produce 70% of local-consumption agricultural product, should be assisted and encouraged in the various stages of food production, storage, and preservation. The efforts of African women farmers to raise and diversify crops, especially indigenous food crops such as cassava, should be strongly supported. Easy access to and familiarization with agro-technologies that are environmentally sound should be facilitated. Most importantly, as principal food providers, women must be involved at all levels of decision-making that impact on food security." (8)

"If famine is to end and Africa's food situation become more secure, the woman farmer must increase her agricultural productivity. Inputs such as technology and training are necessary, but they are not sufficient. For such resources to be effective in increasing productivity, they must be coupled with strategies to lessen the burden of the woman farmer and reduce the energy spent on other time-consuming chores."(12)

"Lessen the burden and reduce the number of chores undertaken simultaneously by women through provision of:

a) safe potable water within easy reach; b) afforestation, fuel-saving stoves and other energy-saving devices c)community child-care facilities; and d) health maternity care and family planning services (8)

"The traditional role of women as producers of a significant proportion of food should be protected and strengthened when new agricultural production methods are introduced. More attention must be given to ensure that women have access to agricultural extension services, credit, land titles and, not least, new technologies."(10)

Since the protection of the environment is an important function of food producers, women should be exposed to nd involved in environmental protection activities, e.g. growing soil coves, planting trees, introducing drip irrigation, harvesting water, etc. Groups of women could be organized to cooperatively use such facilities as agricultural machinery, storage locations, processing centers, transportation of products to markets, etc.(6)

"Improve food security by promoting environmentally sound agricultural development; and improve food production, storage, processing and marketing by ensuring access of women to: a) land; b) credit; c) appropriate technology; d) transportation; and e) extension services.(11)

Recommendations relating to the role of women:

- support [African] women's perspectives in dialogues among UN agencies, governments and NGOs in the search for improved methods of popular participation in African recovery and food security.(5)

- ensure active participation of women in policy formulation and provide appropriate channels for information exchange in all aspects of food security, including land tenure, water, energy, environment and health.(5)

- encourage men to recognize and support the valuable contribution of African women farmers to food security and impress upon them that food security is the business of everyone in the community.(5)

- urge governments to include the actual work done by African women farmers in statistical reporting for the GNP.(5)

- identify local African organizations working with and for women farmers and support their efforts.(5)

- press elected representatives and policy makers to favor those programmes that directly lessen the burdens of the African woman farmer.(5)

It is (also) recommended that:

- women be involved in decision-making, planning, implementation and evaluation at the community, national, regional and international levels (11)

- all decision-makers, planners and implementers be aware of how to tap and incorporate the diverse skills of women in development programmes and projects."(11) - [African] women farmers' efforts to raise and diversify agricultural production, especially of indigenous crops, be supported (7)

- Infrastructure facilities including transport, storage, markets, communication, child care, water and fuel be provided to lessen the burden of women farmers and enable them to participate fully in the economic activities of their communities (6)

PRICES, TRADE & COMMODITY STRATEGIES

"Inter-regional trade in food products, in both primary and processed forms, will help to increase diversification in food production within countries and to improve regional food security.(7)

Commodity strategies at international, national and local levels should thoroughly address all aspects of food security.(7) Prices for local food products should represent a profitable return and encourage local production.(9)

GENERAL RECOMMENDATIONS:

Greater investment and research be put into local food crops than into export crops (6)

At each stage of the food chain, there be on-site education, vocational training, skills development and easy access to and local control of technologies that are environmentally sustainable; and that research, development and promotion of traditionally beneficial seeds and plants be fostered (7)

Any action programme designed to ensure food security [in Africa] must be totally planned, executed, monitored and modified by the people concerned. National policy-makers should base their plans on feedback of lessons learned by the small farmer at the household level, as well as by large scale producers. Basing plans on the extrapolation of data secured from those who keep books on input/output alone, is not only using data remote from the scene but leads to distortion.(6)

Technical cooperation could be beneficial if it is based on the involvement and commitment of food producers and not on the dictates of the donors, or on the experience of people with different values, resources, knowledge bases, attitudes and practice.(6)

The indigenous institutions [in Africa] should be respected consulted, involved, and challenged for the purposes of pooling local and modern know-how to develop alternatives that ensure food security using the resources at hand.(6)

Countries [in Africa] could begin the process of food security by pooling their meager resources together and reviving indigenous food trade routes of the past, or opening new routes - even if this trade includes the bartering of food and other necessities. This could be achieved by organizing [intra-African] communication and commercialization networks.(6)

A goal could be established to reduce post-harvest loss by 20 percent per year. If food production were increased by the same percentage, food imports could be decreased.

ROLE OF NGOs and GRASSROOTS ORGANIZATIONS:

"Strengthen the effectiveness of organizations at the grassroots level - especially those working with women-through infrastructure support, resources allocation and cooperative efforts."(11)

DEFINITIONS

"What is Food Security?" - Production and distribution of agricultural inputs - Planting and cultivation - Harvest and storage - Farmgate marketing of food not retained for family consumption - Distribution to food processors and food processing - Distribution to retailers and retail marketing - Home preparation and distribution of food, including gathering of fuelwood, collecting water, and intra- familial food allocation decisions - Absorption and utilization of food by individuals"(1)

Food Security: food locally produced, processed, and stored, available year after year despite natural or human-made famine. Food security (is) a question of access to land and environmentally-sound production methods to fill basic needs and create reserves. It requires adequate processing and storage techniques to cut post-harvest losses. It means equitable access to inputs like credit and training for maintenance of infra- structure and management. And it depends on adequate distribution networks.(6)

LESSONS LEARNED

Education Part of the key lies in the changing Northern perspectives and policies, particularly relating to foreign aid and debt issues. There is need for education of the constituency in the donor countries about women and food security. It is essential to educate women not only in technology but also in management and administrative skills. Additionally, education must be a two-way flow of information.(1)

Time and Sustainability Projects that work require commitment of time, resources and adaptability to changing needs and circumstances, as well as sustainability to continue without the need of technical support or other interventions by the donor or the sponsoring NGO.(1)

Holistic/Balanced Approach Effective programmes give holistic consideration to the many areas which impact food security in a region: energy, water, transportation, health, children, education and others. Working with men and cooperation between agencies are critical to a holistic approach.(1)

AAFS RESOURCES / DOCUMENTS:

1. Advocates for African Food Security. Programmes for African food security, lessening the burden for women. final report. Santa Domingo, INSTRAW, May 1987

2. Advocates for African Food Security Task Force/NGLS. Case studies from Africa: towards food security. New York, NGLS, 1987.

3. Advocates for African Food Security, et al. Women's participation: the critical element in food security. Symposium IV at the United Nations, final report. New York, AAFS, 12 October 1989.

4. Advocates for African Food Security. Women's initiatives in African food security: the link between micro activities and macro policies. Advocates for African Food Security, Lessening the Burden for Women. Symposium V, final report. New York, AAFS, 15 November 1990.

5. Advocates for African Food Security: Lessening the Burden for Women, Statement to the Commission on the Status of Women, Thirty-fourth session, Vienna, Austria 26 February - 9 March, 1990. Agenda Item 4: Priority themes: Development: Negative effects of the international economic situation on the improvement of the status of women.

6. Advocates for African Food Security. Food security in Africa: a regional point of view. New York, AAFS, September 1991.

7. Advocates for African Food Security. Commodity strategies versus African food security? Symposium VI. Final Report. New York, AAFS, September 1991.

8. Advocates for African Food Security: Lessening the Burden for Women, Statement to the International Conference on Nutrition Rome, Italy, 5-11 December 1992

9. Advocates for African Food Security: Lessening the Burden for Women, Statement to the Commission on the Status of Women, Thirty-sixth session, Vienna, Austria 11-21 March, 1992. Agenda Item 5: Priority themes: Development, Integration of Women in the process of development

10. Final Statement, Mid-Term Review, UN Programme of Action for African Economic Recovery and Development 1986-1990.

11. Food Security: People's Declaration (Prepared by over 100 NGOs and donors, government officials and international experts during the Food Security: African Woman Farmer symposium help on May 15, 1986 at UN Headquarters in conjunction with the UN Special Session on the Critical Economic Situation in Africa 27-31 May 1986)

12. Women: African Food Security, Position Statement, A Task Force on Lessening the Burden, at the Food Security: African Woman Farmer symposium help on May 15, 1986 at UN Headquarters in conjunction with the UN Special Session on the Critical Economic Situation in Africa 27-31 May 1986)

OTHER RESOURCES

Church Women United, NGLS, UNIFEM Food Security: the African Woman Farmer. New York, 15 May 1986; final report. New York, May 1986